Door-to-Door Solicitations Someone comes to your door offering to fix your roof, re-tile your floor or re-landscape your yard for a reduced price. Once payment is made, little or no work is done and the project is abandoned.
Verbal Agreements A contractor says that a written contract is unnecessary and promises to do the job with a verbal agreement. He or she takes advantage of the situation to perform shoddy work or no work at all.
High Pressure Sales An unscrupulous contractor pushes for an immediate decision about work, which makes it impossible for you to get competitive bids, check his license or review references.
Demand for Cash A contractor demands cash payments, or offers to drive you to the bank to withdraw funds. With money in hand, he or she takes the money and runs.
Scare Tactics A deceitful contractor offers to perform a free inspection, then claims that bad wiring, bad plumbing or a leaky roof put you in peril. He or she pressures you to agree to over-priced work.
Large Down Payments A dishonest contractor demands a large down payment to cover supplies and pay workers. On most types of contracts, there is no set amount for a down payment. However, it is a good rule of thumb not to let the payments get ahead of the work.
