Author: Gene Gendel
You just bought a house and decided to renovate. You brought in a contractor to estimate the work that you want done. What is your biggest fear? Here are a few possibilities:
- The work will not be done.
- The work will not be done on time (winter is coming and you need wall insulation before it gets cold).
- The work will be done on time but it will cost you much more than you can afford and more than this job really costs. The contractor is charging you more than he should; he is taking advantage of your ignorance.
- The quality of the work will be poor but, unfortunately, you will not know this until all of it is finished and you have to move in (after you pay in full).
Why is this happening? Because you lack expertise as a consumer. Because you don’t know the market you are in. Because you don’t know how to look for the warning signs of an agreement gone bad. You are not equipped with knowledge. You are not an educated consumer….