Most people ask; how can I avoid home repair scams? A “home repair contractor” can scam you in different ways.
Fortunately, this is a very popular topic on the web. Thus, there is tons of information about how to identify a home repair scam and how to stop one. Many people lose a lot of money annually from such scams.
To be sure you are getting value for money, you need to ensure that you do the selection of a contractor very well.
Here, we will share the guidelines that can help you know a home repair scam and how to avoid the same.
Home repair scams that you can avoid
To know how to avoid a scam involving your home repair or any other thing, you first need how to know the scam. It could be that you do need the repairs, but giving the job to the wrong person might make your situation worse.
How do you tell a scam?
The “contractor” appears at your doorstep uninvited
It works in a very simple way. A contractor or a person purporting to be a contractor appears at your door. They ask whether your roof needs repairs or they convince you that your gutters need a lookover. Now, they are in a hurry to convince you that you need these repairs fast. They want to start immediately.
Mostly, they will try to get you to pay a deposit or get financing. However, if you pay money, they pull a fast one on you and disappear without doing the job. Even if they do the job, it won’t be good.
If they help you get financing, it might be too costly and it can put you at risk of losing your home.
Sometimes, these rogue contractors can even call you or send you an unsolicited email.
A special deal that expires at the end of today
If the contractor tries to lure you with a deal that is going to expire soon, they are not genuine. This could be a claim about an offer that they have set aside for customers like you but unfortunately, it expires at midnight.
Also, if they try to tell you that they were working on another home in the neighborhood and they have excess material left over, they are not true.
They find a problem that didn’t exist before
If the contractor says that they can do a free home inspection for you, follow them everywhere! Stay by their side because some have been known to break things in order to convince you that it was already broken.
If the contractor convinces you that your roof or another area of your home needs repair but you had not noticed that, do not allow them. They are scammers.
The contractor does not have any credentials
If the contractor does not have credentials, a business permit from the local council or other authorities, they are not genuine at all. Even if they have credentials, they should give you time to verify them.
The demand for upfront cash payment
If the contractor demands full payment in cash up front, they are not genuine. They will take the money and run.
Also, if they offer financing from their fund or an associate of theirs and the deed and/or equity of your home is going to be involved, they are not genuine.
Those are the common home repair scams to avoid. There are more, but these are some of the top ones.