As many parts of the nation rebuild after hurricane damage, home repair scams are again on the rise. This is a major problem, but whenever there is a lot of rebuilding to be done, it is common to see a resurgence in these scam artists. Home owners that are already in a desperate state are much easier to take advantage of, and these faux contractors know just what to say to get them to part with their money. Even if you do not live in an area where devastation has occurred, you can still be a victim of a home repair scam. Here are some tips to help you avoid them.
1. Be wary if they approach you.
A good contractor is someone that you approach for help when you are ready to hire someone. A bad contractor will typically seek you out first. Unless you know the person or they are well respected in the community, be very wary if someone approaches you and recommends improvements that need to made to your house. Most scam artists will use this approach, and it works quite well for them.
2. Ask to see references – and then follow up.
Just getting references from a contractor is not enough to prove they are legitimate. You’ll need to follow up on each one of those references to ensure that you are dealing with someone that is above board. Be advised however that it is all too easy to get family and friends to act as a reference, so this strategy can backfire.
3. Check with the BBB.
The Better Business Bureau is a great place to start if you are trying to find out if a company is legitimate. Call them up or visit them online and enter in all the information you have on a contractor. If you see complaints, do not hire them. Again, this is not a 100% effective strategy, since scam artists usually change company names and phone numbers, it is an important step to take.
4. Check with your neighbors.
It is common that scam artists will try to hit as many people in one neighborhood as possible. Check with your neighbors to see if they have been contacted as well. Successful contractors generally don’t need to drum up business, especially using these methods.
5. Ask to see their licensing.
Most states require contractors to be licensed. If your contractor refuses to provide this information, you definitely have a problem on your hands. Don’t pay anyone until they have given you enough evidence that they are a licensed contractor and capable of doing the work.
By taking the time to be careful, to follow up on references and to be wary, you can be assured that your risks of getting scammed are much less. While no method is perfect, the best defense is simply to say “No,” to anyone that you don’t know that offers to fix your house. This can save you thousands of dollars and a lot of heartache.
Photo Credits: 1
Originally posted 2008-11-27 05:41:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
Landscaping 101 Landscaping can be done by anyone, but the results will depend on the amount of time, planning and your ability to carry out your goals. If you feel more comfortable paying for professional landscaping services, by all means use that route. However, there is nothing like the feeling that comes...... -
How to Fix or Replace Crown Molding While crown molding doesn’t serve any real purpose, it still looks nice and can add value to your home. However, over time, crown molding can become cracked, pieces may fall away or it may just start to look a little old. Luckily, this is a pretty easy fix and it...... -
Joe the Plumber If your home, apartment or some other building is suddenly experiencing a water leak, then repairing the fixtures, the faucets and the pipes can become extremely urgent in no time at all. You may be able to do some of the repair work yourself, but in most cases it is...... -
10 Ideas for DIY Home Improvement There are a lot of different DIY home improvement projects that you can take advantage of in order to change up the look and feel of your home quickly, easily and effectively. Why pay an arm and a leg for contractors and professionals when you can make grand changes to...... -
Pest Control at Home Pest control in the home can be much easier, cheaper, and possibly even more effective than hiring an exterminator. Many or all of these next listed home pest remedy methods could work for you. There are in existence many natural solutions that can be made right in your own kitchen......
Related Websites -
Frugal Ideas To Help Your Home Sell We recently put our home on the market to sell. Man, do we have a lot to do to get the place in ship shape! We have been busy for the past couple of weeks doing what we could to make the place look more appealing to a potential...... -
How to Fix and Repair Your Car /caption]If you've ever looked under the hood of your car and thought "I think I can learn this," then you might be the kind of do-it-yourself-er who enjoys a good challenge. But does that mean you should always take your auto repairs into your own hands, or will you still...... -
101 ways to reduce your spending and keep more of your money Here are 101 areas where it's easy to make cuts that will allow you to keep more of your money. Since this article is long, it's broken it down into sections. Browse through the whole thing, or use the links below to jump to the sections that interest you most....... -
20 Ways to Avoid a Scam When a recession hits, everyone hurts... even the scam artists. Problem is, during times of economic distress (e.g. a recession or depression) the victim is hurting more than usual and any short term financial hit can put them into a cash flow crunch. Money can become so tight that a scam victim might be forced...... -
Ways to Work Out from Home Face it, with today's hectic schedules; it is difficult enough to make time for the important stuff like laundry, meal making, grocery shopping and house cleaning. More and more common what little free time we have for exercise gets sidelined driving around getting our kids or our dry cleaning or......
Categories:
Contractor, Fix, Handy Man, Repair, Replace
Tags:
1 comment so far ↓
Glad you like my photo.
Leave a Comment