tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5689288091802915553.post-85390493075498445832008-09-29T10:10:00.000-07:002008-09-29T10:22:14.904-07:00<p>Do you own a home? If you do, and if you are anything like the vast majority of homeowners, you have probably considered doing some remodeling, "someday." Many people get in the remodeling mode with the thought of selling, with an eye toward increasing the value of the property or correcting faults that might detract from the saleability of the home. Home improvements can be expensive, so, of course, you will want to get the most beneficial upgrades done with minimal amount of expenditure. Not spending too much is important to most people, but that does not mean you want a cheap looking job. </p> <p>Home ownership is a business with high stakes, and if you are not careful you could spend too much, even for what should be a small job. Hiring a legitimate professional is the key to getting a quality job accomplished at an affordable price. The importance of choosing the right contractor deserves your full attention.</p> <p>The Federal Trade Commission recommends that homeowners should be aware of the tricks of dishonest contractors. Here are some signals that your hired help might be dishonest:</p><ul>* Offers you a discount because of having extra materials available<br />* Pressures you for an immediate decision<br />* Requires cash<br />* Asks for full or essentially full payment up front<br />* Offers you a price break for referring other customers<br />* Has to ask you to apply for the necessary permits yourself</ul> <p>Those are some of the warnings that you should run and find a different contractor. Sometimes these con artists will try to get you to borrow the money for the job through a lender that they just happen to know. The worst case of a loan scam could literally leave you without a home at all.</p> <p><b>Precautions</b><br />There are a few key things you can do to avoid being taken advantage of. Interview your potential contractors thoroughly. Ask about the length of time they have been in business, license details, and insurance coverage. Check with the local city or county building permit office to find out what you need to know about applicable permit laws. </p> <p>Another important thing to be sure to do is asking for references. Not only should you get a list of former clients, but you should check those references. Ask them about the quality of the work. Question them about whether there were last-minute costs, and other problems.</p> <p>Make sure that the payment terms are clear before the job is started. Some local laws set limits on how much higher the final cost can be above the contract estimate. Find out the laws where your work will be done. </p> <p>This information was provided by Automated Homefinder, the ultimate <a href="http://www.automatedhomefinder.com/colorado-real-estate.php" target="_blank">Colorado home</a> experts.</p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5689288091802915553-8539049307549844583?l=realestate.arikiart.com' alt='' /></div>Joelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16898787306263363093noreply@blogger.com0