Your home is your most important investment. How can you be sure when you hire a contractor to work on your home that you are getting the most for your money? Dishonest “conmen” posing as contractors are more than happy to take your hard-earned money and give you little or nothing in return. To protect yourself and your home, here are a few tips:
1. Hire only California state licensed contractors. By law, any job costing over $500 requires a state-issued contractor’s license.
2. Go to the website for the Contractors State License Board (www.cslb.ca.gov), and check the license number. The listing will indicate the status of the license, insurance status, as well as any legal action taken against the contractor.
3. Get multiple bids. It is the only way to know for sure if you’ve been quoted a fair and competitive price.
4. Ask for references. If the contractors past customers are happy, this is a good sign!
5. Make sure you have a written contract and that you understand the terms completely before you sign.
6. Don’t pay cash! A huge cash deposit is a great way to buy your unscrupulous contractor a ticket out of town. Legally, he can only ask for 10 percent or $1,000 down. Whichever is less.
7. Confirm the status of the contractor’s bonds and insurance. This information is available at the Contractors State License Board website: www.cslb.ca.gov.
8. Don’t let your payment schedule get ahead of your contractors work schedule. You should be paying for what he’s done, not what he might do later. Do not give your final payment until the work has been completed to the specifications of your contract.
9. Keep all your contracts and payment records handy to refer back to. This will help you avoid arguments over “hidden costs” later.
10. Avoid a lien! Just because you paid your general contractor does not mean that he paid his subcontractors. You should get a Conditional Release signed by each of the subcontractors before the job begins. After you’ve paid, the contractor will give you an Unconditional Release form – this is again signed by all subcontractors and indicates that they have been paid in full and that they have no reason to lien your home. These forms can be downloaded again from the Contractors State License Board.
Following these guidelines should make your home improvement project go a lot smoother. However, should you still encounter a problem with your licensed contractor, make sure and file a complaint with the Contractors State License Board – they will help resolve your issue in a timely manner.
For more information please call Valencia Custom Shower Doors at 661-298-0261 or visit our website at www.valenciacustomshowerdoors.com