By Carmen Santora
Carmen Santora, Executive Director of the Better Contractors Bureau (BCB) says, each year many of the so-called gypsy contractors hit town with one thing in mind and that is to rip off unsuspecting consumers, especially seniors. He said this year they have hit in full force and warns home repairs are at the top of their list, as they are the easiest to con people into doing by using many different scare tactics. Many homeowners have already been ripped off. The BCB offers the tips below to help protect you against these unscrupulous individuals.
* Steer clear of drive-by repairmen. The most notorious scam artists in home repair frauds are the repairmen who cruise neighborhoods and sell their services at your front door. When that happens the first thing you should do is to check to see if they are driving a vehicle with out of town license plates. If they are then you can be sure you are talking to a fly-by-night operator. The license plate check is especially important to prevent the most common ploy; an offer to seal your driveway or clean your gutters at bargain prices. Some scammers even use useless motor oil to recoat driveways.
* Watch out for bogus chimney improvements. Scammers may tell you that your fireplace is unsafe and needs a new chimney liner. But unless you have visible problems such as cracks, loose or missing bricks, they’re probably pulling a scam. They usually come to your house and offer to clean your chimney for $50.00, look down the chimney and say you need $3,000 to $4,000 in repair work for the fireplace to work safely. The work they do is usually unnecessary and it’s your money that goes up in smoke. Before agreeing to an expensive repair, hire an independent home inspector or a professional chimney sweep to do an evaluation.
* Avoid the waterproofing scare tactics. If your basement floods every time it rains, you may need to have it waterproofed. But consider this very expensive job only after you’ve ruled out cheaper options. Frequently, gutters are simply clogged or soil surrounding the home has eroded so it slopes toward your home, causing water to seep in. Anytime someone tries to scare or panic you that should raise a red flag! Things like damp proofing paints and sealants can help with minor problems, as well as extending gutter downspouts out 4 feet from the house. Sump pumps can sometimes be installed without ripping up the entire basement perimeter. However, should you need major work make sure you deal with a specialist and always get three estimates.
* Don’t fall for the gimmicks. “ I have some left over materials from a previous job and can give you a great deal”. Or “If you pay me cash I can give you a great discount”. These are just another version of phony dishonest scams!
* One of the worse scams. is when they have children with them, and a lot do. They will ask if their child can use the bathroom and while you are outside the child is trained to search for valuables and you will find items missing after they’re long gone. DON’T LET ANY PERSON IN YOUR HOME FOR ANY REASON, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE STRANGERS!!