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California Home Improvement Contractor Investigation

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Home Improvement Contractor Fraud

You have decided make an addition to your home, whether the home improvement involves installing siding, constructing an attached deck, or replacing an entire roof. Homeowners perform home improvement projects for many reasons, with increasing the value of their properties ranking at the top of the list. Unfortunately, deceitful contractors turn home improvement projects into long lasting money pits. The State of California has established several laws that protect homeowners against the unscrupulous practices implemented by home improvement contractors. Tucked within the California Business and Professional Code is the California Contractors State License Law.

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FTC Contractor Fraud Reports

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California Legal Definition of Home Improvement

Our California consumer protection law firm works with potential clients to determine whether alleged fraud falls within the definition of home improvement under California statutes. According to Bus & Prof Code § 7151, home improvement is defined as the “remodeling, altering, converting, or modernizing of, or adding to, residential property and shall include the construction, erection, replacement, or improvement of driveways, swimming pools, including spas and hot tubs, terraces, patios, awnings, storm windows, landscaping, fences, porches, garages, fallout shelters, basements, and other improvements of the structures or land which is adjacent to a dwelling house, among other things.”

Tips for Hiring a California Home Improvement Contractor

Hiring the right contractor to perform an extensive home improvement project require you to perform comprehensive research on each of the candidates that place bids on the project. You should consider multiple bids to ensure competition that keeps the cost of your home improvement within budget. Although online customer testimonials provide insight into the reputation of a home improvement contractor, we recommend going the old school route by contacting references directly. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) presents updated information on its website that includes a rating for each home improvement contractor, as well as reports of fraud and negligence.

Licensed to Do the Work

Professional credentials matter for hiring the best home improvement contractor. Make sure you consider only home improvement contractors licensed by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB). The CSLB only approves licenses for bonded and insured California home improvement contractors. . Cutting corners to save money by hiring an unlicensed home improvement contractor can produce inferior quality work that damages your home. You eventually spend much more money to repair the damage caused by poor workmanship than the money you save by hiring an unlicensed contractor. Call the CSLB at 800-321-CSLB to verify the license status of every home improvement contractor under consideration.

Common Home Improvement Contractor Scams

You answer a knock on the front door and when you open the door, you find someone who claims to be a professional who repairs roofs, paints home exteriors, or installs solar panels. All seems in good order until the person masquerading as a contractor asks for money upfront to perform the work. Once you pay upfront money, do not expect to see the alleged contractor again.

California law prohibits down payments on home improvement projects that exceed $1,000 or 10% of the cost of a project, whichever costs a homeowner less money. Moreover, a majority of the home improvement contractor scams reported to the CSLB involve the swindling of seniors. Our law firm works with homeowners who have been defrauded by dishonest home improvement contractors. With a team of licensed Consumer Protection Lawyers, we help you receive swift justice to recover your financial loss. Contact our law firm today to receive a free initial consultation that determine the legal strength of your case and the course of action we will take to recoup your hard earned money.

Here are some other common home improvement contractor scams:

Offers a Free Home Inspection

Exploiting public records like "quality check" "inspection fee"

High-Pressure Sales Tactics

cold calls, robocalls, mass e-mails, direct mail campaigns

Refuses to Itemize Expenses

Supplies & Materials, Operating Expenses

Pushes for a Down Payment that Exceeds what is Allowed by California Law

If you recieve an unsecured email from an escrow or title company

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