It's no news to anyone the economy is down, it's been down. And it looks as though, while positive light is vaguely glimmering at the end of the tunnel, immediate celebration is not quite yet in order. People are struggling, businesses are closing, times are tough. In an increasingly difficult market for both consumers and businesses alike, it seems unnecessary to say that those of us who are not struggling would not even consider to take advantage of those who are. Unfortunately, that’s not true.
While "Houdini" Contractors has always been a problem, recent events have shown a staggering increase in the cases of the vanishing contractors. A recent article in the Columbus Dispatch shed light on a particular Columbus homeowner invested several thousands of dollars into a dream renovation on their home. Problem after compounded problem, they were left in the dust-literally. Unfinished project, lawsuit in progress, the family is left helpless-not to mention the yet undeterminable amounts of money vanished to add to the headache. If only they had considered the alternate, albeit slightly higher, bids they received.
The bottom dollar. The simple solution Especially in a down economy, contractors are bidding projects at remarkably low amounts in order to win your business. When it comes down to it, the bottom dollar, the old adage is true. "You get what you pay for". Not only are you running the risk of the worst case scenario as mentioned above, there are other risks. Is the work quality? Am I going to be able to contact the contractor if there is a problem? Will the service be reliable? Are subcontractors being used-if so are they of the quality that was originally expected? Is the estimate reliable- are there hidden costs?
Make sure you're getting multiple bids on work you're wanting done. If one bid comes in significantly lower than the others- ask yourself why? This should be an immediate red flag. Remember-this is an INVESTMENT and should be treated as such. YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!
