For homeowners
Home repair scams, and how to avoid them
Most pros are honest. These are the signs of the ones who are not.
A knock on the door after a storm
What it looks like: "We are working in the neighborhood and saw damage on your roof."
What to do: Thank them and close the door. Pick your own roofer and ask for the business name, address and license number.
A big payment before any work
What it looks like: They want most or all of the money up front, often in cash.
What to do: Pay in steps as the work gets done, and pay in a way that leaves a record. Some states limit how big a deposit can be.
"This price is only good today"
What it looks like: Pressure to sign on the spot.
What to do: A fair price is still fair tomorrow. Take the paper, and compare it with two others.
Nothing in writing
What it looks like: A handshake, a number said out loud, no contract.
What to do: Ask for a written estimate and a written contract: the work, the materials, the price, the dates and the warranty.
"Leftover material from another job"
What it looks like: Often a driveway or roof coating at a "special" price, done fast and badly.
What to do: Say no. Real companies do not sell leftovers door to door.
The free inspection that finds an emergency
What it looks like: A free look at the roof, the AC or the ducts turns into "this must be replaced now".
What to do: Ask for photos and get a second opinion before you agree to a big job.
"You do not need a permit" or "you pull the permit"
What it looks like: The permit puts the job in your name and the responsibility on you.
What to do: Call your city and ask whether the job needs a permit. A licensed contractor normally pulls it.
"We will cover your insurance deductible"
What it looks like: Or they ask you to sign your insurance claim over to them.
What to do: Talk to your own insurance company first, and read anything before you sign it.
No name on the truck, no address, no license number
What it looks like: Nothing you could use to find them again.
What to do: Look the business up yourself. Where your state licenses the trade, check the number on the state website.
If it already happened
Keep every paper, text and photo. You can report it to your state's contractor board or the consumer protection office of your state attorney general, and to your bank or card company if you paid that way.
General information, not legal advice. Rules on deposits, permits and contracts are different in every state.