With Contractors and Fixer-Uppers – Buyer Beware
By Greg Ritchie
Messenger Reporter
HOUSTON COUNTY – The storms which hit the area this summer brought a lot of problems: downed trees and power lines, power outages, blocked roads – even minor flooding. Another problem these types of events always bring are the wave of contractors and traveling fixer-uppers who descend on the area. Full of promises and good deals, most do their job well, even at sometimes inflated rates, while others are happy to take a payment and move on the next town – work uncompleted or poorly done.
Several of our readers have asked The Messenger to look into the issue of contractors not completing or doing a substandard job and what they can do about it.
The answer, for the most part, is buyer beware.
Sometimes these issues can come down to disagreements or even misunderstandings, not negligence, but good faith confusion about what was promised and what was done. It could be the contractor misunderstood the instructions or what was expected, sometimes the one paying for the work should have asked more questions before the work was begun.
It can be frustrating for both parties. The contractor goes away fearing bad reviews, when they feel they did what was asked of them. The homeowner feels ripped off, believing they would receive one thing, but having to settle for something different.
What can one do to protect themselves against unscrupulous contractors who don’t finish the job they promised, take the money and run, or simply do a shoddy job?
The first thing to do is ask around, according to Houston County Attorney Daphne Session. She said to make inquiries about the people who are promising to do the work. A bad contractor can give all of the reputable ones a bad name. Are the licensed to do the work? Can they point to other similar jobs they have done recently? Can they provide some references for you to speak with? Your reliable contractors will be able to offer all of these, and usually be glad to do so.
Many residents have their “go-to” guys to help with most small projects: your electrical guy, your plumbing guy, your “the fridge isn’t working” guy. Most of the time these are friends or even family members who you can trust, but may not be able to handle more complicated projects.
For example, someone who works on normal plumbing problems may or may not be up to the job of installing a septic tank. One who works on electricity in your home may not have experience running electrical lines to another structure on your property. Asking these questions will help determine if they are the right people for the job, and why using local contractors is often the best way to go, since you can reach out to neighbors and get their reviews and see some of the work, personally.
Beware of online sites to find a contractor. While many of these can be very helpful in finding contractors you may not be familiar with, reviews on certain sites can be easily manipulated, with “reviews” sold to contractors in bulk, improving their ratings. Most of these transactions do not include any signed agreement, or at most, a general invoice with few details. Ask the contractor to help you visualize what you will see when the work is completed, what will be done, where things will be and what it will look like. Make sure you are both clear on what should be done.
Another thing to consider is the cost. If a limb has gone down after a storm and a truckload of men with chainsaws are going around looking for some extra money, they may be willing to give you a good deal. They are usually good guys looking to pick up a side job, will trim and clean and move on to the next downed tree they see. But if that limb is on electrical wires or could damage your property if not properly cut and removed, it might be better to go with a company with experience, insurance and a long pedigree of doing that work. The extra money you pay will ensure any mishaps will be avoided or taken care of.
Session said there is no county regulation for contractors, meaning there is no county approval or certification to show they are reputable. She said after every storm, they hear about contractors coming into the area, taking a partial or down payment, never to return. Some contractors just stop answering your calls, already off to chase the next storm and the next group of victims.
Session said you can contact law enforcement if you feel there may be actual fraud, and you may or may not have a criminal or civil case, depending on the circumstances. The best way to avoid all of that is to do some homework in the beginning. The extra few hours you spend checking into the people who will do the work may save you days, months or years of problems, afterwards.
Greg Ritchie can be reached at [email protected]
