8 Types Of Contractors To Avoid

Do you have a problem with your home that you need fixed? Maybe you have a leaky faucet, dishwasher, or roof that needs to be repaired? Maybe your furnace is not working correctly, or maybe your yard fence was blown over in last-night’s wind storm? Whatever the case may be, you have probably decided that you will need a contractor. After all, you most likely don’t have the time or the knowledge to effectively make these types of repairs yourself; but you still need them done!

If you have a problem with your home that is beyond your ability or resources to repair, than you will most likely be looking for a contractor to do the work for you. But how do you know that your contractor is going to deliver a great job for the price? How do you know that your simple repair project will not turn into a frustrating hassle or an expensive mistake?

While there is really no way to know for sure, you can drastically reduce the chances of such a thing happening by avoiding these 8 types of contractors. This information goes for any contractor, whether they are electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc. If they display this type of behavior or you get these types of red flags during the meet-and-greet process, then you had better take a good second look and reevaluate before you even consider hiring them!

Contractors To Avoid #1- The Illegitimate Businessman

If the contractor in question is not operating a legal, law-abiding business, then you might want to pass on their services. Just ask for proof of liability insurance and to see their business license to check on this. If they are not legitimate, you will definitely find out about it quickly!

Contractor #2- The Mystery Professional

If he says that he is an established professional, then this claim should be backed up with some street cred. Has anyone heard of him? Have any friends or family heard of him? If he does not have a good, established reputation, then you might want to dig a little deeper before forking out money for materials.

Contractor #3- The Bad-Reference Guy

You should never hire a contractor who cannot give you references, but the same applies to any so-called professional who has bad references. If his past customers complain about him, than you definitely don’t want him anywhere near your project!

Contractor #4- The Inexperienced Professional

Is your prospective contractor claiming to be a professional, but also apparently new to the field and seemingly unsure of what it will take to complete your project from start to finish? A few words of advice here would be to let him learn somewhere else… your project is NOT a training ground!

Contractor #5- The Review-Site Nightmare

Before hiring a contractor who you have not heard of, I would highly recommend making use of Angieslist.com to see what kind of reputation he has. This service is a completely consumer-driven platform that will give you accurate information about how other customers viewed their experience with this particular ‘professional’. There are a few reasons as to why I believe Angieslist.com is better than other review sites, and here are the biggest ones…

• It is completely consumer based, meaning that companies cannot post on it.
• This consumer-based approach is actually monitored and policed by Angieslist.com, so you won’t have to worry about businesses posing as customers to leave themselves feedback.
• The service itself is inexpensive, and WELL WORTH the money due to how much it can save you in the long run.
• It is the best and most accurate online review site to date. There are others, but none of them are as established or as professional as Angieslist.com.

Contractor #6- The Defensive Artist

If the contractor seems to view his work as art and gets defensive anytime you suggest changes or improvements, than you will most likely want to turn the other way and run. Any contractor who takes the job so personally that he gets insulted when you suggest different ideas is most likely going to be a nightmare to work with.

Contractor #7- The Guy Who Ripped Off Your Uncle

If you find out that this particular ‘professional’ has a bad reputation among your friends or family, listen to them and find someone else. Yes, your uncle Carl might be picky… but he most likely has a reason for not being happy with the job. You should, at the very least, listen to the reasons and come to your own objective conclusions. Whether the job involves finding a fence contractor in Milwaukee or a plumber in San Francisco, you could save a LOT of money by avoiding someone who already has a bad reputation with the people you trust!

Contractor #8- The Uninsured Professional

We touched on this before, but it definitely bears repeating… if the contractor does not have proof of liability insurance, stay as far away as you can!

Finding a good contactor first begins with weeding out the bad ones. This list is designed to help you do that. Just remember to investigate, to be objective, and NEVER be afraid to ask questions. It is, after all, YOUR money and YOUR project. You deserve to know what you could be getting yourself into!

Mark Harris is a professional content writer and internet marketer who lives in the beautiful city of White Rock, BC. He loves to check out the sites as a local tourist around Vancouver, and is always on the lookout for new hiking trails and kayak routes. Mark was actually utilizing websites like www.a1-fence.com to compare U.S/Canadian prices on fence installation when he got the idea to write an article to help people in their search for a reputable contractor.

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