It is the home improvement season. Even if you live in South Florida where the seasons have minimal change and the lifestyle of living in Cape Coral luxury homes doesn’t require too much effort, the warmer season months seems to rejuvenate homeowners into thinking about completing those projects around the house that have been beckoning attention.

The warmer weather moves many property owners of Cape Coral luxury homes to start considering a bit more seriously all those renovation projects. If some have been stymied because they seem to be a task that will require outside help to get it done, be wary.

Remodeling work often brings in ripoffs and scam artists. Spring seems to bring out crooked contractors and home improvement scams.  The more active the housing market is the better the chances that homeowners will encounter unethical home remodeling contractors.

Around South Florida, including the Cape Coral luxury homes market, these types of swindles start popping up everywhere. There are ways to avoid falling victim to home improvement scammers.

Avoiding Home Improvement Fraud Schemes

If you are looking to make improvements to Cape Coral luxury homes or another residence, there are some ways you can protect yourself from falling victim.

Payment Demands

Never pay a contractor the total amount due for the project until it is completed. You should pay no more than 25 to 30 percent of the total cost of the job ahead of time as a deposit. Depending on how vast the project, you may want to negotiate with the contractor a set of phased payments that are paid as work is completed.

Be sure all subcontractors and suppliers have been paid before issuing your final payment to a contractor. Also, be sure to pay by check or credit card. Never pay in cash.

Background Checks

Door-to-door solicitations can be a setup for unscrupulous behavior. A common ruse often used is that a neighbor they’ve worked with before told them you might need some help.  Although this could be true, most legitimate contractors don’t randomly walk up to people’s homes offering their services. But it could happen.

If they are serious, then you need to get some information in advance. Ask them for information about themselves, such as licensing, insurance, and recommendations, so you can check out their background before any work is done. This will definitely sift out the legitimate workers from the fraudulent.

Verify Licensing or Insurance

It doesn’t take much to create phony paperwork and references. However, when it comes to licenses and insurance, the state you live in can verify exactly who you are dealing with. Florida offers a licensee search so you can easily verify accredited contractors.

It is critical that any contractor you allow to work on your Cape Coral real estate property has the required license or registration if you want to be compensated if something goes wrong. Things to ask for are licensing number, available insurance coverage and proven financial stability. You also may want to see the quality of prior work by visiting homes where a job has been successfully completed.

Florida Realty News
Florida Realty News
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Realty, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WCI Communities, has over 39 locations and more than 1,650 real estate sales professionals and team members serving 17 counties throughout Florida.
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