There's No Place Like Home

Can You Trust Your Contractor?

Owning your own home means keeping up with regular maintenance and repairs. Unfortunately, home improvement and repair scams are some of the most prevalent types of cons.

Over the last 15 years, more than 109,000 home improvement scams totaling nearly $207 million in losses to consumers have been reported to the Federal Trade Commission. According to the FTC, scammers target older homeowners because they think they are more trusting, have more money, may have memory or cognition issues that impair decision making, and are less likely to question a bill or service.

Detecting a Scam

Not only can the summer storm season create property damage, it can also attract scammers who come to storm-damaged areas. These scammers will take your money, then never show up to do the work.

Blaine Adams, president of AIC Roofing and Construction, cautions homeowners to always choose a local contractor.

“Local contractors often care more about the outcome of the project and the customer’s overall satisfaction than out-of-towners who are here to just do the job and then leave town,” Blaine says. “Local companies are available to assist you even after the job has been completed.”

Blaine offers some additional tips to help you avoid scams when hiring someone to work on your home.

Get the details in writing.

• Make sure you get a detailed outline of the services being provided and the materials being used, including the product brand.

• Check the warranty details. How long is the warranty and what does it cover?

• Asking for a deposit once a contract has been signed is fair, but never sign over your full insurance check, especially to someone going door-to-door.

Ensure the contractor has insurance.

• Ask to see proof of insurance. If they damage something on your property, you want to make sure they can fix or replace it.

• Make sure they have worker’s comp, general liability and vehicle insurance to cover all potential issues.

Be observant.

• Are they organized, on time, and clean?

• Is scheduling easy or difficult?

• Bad behavior doesn’t improve. If a contractor is disrespectful of your needs and your time while trying to earn your business, it will only get worse.

In addition, the National Council on Aging suggests getting references and consulting online reviews to learn more about the company before you hire them.

If you believe you’ve been scammed, tell someone. You can be sure that if it happened to you, it’s happened to someone else. Report the scammers to the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general’s office.

By Kym Voorhees Raque

Today's Transitions | Summer 2024