Click here for helpful tips and information on hiring licensed contractors for work at your home. This flyer is provided by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation.

BEWARE OF UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS

An article given to homeowners thru the East Longmeadow, MA Building Department pertains to homeowners everywhere... Click here to read entire article--> HERE

HAZARDS OF HIRING THE UNLICENSED
- Unlicensed usually means uninsured
- No coverage under homeowner's policy
- Noncompliance with building codes
- Poor quality work
- Con artists
- Limited recourse for broken contracts

WARNING SIGNS TO BE CAUTIOUS
- Unsolicited phone calls or visits - "I am in the neighborhood and have leftover
  materials"
- High pressure sales pitches or scare tactics - "Today Only" sales
- Large down payments
- No verifiable address and phone number - PO Box addresses
- Unwillingness to give you a price prior to starting work
- Unwillingness to sign a written contract
- Insurance or licensing information can not be verified

13 STEPS TO HIRING A CONTRACTOR
- Seek a referral from someone you know who is happy with contractor's work
- Solicit bids from at least 3 contractors
- Be wary of proposals that are much lower than any others
- Contact the Better Business Bureau to check out contractors
- Insist on a written contract that outlines your entire agreement
- Have an attorney review any documents before you sign them
- Make sure there are no blank spaces on anything you sign
- Insist upon written warranties
- Have all building permits and variances before starting the project
- Withhold final payment until entire project is finished
- Get a contractor's affidavit that all subcontractors and material suppliers have been
   paid before making final payment
- Report any misrepresentations, shoddy work, failure to honor contracts, unlicensed
  contractors or other problems to the appropriate licensing board

Sunday, October 16, 2011
Article by Melissa E. Holsman
Published in the Florida Today

Click here for continuation of article...