Buyer Beware…….doesn’t ONLY affect homeowner’s

It’s a sad but true fact; fraud and deception are on the rise. Lack of moral standards and integrity is a virus that affects not only homeowner’s but also business owners as well. From small business operations to the commercial industry, “contractors” are out there to leave you empty handed.

It can’t be stressed enough, Do Your Homework.

A Professional Contractor is qualified, insured, carries workers compensation, and should have a list of references. You as a consumer whether you’re a homeowner, a business owner, or a manager for a business, it is within your rights to request copies of these documents before signing on the dotted line. Yes, you definitely want it in writing. It’s important to know what material is being used and what the actual measurement of the project includes, and most importantly what the true and actual price will be upon completion.

A Professional Contractor pays taxes and insures their workers. This not only protects you as a property owner, but it also legitimizes the transaction.

Professional Contractors follow established guidelines within their individual industries, a “code of conduct” per say. You should be provided with a written quote on company letterhead, listing the company name, address, and phone. And, if necessary you can contact the supplier of the material to ensure they are an authorized applicator of that product. It is important to know that they pay their bills and use the material they have quoted in their estimate.

Buyer Beware of the contractor who gives you a price you can’t pass up or the “extra material left over” line, and, can do the job right now. These contractors are called professional scammers or gypsies. Many times they come disguised as a subcontractor, but what they’re actually doing is work on the side or under the table, or stealing leads, under bidding the job, or possibly using equipment and products from the company they’re working for, which is illegal. If a “deal” seems too good to be true, it usually means you are being taken. Many, so called, contractors have out of state phone numbers or addresses. It’s usually in your best interest to use local contractors with connections to the area you reside, this way they can be held accountable and located if necessary. Local paving contractor Doug Rogers mentions, “Every year I see the same scam, the homeowner who really thought he was getting a great deal on his driveway. The guy was nice, had some equipment, and so they paid him cash to pave the driveway. By the time I get a call to look at the mess it’s too late and the “company” is gone. I’ve seen driveways that have been so messed up that the homeowner now has to pay more to fix what was left behind by the con man.”

And on the flip-side, yes it’s a sad truth that consumers (both residentially and commercially) are taken advantage of by the unethical practices of these subcontractors, but these practices also affect the livelihood of the Professional Contractor. Bottom line they affect all of us by cheating hard working individuals out of their money for inferior materials and bad workmanship.

As you can imagine, a Professional Contractor has spent not only years perfecting their craft, but money on education and on building their business, from buying or leasing office space to purchasing equipment and materials, paying taxes and providing jobs . When a job is awarded to anyone other than a Professional Contractor, by low-balling, it’s really taking money out of your pocket and impacting the true professional’s that help our economy.

So when you’re seeking bids for a new driveway, a patio, new roof, replacement windows, or whatever your improvement may be, remember to Do Your Homework and select only a Professional Contractor.

Rogers Pavement Maintenance is a professional contractor in the Greater Cincinnati Ohio area, contact them at www.rogerspavement.com