Fall brings crucial home maintenance
Fall is on its way, which means now is the time to prepare your home for the cooler months ahead. This time of year, many popular home improvement services range from heating to roofing contractors, but it’s important to do your research on a business to avoid falling victim to any scams.
The Better Business Bureau of Houston and South Texas warns homeowners to be aware of common fall home improvement scams, which may be circulating in your neighborhood:
• Heating maintenance: Before doing business with a heating contractor, be familiar with the model you own and its maintenance history. Make sure to check that the contractor’s licensing required by the state of Texas at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regula- tion’s website, www.tdlr.texas.gov. Ask for recommendations, and make sure you check out reliable heating contractors at BBBHouston.org to get a picture of the company’s track record.
• Roofing repairs: A roofing project requires a skilled and qualified contractor, so it’s important to thoroughly research roofing contractors. Be sure to get at least three estimates for the job and remember, the lowest offer may not always be the best. When getting an estimate, make sure the roofer does a thorough inspection rather than a quick estimate from the ground. Ask for proof of insurance and any necessary permits. Be wary of any roofing contractors that solicit work door to door or offer low prices because they have leftover materials from a previous job, which are both red flags. Never pay in full up front, and realize that you can cancel any sale made at your home, if you notify the company within three days.
• Chimney cleaning: If you often cozy up by your fireplace or wood stove, it’s important to have your chimney cleaned and inspected annually to ensure safety. A reputable chimney sweeper will be able to clean and detect any dangerous problems within the chimney. Request multiple estimates from different chimney sweepers to compare the cost of the job that is needed.
Ignore chimney-sweeping businesses that solicit by phone or door to door and claim they were just “in the neighborhood.”
These scammers promise an extremely low price for a chimney cleaning, but once they start working they will “discover” an urgent repair. A legitimate, reputable chimney sweeper should supply photo and/or video evidence willingly if there is a serious repair needed. Scammers, however, will take your money and leave the job unfinished or worse than it was before.
As with any home improvement service, it is worth your time to do your research before hiring a contractor.
Although scammers are out there, there are many reputable home improvement contractors that will get the job done on time and within budget.
The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased nonprofit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews and BBB Wise Giving Reports to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. For information or to check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit www.bbbhouston.org, which includes our BBB Accredited Business Directory, or call 713-868-9500. Leah Napoliello is senior director of Investigative Services with the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas. Send questions regarding homeowner issues to Leah Napoliello, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail her at lnapoliello@bbbhou.org. Include mailing address and phone number on letters and emails.