Getting Stiffed By Bad Contractors Seems to be Getting Common, Hate To Say I Told You So…

You may have seen the recent story on WFAA-TV about the Carrollton teacher who got stiffed by a pool contractor — his name is Danny Jones — to the tune of $6000. Even worse than the money: she’s had a gaping hole in her backyard with dangerous rebar sticking out — ouch if anyone falls in there, as well as a potential lawsuit! My colleagues over at AOL Real Estate tell us that complaints about home improvement is one of the top ten complaints received by the Better Business Bureau.

According to Tracy Anton of the Better Business Bureau, these issues unfortunately happen all too frequently. According to Anton, there is no shortage of complaints filed by homeowners regarding bad contractors: whether it’s dragged-out projects, shoddy work, MIA workers — or all of the above.

I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Craigslist is oh so entertaining, but contractors on there are seldom vetted. In fact, most of these so called “Best” lists we see circulating are not vetted. Oh, they may make sure the contractor pays the advertising bill and has no criminal record, but they don’t go out an interview previous customers to ask them about their home building experience.

Courtesy WFAA-TV

That’s one reason why we have Hot Builders on this site. Yes, they are all attractive and could give Jesse Metcalfe a run for his money. But more vitally, I know them, personally. I know people who have built homes with them and not just recently but in years past. These are the guys (and soon, gals) who stick around through the recessions and who will come fix your plumbing ten years after building the house. They are, like Mickey and Michael Munir of Shariff-Munir, building second and third homes for clients. They are, like Mark Danuser of Tatum Brown Custom Homes, friends with their clients and building vacation homes for them. They are solid local builders with generations of Dallas family behind them, like Matthew Thomas and Leo Savino. Or they are quite simply so beloved by their happy clients that new homeowners throw parties for them, like Michael Turner of Classic Urban Homes.

Angie Hicks, founder of national contractor and service provider review site Angie’s List, tells AOL that, according to a recent survey completed by Angie’s List members, a third of homeowners admitted that they don’t verify contractors’ license status before hiring them. Have you ever checked to see if your contractor has a valid insurance certificate, sent  directly from the insurance company? And did this Carrollton homeowner even Google her pool contractor before she signed on the dotted?

Do your homework, folks, and take a peek at Candy’s Hot Builders if you are looking to build a house. Our builders, like our Realtors, are on this site by invitation only.  

PS: It’s been 12 years since I’ve researched pool contractors, but we hope to have an invitation-only page for hot pool contractors, soon. Meantime, if you know of any really great pool contractors, send me their name(s).