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Bidet In St. Louis Mo.

Modern Lighting

Warning Signs of an Unethical Contractor!

For those of you who follow my blogs you know by now that I try to help as many people as I can. We all know that unemployment is rampant in this country right now. As a result, there are a lot of “trunk slammers” claiming to be handymen or contractors. Beware of a wolf is sheep’s clothing! Here are a few tips for weeding out the bad ones.

1) Check out the vehicle they pull up in. Is it professionally lettered? Is it kept nice and neat? Would you want someone working in your home that can’t keep their vehicle neat and in good working condition?
2) Beware if the contractor tries to pressure you for the entire amount of the job up front or tries to get you to sign a contract on the spot. There is no such thing as a “discount for today only”. Even after you sign a contract, the Federal Trade Commission allows you to cancel any construction contract within 3 days of signing it. We usually ask for only 15% be put down on a deal.
3) If the contractors name address and phone number cannot be verified they may not be running a legitimate business. Do they have a website?
4) If the contractor is slow to provide adequate references this is a giant red flag. If the references give a negative scenario run fast!
5) Ask for proof of insurance. If they have over 5 employees they should carry Workman’s Compensation according to Missouri State law. They should also carry General Liability insurance as well as Auto insurance. Do not accept a copy! This is a common mistake. Insist that the certificate of Insurance be faxed or mailed to you directly from the insurance company.
6) Finally, if the contractor asks you to pull any permits this is a big red flag as well. It may signal the the contractor is in bad standing with the local building department and is not able to do the job up to local codes.

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