| Many a soul has hired a contractor to do | | | | specify the exact brand, size and part number |
| repairs or improvements on a home only to | | | | [if possible] in your contract. Doing so |
| find something is fishy. Here are some tips | | | | accomplishes two things. First, it puts the |
| to avoid problems. | | | | contractor on notice that you know how the |
| | | | process works. Second, you can always resort |
| Home Improvement Contract Tips | | | | to legal action if you later find the correct |
| | | | materials were not used. Since you have |
| Hiring a contractor to do work on your home | | | | everything in writing, the contractor has |
| is not always as easy as it sounds. Many | | | | little defense. |
| people call themselves contractors, but | | | | |
| really are not. The first step to avoiding | | | | A second unethical tactic is the bait and |
| problems is to make sure you hire someone | | | | switch. In this process, the contractor gives |
| with who is actually licensed as a | | | | you a bid price that can't possibly cover the |
| contractor. If you subsequently have | | | | project. You think you are getting a deal, |
| problems, you can contact the licensing board | | | | but the contractor starts coming to you after |
| to raise a dispute. | | | | the project has started requesting more |
| | | | money. The contractor refuses to continue |
| Most contractors are ethical, honest people | | | | work if you do not pony up. In this |
| and businesses. There are, however, others | | | | situation, the best defense is again to have |
| who are not. These individuals assume you do | | | | everything in writing in the project |
| not really know what is involved in the | | | | contract. Make sure to include an attorney's |
| construction process. This provides them with | | | | fee clause in it. If the contractor tries |
| an opening to make substantially more profit. | | | | this tactic, you should contact an attorney. |
| While you might think this means they will | | | | The attorney will set the contractor |
| overbid the project, it does not. Most | | | | straight. If the contract refuses to finish |
| contractors believe you will pick the lowest | | | | the job, you will probably be told by the |
| price, so they rarely run up their estimate. | | | | attorney to hire a new contractor while he |
| There are, however, two other ways to boost | | | | sues the unethical one. Since an attorney's |
| profit. | | | | fee clause is included in the agreement, you |
| | | | should end up paying no legal fees. This is |
| The first thing unethical contractors will do | | | | not the best situation, but it beats getting |
| is use low quality supplies. As with anything | | | | scammed. |
| you buy, there is a high quality and lower | | | | |
| quality version. While you may want the high | | | | In general, the best way to find a contractor |
| quality version, you may have a hard time | | | | is to ask for referrals from trusted friends. |
| determining if you received it. The | | | | Next, get everything in writing. With these |
| difference between high and low quality is | | | | two steps, you should avoid any major |
| often how long something lasts, not how it | | | | problems. |
| appears. The way to beat this problem is to | | | | |