Here are 10 ways to avoid crooked contractors

  • By Sarah Jackson / Herald Writer
  • Wednesday, April 18, 2007 9:00pm
  • Life

Hiring a contractor is, in many ways, a homeowner’s dream, a chance to leave the do-it-yourself lifestyle behind and pay professionals to take over.

Unfortunately, not all homeowner-contractor relationships end with a wonderful, completed project.

Some turn into nightmares.

Dodgy contractors with a lack of experience or ethics have disappointed more than a few homeowners in Washington, said Shari Purves-Reiter, outreach and education manager for the Washington State Department Labor and Industries.

“There’s no test to become a contractor in the state of Washington, except for plumbing and electrical,” she said. “So when a homeowner’s hiring somebody, they really need to do reference checks.”

While there are about 58,000 contractors registered with the state, another 10 percent of contractors in the state are not.

“There are lots of scam artists out there that aren’t registered and they just want to get their deposit,” Purves-Reiter said, adding that serious complaints about contractors are common. “It’s probably a daily occurrence around the state in some form or another.”

Purves-Reiter will be at the Everett Home and Garden Show this week to help consumers be contractor-savvy.

She’ll guide them to the state’s indispensable “Homeowner’s Guide to Hiring a Contractor,” a step-by-step online manual for all phases of a contractor-homeowner relationship, complete with handy translations of technical and legal terms of a contract.

Here are 10 top tips in mind when hiring and working with contractors.

1. Hire a licensed professional. Contractors in Washington must provide a $12,000 to $6,000 surety bond – either with their own cash or with help from an insurance company – as well as general liability insurance. They are then assigned a number that must be included in all advertisements, including business cards and phone-book listings.

You can see if a contractor is operating legally for free on the Labor and Industries Web site at www.contractors.lni.wa.gov or by calling L&I’s hot line at 800-647-0982.

This check will tell you if any legal action has been taken by a consumer or supplier against a contractor’s bond.

2. Check references. That’s only a first step for a background check, of course. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org or 206-431-2222.

“Just because they’ve checked to make sure they’re registered doesn’t mean they’re qualified,” she said. “You want to check to make sure you’re hiring somebody with experience and background in the type of work that they’re doing.”

Go see one or two projects in progress by the contractor you want to hire. What is a quality job to one person, may not be a quality job to you.

“Verify,” Purves-Reiter said. “Do they keep the place tidy? Talk to the homeowner. Ask around. Talk to their suppliers.”

3. Shop around. Interview several qualified contractors and solicit written bids. Bids that are significantly lower than all others should be questioned. Extremely low bids can indicate that corners are being cut, rules are being broken and potential problems are on the horizon.

4. Make a connection. Social compatibility is another important factor to consider during the hiring process.

“If you don’t think you could make it through a social situation with them, two hours, a nice dinner, then you probably don’t want to work with them,” Purves-Reiter said. “Communication is the biggest thing. It’s really important.”

Dick Pope with Creative Kitchen and Bath in Lynnwood agrees that client compatibility is key for success.

“To me, that’s crucial. It’s just as important on our side,” he said. “You’re working in personal spaces of their house.”

5. Know your rights. Ask for the “Notice to Customer” disclosure from your contractor. It’s legally required for projects that cost more than $1,000. This notice explains your rights and responsibilities as a homeowner and can help you protect your property from liens.

6. Don’t buy your own permits. Be wary of contractors who ask you to buy building permits. Property owners can purchase a permit for work they do on their own property, but only a registered contractor can buy a permit for work on someone else’s property. Also, make sure that all inspections required under the permit are conducted.

7. Read the fine print. Do not sign anything you don’t understand or contracts with blank spaces. Get everything in writing, including change orders. Avoid verbal contracts as your project evolves. If your project is particularly large, you may want to hire a lawyer to look over your contract before you sign it to make sure your assets and rights are protected against a worst-case scenario.

“Even if they’re a good guy, things happen,” Purves-Reiter said. “Everything in the contract is negotiable.”

8. Pay in due time. Do not pay for work that has not been completed. Most contractors will ask for 10 percent to 20 percent of the cost of the project as a down payment or deposit, followed by other payments as the project progresses, including a final payment upon completion of the project. Be extremely cautious of large deposit requirements such as payment in full. Before making final payment on a project, request a completed lien release from all major subcontractors and suppliers.

9. Set up regular meetings with your contractor to discuss progress of the project, problems, payments and any other issues.

10. Plan your project carefully. If you know what you want done and can clearly explain it, you’re less likely to misunderstand instructions or encounter cost overruns.

Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@ heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

More in Life

Daniella Beccaria / for The Herald

15-month-old Kantu attempts to climb a pumpkin at Stocker Farms in Snohomish on Sunday, September 20th, 2015. Stocker Farms offers a U-pick patch, farm animals and a corn maze.
Best pumpkin patch in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied, here are the results.

Everett comedian Taylor Clark performs stand-up in 2023 at The Triple Door in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mike Bryk)
Comedian Taylor Clark to film first special Friday in Everett

The skateboarding funny-man will record an hour of his stand-up at the Historic Everett Theater.

Local musician Alex Johnston, whose newest album "Daylight Fooldream" pairs with short film he made with help from his partner Mikaela Henderson, sits with his morning coffee on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, at Narrative Coffee in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Folktronica musician shoots 37-minute visual album on iPhone in Everett

Alex Johnston, 31, describes his music as ”if Coldplay and Bon Iver had a love child.”

Death of parent with child. Piece of paper with parents and children is torn in half.
Helping children cope with the hard realities of divorce

I’s important to set aside one’s feelings and find a way to make this challenging transition as comfortable for children as you can.

In Belgium, each type of beer has its own glass – whether wide, tall, or fluted – to show off its distinct qualities.
Rick Steves’ Europe: Bruges brews lift a weary traveler’s spirits

The Belgian city is a mecca for beer lovers from around the world.

Children’s author Barbara Herkert to lead Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop, Friday September 29th, 9:30-10:00 am!
Author to read her new kids book at Edmonds bookstore

Author Barbara Herkert will read “This Old Madrone Tree” Friday at Edmonds Bookshop.

Flowering knotweed Persicaria amplexicaulis firetail in the morning light.
Save for one infamous variety, fleece flowers are easy to fall in love with

This long-blooming, easy-to-grow perennial comes in many desirable varieties. But watch out: One is an invasive knotweed.

A view of King Street Station in Seattle, Washington from an Amtrak Cascades train to Portland, Oregon from Everett, Washington on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Ride the rails on Amtrak Cascades from Everett to Portland

Make new friends and let Amtrak do the driving on this 5-hour trip past sea, city and forest.

Can he get the fare difference refunded after he was downgraded?

American Airlines downgrades Thomas Sennett and his family to economy class on their flights from Boston to Phoenix. Why isn’t it refunding the fare difference?

Most Read