Secret #1 – Avoid Common Misconceptions
1. If a company says they are a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), or a Chamber of Commerce, they must be qualified and trustworthy. NO! These are member-funded organizations with little incentive to cut revenue, unless there are numerous unresolved complaints about a company. They do NOT check with a company’s past clients or visit completed jobs, nor do they re-investigate a company when their membership comes up for renewal. Don’t get burned! Verify that a company’s membership is current, and that they have NO unresolved complaints against them. Additionally, just because a company chooses not to be a dues paying member of one of these organizations does NOT mean they are disreputable. Use positive or lack of information reports as only part of your investigation of a contractor. 2. Choosing the lowest price saves you money. Not usually! Although a low price seems tempting, you must ask yourself what is being left out or what shortcut is being taken. One roofer’s price on a job was $300 cheaper than anyone else. The homeowner wanted to save money and accepted his proposal. After the new roof covering was installed, all the old shingles, tar paper, and nails were lying all the way around the house in the shrubs, trees, and grass. When the homeowner saw this he had a fit! The contractor told him that cleanup was not a part of his proposal and that was how he could do the job for less than the other roofers. One of the most common signs of trouble ahead is someone offering to do work for much less money than others. Like anything else, you can’t get something for nothing. Be careful of choosing your remodelor based upon the lowest price. 3. Doing it yourself saves money. NO! Sometimes the “weekend warrior” can undertake small projects like painting, hanging wallpaper, routine repairs, etc. Beware, however, of undertaking larger, more complicated projects. What starts out as an attempt to save money can turn into a costly folly. All too often the job is botched and it costs more to have a professional come in and fix what’s been done wrong. You have to ask yourself the following questions: Do I honestly have the technical knowledge and physical talent to perform the work? Do I know what the building codes specify for how this work is to be performed, and can I do it in a way that life safety is not compromised when it is done? Do I have the tools necessary to perform the work efficiently, professionally, and safely? ���$���ٔ�ѡ��ѥ�������䁉���͍���ձ��Ѽ���ə�ɴ�ѡ��ݽɬ�ݥѡ�����ɕ�ͽ������ѥ���Ʌ�������ɑ����Ѽ�ѡ�� ��ѥ��ɔ�Mո�����́ѡ��������������е���͕������́ݽɬ���а����ѱ䁑Ք�Ѽ�������������ɥ��������ѡ�����Ё���ѡ�������ݹ�ȸ�%���ԁ݅�Ё��ȁ�ɽ���ЁѼ���ɸ���Ёɥ��Ёѡ������Ёѥ������������Յ������������ɥ������������͕�����������ɕ���ɽ���ͥ������и�%�������ͽ�������́Ѽ���ٔ�����啅�́�������ɥ������ѡ�䁵��Ё����Յ����ݽɬ��9<��$�����eЁѕ����ԁ��܁�����������ɕ���ٔ�����ݽɭ���͡����ɽ������Ʌ�ѽ�́ݡ����ٔ���������Ѽ���������ͥ���́�ȁѡ���Ʌ�����ȁ�ݕ���啅�̸�e���́�������ɥ��������ͻ�eЁ��������ݥ������������������!����ձ��������ȁݽɬ�ѡ�Ё���������́���������������и�M�����Ѽ����Ё������́����͕���ᅵ���́������ɕ�Ёݽɬ�Ѽ�����ɔ��ԁ�ɔ���������ݥѠ����ɽ���ͥ�����ݡ��х��́�ɥ��������́ݽɬ���Դ((