With Hurricane Irene behind us, many homeowners are beginning to clean up and repair their homes after the storm. As with any storm, homeowners must be careful about whom they trust with their money and their home. There are many home improvement scams out there that attract homeowners with their low quotes and quick turnaround time.
No matter what home improvements need to be done on your home, here are a few tips to be sure you aren’t getting scammed.
Local Contractor Registration Board
First and foremost, anyone you hire to work on your home should be fully licensed and insured. Did you know that if a contractor falls off the ladder on your property then you are liable for them? This is why it is so important check out a contractor before you hire them. Most states have an online look up where you type in the name of the contractor and they let you know the current status of their license. Taking 2 minutes to check out the status of their contractor license could save you time, money and lots of frustration.
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
The BBB is a great resource for researching any type of home improvement company. Any business with an A or higher on the BBB’s website is reputable but it is still advised that you check to be sure they are fully licensed to do work in your state. Why? When a storm hits, there are home improvement scammers called “storm chasers” or “fly by nighters”, which come in from other states and then leave after a few weeks. The work is usually done cheap and quick. And, if you ever have a problem with the work done on your home, you are out of luck.
Angie’s List
Angie’s List is a member based service that allows people to write reviews on the companies that they have used in the past. It is a great resource, particularly for home improvement projects, since the work is performed on/in the home. Based on where you live membership may be free or minimal (most areas are $40 and under for a year’s subscription), which is a small price to pay if you are considering doing a few repairs within the year.
Referrals from Friends and Family
If you are looking to have work don’t on your home, what better way to narrow the playing field than to see who your friends and family has used on their homes? Plus, many home improvement companies have a referral program (such as Moonworks’ Perks Program) so you might even be able to save some money in the process.
We hope these tips help ensure you choose a reputable and dependable contractor for all of your storm related (and beyond) home improvement needs. Should you have any roofing, gutter, insulation or replacement window and door needs, please do not hesitate to give us a call for a free in-home estimate.