Not Satisfied With Your Contractor?

You have selected a contractor to repair the deck in your backyard and signed the contract. But then, the contractor does a lousy job. Or he leaves the project unfinished. Or he creates a big mess in your yard and never cleans it up. The bad contractor scenarios are endless.

Here are some steps you can take if you aren’t happy with your home improvement contractor:

• Review the written contract. Look over the contract you signed with your contractor and read what it says about complaints and warranties. How does the contract stipulate how you should register complaints?

• Document the work (or lack of work) and damage that your contractor has already done. Keep track of the days and times your contractor has worked on the project and the specifications and details that you gave him about your expectations for the project. Also, record all of the costs you have incurred on the project and your attempts to contact him, if he has cut off communication with you. Take photographs of shoddy work and other aspects of the project that you are unhappy with. If you have photographs of your home prior to when the home improvement project began, collect those as well. Keeping track of all the information regarding your project is important to use as evidence when confronting your contractor and in court, should it be necessary.

• Assertively confront your contractor. Before expressing your dissatisfaction with your contractor, create a written document discussing the problems with the home improvement project, what you want the contractor to do, and the timeline in which you want the contractor to implement solutions. When talking with the contractor, explain why you are unhappy with his work, and get him to sign a document detailing the solutions that you have both agreed on, so that if he flakes, you have written proof. Remember to avoid writing an online review before talking with your contractor. This often can make the situation worse and can really damage the reputation of the contractor.

• Fire the contractor, if necessary. If you feel that the contractor will not provide you the quality work that you requested, you should fire him. It can get messy if you paid for his services upfront, because he may not be willing to refund your money depending on the contract you signed with him, so you might have to take legal action.

• Warn other consumers about the contractor. Register your complaints with the BBB. You can help prevent other consumers from having a botched home improvement project on their hands.

• Have another contractor finish the project. Take time to carefully look over reviews before selecting another contractor. This contractor can review the quality of the other contractor’s work and also help you assess the monetary value of the damage, which is information you can use in court if you decide to take legal action against your first contractor.

Dealing with a bad contractor can be very difficult and time consuming, so it’s important to research your contractor before signing the first contract. At AROCON Roofing and Construction, we pride ourselves on providing quality finished products and great customer service throughout the entire duration of your home improvement project.