Beware of Warm-Weather Scammers

sturti | istock.com

Your electric cooperative will never send anyone to your house to ask you if you need work done. And when someone does come for a legitimate reason, you’ll see a uniform, a truck with the cooperative’s logo on it and valid identification.

Springtime is scam season. Don’t be surprised if you get phone calls, uninvited visitors looking for work and door hangers offering landscaping, roofing, painting and home repair services.

Your best bet: Say no to all of them. If you need work done around your house, visit https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/verify.htm to check the status of contractors or join a contractor referral network that recommends only contractors who are licensed, insured, bonded and experienced.

A few other tips:
Be wary of contractors with out-of-state license plates or detachable, magnetic company signs on their trucks. These could be “travelers,” who follow the warm weather from state to state and hire themselves out as home improvement contractors. They’re almost always unlicensed, and if you discover a problem with their work later, they’ll be long gone.

Do not pay in cash, and do not pay upfront. Instead, work out a payment schedule that allows you to pay in increments as the work is completed.

Get bids from three reputable companies before you start. If you get one offer that’s way lower than the other two, something is probably amiss.

Don’t fall for these two lines: “I just finished a job at your neighbor’s house, and I’ll give you a good price if you hire me today because I’m already in the neighborhood,” or “I have leftover materials from a job I just did, and I’ll sell/install them here for a deep discount because I don’t need them.”

Hiring contractors can be expensive. Don’t waste your money on one who’s not licensed and legitimate.
 

When hiring anybody to work at your home:

• Verify the status of contractors at tdlr.texas.gov/verify.htm.
• Research and gather information on the project.
• Ask for references.
• Get multiple quotes.
• Get everything in writing.
• Verify license and insurance.
• Confirm building permits.
• Inquire about a lien waiver.
• Think about future service issues.
• Arrange a payment schedule—never pay in full upfront.
• Get receipts for every payment.
• Hang on to your contract.