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BEWARE OF WOLVES IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING

I am writing in response to Thursday’s News Herald story about a task force being formed by the state attorney’s office to crack down on construction fraud by the unlicenced contractors in the event of a storm.
What about the construction fraud and other contractor abuses that are allowed to continue right here in Bay County as there is no one watching for illegal activity by licenced contractors.

I realize that times are bad and that jobsin the construction industry are few and far between resulting in otherwise good contractors going down very slippery slopes to make ends meet.

Don’t fall victim to some of the current schemes out there. Here are some tips on how to be one step ahead of the crooks and secure a reputable contractor.

DON’T RELY ON THE REFERENCES GIVEN TO YOU BY THE CONTRACTOR.  Call or email the building dept. to get a list of the names of people that the contractor has done work for and is doing work for.  Call the names that AREN’T on the builder’s reference list for their experiences.

BAYCOCLERK.COM IS YOUR BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION ON THE CONTRACTOR’S HISTORY.  The BBB, DBPR and the Bay county builder’s service often don’t disclose complaints giving callers a false sense of security.  The above courthouse website is free and will provide a full criminal and civil history of charges and cases.

ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IN WRITING.  Often times a contractor will throw in an extra as an incentive or off set at no cost to homeowner and it may seem petty to ask him to add or initial it on the contract.  But, feeling silly now is nothing compared to kicking your self later if he decides to claim it was extra work that you agreed to pay for. It happens!! Trust me at happens!!!

HAVE YOUR CONTRACT SUBJECT TO ATTORNEY REVIEW.  It may seem like an un needed extra expense in the beginning but the cost is nothing compared to unsnarling a problem later. An attorney can pick up on things that the average homeowner wouldn’t even think of.

STAY CLEAR OF ALLOWANCES AND KEEP THE CONTRACT FIXED COST WHENEVER POSSIBLE.  Fixed cost agreements keep everyone clear on the amounts that the homeowner is responsible for.

ABSOLUTELY NO PAY ADVANCES.  Can’t stress enough to have it written in the contract.  A reputable company will have enough operating capital to cover expenses until their draw is due.  A contractor that begs and bullies for advance payments is a definite warning sign!!  Beware!!

FORECLOSUE SCHEMES.  Some builders will use the threat of foreclosure if you refuse them pay advances.

Some builders will file unjustified liens and threaten to foreclose if an unjustified settlement is not offered.

Some builders will falsely claim that extra fees were agreed on (altough not on the contract) in an effort to support a frivolous law suit.  Again, this is just to scare people into offering a settlement to avoid a long costly lawsuit.

TIP:  They are banking on the hopes of a windfall due to playing off your fear.  They don’t really want to take their case to court as they will be told by the judge that they have BUNK and then they are out all those legal fees on their wasted effort. HOLD YOUR GROUND!!

There are many fine contractors in Bay County that even in bad times will not risk their good name by crossing over the line.  With a little research you can find one.

Remember not to rely on a contractor’s licence alone.  But do get a copy as it states the full name and birthdate of the contractor that is very helpful in running him through BAYCOCLERK.COM

GOOD LUCK!

Entry submitted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 06/13 at 09:08 AM

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