Feb 12, 2009 1:09 pm US/Eastern
Angie's List: Home Improvement Deals
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
In this economy, as many people are struggling to find work,
homeowners might find it can be a good time to get a deal on home improvements.
But quality contractors aren't the only ones looking for
cash.. Fly-by-night operations are looking for money too. In this week's
Angie's List report, what you should know to avoid becoming a victim.
That's right, you want to take advantage of good prices
without someone taking advantage of you.
"With the state of the economy it's more important than
ever for consumers to do their homework when checking out contractors they
might want to hire. There's potentially more contractors out there available to
do your work, and they might be cutting corners, like dropping insurance or
dropping licensing, so do your homework to be safe," said Angie Hicks,
founder of Angie's List.
And even if you think you got a good price, be careful how
much you pay before the job gets started.
"Some common signs of a scam might be that they ask for
big upfront deposits. If a contractor is looking for lots of money upfront you
might want to shy away from that. Also, if contractors are coming door to door
and offering to do what at what seems to be unreasonably low prices, that might
not be a good a good sign as well," said Hicks.
For anyone planning
to hire home improvement experts, Angie's List offers the following tips to
hire good contractors and avoid the unqualified ones:
· Avoid door-to-door solicitors and those who only accept
cash payments, offer discounts for finding customers or pressure you to make a
quick decision.
· Be wary of contractors who want large deposits up front.
As a general rule, don't pay more than half and withhold the final payment
until the job is complete.
· Verify the business is licensed to operate in your area.
· Ask the contractor you want to hire for several references
from happy customers who've had worked completed - and check them. Visit the
job sites if possible.
· Never sign a contract containing blank spaces.
· Get at least three different estimates for your job. And
get it in writing - documentation is often the best ammunition you have if
things go wrong. If you have to pay for it, be sure the fee comes off your
final bill if you hire that contractor. Also, ask for a guarantee on an
estimate. A good contractor will be willing to guarantee their price for 30
days.
· Homeowners should be prepared to negotiate for the best
price but NEVER hire based on price alone.
If you run into
problems:
· Let the contractor know you're unhappy. Ask him or her to
take specific action to remedy the situation.
Follow up with a letter. Keep records of all written
correspondence as well as receipts, canceled checks and credit card statements.
If a business requests documents, send a copy, never an original. Keep a log of
all conversations,
· including the date and time of the call, what was said and
who you spoke with.
· Report suspected unethical or illegal behavior to the
proper authorities
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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