The same story gets told about side-job guys that do remodels and home improvement projects in communities around the country. Joe Side-Job comes in as the low bid on your kitchen remodel. You hire him and he asks for a deposit for materials and a weeks worth of labor. He starts the job, buys some materials and from your perspective the project is starting off great. You see progress the first 2 days then on day 3 you get a call from your low bid guy and he tells you something came up and he cannot make it in today and neither can his guys. Day 4 rolls around and he and his crew are there first thing working on your kitchen again. You’re happy because the project is off to a roaring start and it’s looking like you’ve made a great decision hiring your guy. Then, the 5th day rolls around and you don’t get a call until 11 a.m.. The excuse why the guy cannot show up is lame at best and your “this could be trouble” warning signal is going off, but you buy the reason. Monday rolls around and the worst happens. No call comes your way and no one shows up at the job. Essentially your low quote side-job contractor has turned into a skip with your money in hand. Day 6 turns into day 7, then day 8 and before know it you’re working on hiring a new company with insurance, a good list of references and proof of insurance to finish the job the low quote guy started on.
Another scenario can happen where you hire a similar guy and he or one of his workers gets hurt on the job at your home. In some instances your home owners insurance will sometimes pick up and cover the loss, but then your premiums go up and you could be facing a lawsuit from the injured worker. Worse yet, if your home owners insurance does not cover the costs of the workers injuries you’re on the hook for the entire amount. The idea of saving a few hundred or even a $1,000 on a low bid from a builder that’s not licensed or insured is looking worse all the time.
Your Next Move:
Check out your contractor prior to hiriing. The basics you need to do when hiring a contractor for a home improvement job are as follows:
1. Get a written quote with time of completion guarantees.
2. Check out at least 3 of the contractors references
3. Get proof of insurance including general liability and workmen’s compensation insurance.
4. Go online and make sure the contractor’s license is current with your state’s construction industries division.
Spending the time now to check out your contractor and you could be saving yourself 1,000′s of dollars in the future.