A service for all property owners from the members of the
Prepare For a Flood of Contractors
As the waters of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita recede, in will rush a flood of
contractors with offers to help rebuild and restore the storm-ravaged Gulf
Coast.
But let the buyer beware of fly-by-night contractors looking for easy pickings among homeowners desperate for assistance of any kind.
Most contractors will be legitimate, but some won't. Discerning between the
two is the dilemma.
A rebuilding effort that will surely shift into high gear is likely weeks and
months away, but now's the time for homeowners and local officials to be
intently wary of the potential for thieves masquerading as much-needed workers.
Some typical methods homeowners use to screen the hired help won't work amid the
chaos of destroyed neighborhoods. A check of experience and quality of
workmanship, scoping out reputations with local Better Business Bureaus or
accurate examinations of work histories may not be feasible.
Your heightened state of alertness should apply to local workers too, especially to firms you are not familiar with or haven't seen before. A pickup truck and cell phone does not necessarily make a good or honest contractor.
There are ways to protect yourself and your bank account:
 | Insist on proof of insurance. Good contractors will have original copies of various insurance forms with them. Some insurance policies may not cover work beyond the contractor's home territory. Do not accept photo copies as proof of insurance. |
| Ask for photo identification, business cards, yellow page advertisements or printed newspaper advertisements as proof they are a legitimate business. |
| Some will have portfolios of previous work with them. Such results are better than seeing nothing at all. If possible get information and contact the person in the photo. If you have Internet you can do a quick phone number search to see if the address matches the person's name. |
| Are they working or assigned in your area at the behest of social service agencies or local contractor associations that put out the call for immediate assistance? |
| Are they specialists or alleged ''jacks-of-all-trades''? It is highly unusual for contractors to be truly skilled across pavement construction, roofing and plumbing and electrical work and more. |
| If contractors peddle their services door to door and ask ''What do you need done?'', don't take the bait. Ask instead about their area of specialty and insist on some element of proof, i.e., a call to business references. |
| Take their photo and a photo of their vehicle, with license plate visible. If you are "ripped off" or these people seem suspicious publish their picture & description of what they offered you in our photo gallery in our public forums here! The photo gallery is near the bottom and please add any details you might think would help others. |
| Ask for bank or business references, including phone numbers. Make calls right away. Make yet one more call to the local Better Business Bureau. |
| Do not pay cash in advance for any work. Insist on completion of work before payment. |
| Do not advance money, especially cash, for purchase of materials. Reimburse the contractor upon their return with the materials & receipts. |
| Ask for bids. Even though some contractors may try to hold the upper hand price-wise, you can avoid price gouging. Since neighbors may be in the same dire straits, particularly in removal of debris, pool neighborhood resources to achieve the best possible price. |
| A reliable fallback resource is the growth in contractor or installation services offered by major retailers such as The Home Depot. Work is guaranteed, bids are solid, and you may save money in the long run. Of course for pavement work NPCA member contractors are your sure bet. |
| You may want to try to call your local BBB or Chamber of Commerce if
possible for contractor references. Chances are you will land more reliable
work sources that know where to find materials or subcontractor help if
needed. This article contains additional content from an article by DAVID BRADLEY of the ASSOCIATED PRESS and those portions are reproduced as a consumer service. |