Tuesday, May 13, 2014

A: According to the Federal Trade Commission, there are several ways to spot less than reputable contractors because these hucksters tend to do the following:

• Only accept cash payments;
• Pressure you for an immediate decision;
• Ask you to pay for the entire job up-front;
• Solicit door-to-door;
• Offer exceptionally long guarantees;
• Just happen to have materials left over from a previous job;
• Ask you to get the required building permits;
• Not list a business number in the local telephone directory;
• Offer you discounts for finding other customers;
• Suggest that you borrow money from a lender the contractor knows, which could make you the target of a home improvement loan scam – a sure way to lose your home.

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