How NOT To Choose A Contractor
May 16th, 2009 categories: Buyer Resource, Seller Resource
Spring is here, Summer is around the corner, and there are certainly little projects that have been left undone since 2008. A friend called me very distraught a few days ago…she got ripped off…worse yet, she spoke to the guy for 10 minutes, showed him what needed done, and voluntarily handed over cash.
Here is the story, and after some Internet research, the scam. My friend was sitting at her computer enjoying a cup of Peet’s coffee when her doorbell rang. She opened the door and the guy that was standing there said he was a contractor who had a local job that finished up early and was looking to see if she needed any work to be done before he leaves Sonoma County. She peeked outside and he had a pickup truck with some stuff in the back so he seemed legit. She had a few of loose boards on the deck in the back of her home, so they went to take a look. The guy said he could fix them, and just needed to run the local home improvement center to pick up some supplies, and would soon be back. He was reasonably well spoken, well dressed (for a contractor), had a truck and had a clipboard. All seems legit so far huh?
He told her he needed to go to his truck to figure an estimate, and would be back in 5 minutes. When he came back, he said with labor and materials the total cost would be $200. This seemed fair to my friend who knew the loose boards were a safety issue that was not getting any better. Here is the scam…the guy asked for half up front to buy supplies. My friend felt fine, and “luckily” had $100 cash on her, and handed it over. An hour went by, then 2 hours, then 3 hours. At that point, she began to think…maybe he is not coming back. Maybe he got into a car accident? Maybe he lost his way back? Maybe she got RIPPED OFF! The last scenario is the most likely as this is unfortunately a pretty common scam.
What should my friend have done different? Maybe she should have gone to Home Depot and paid for the materials herself? Maybe she should have not trusted a “business” or “contractor“ that cannot afford supplies for a small task? There are all sorts of things she could have done different.
If you do plan a Home Improvement, make sure you use a reputable handyman. Be smart about who you work with, and what terms and conditions are applied to the sale.
We have a high respect for reputable handymen, and as licensed professionals we have great respect for those who do things the right way…the legal way, and are licensed in their trade. If you have any questions about a local contractor, ask for their license # and call the state to check them out. Also ask if they have any references, or a testimonial page, or pictures of past work. Never be pressured into a decision…give yourself some time to check things out.
