You just can’t read a newspaper or watch a news story these days without coming across a scam involving construction contractors (and remodeling contractors, for that matter). People are constantly advised to be on their guard and be picky. It’s not that the entire industry is filled with many unscrupulous contractors, it’s just that a home improvement or construction scam is likely to be costly and unforgiving to the victim.
The best way to discern the most dependable from the ones that aren’t is for people to do thorough research on each prospective construction company. Most cities and states have business offices who are in charge with keeping tabs on all contractors that operate locally. These offices are usually the best source of information to determine the bad apples, although online referrals and reviews are also useful, provided that they can be verified.
Another important tip is to meet up with the contractors in person before allowing them to enter the property in the first place. Not only will this give homeowners an idea of the contractors’ personalities and work ethics, it is also an opportunity to ask hard questions. For example, talking face-to-face is a chance to talk about any discrepancies or blemishes in the contractors’ service record, as gathered from the initial research.
