LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – As summer is in full swing and many people are getting repairs to their pools and homes, the Nevada State Contractors Board had an important guide for you: what to ask a contractor before you sign on the dotted line, and “red flags” to watch out for.
FOX5 turned to NSCB’s Director of Investigations Terry Wike. Many Las Vegas Valley residents get knocks on their door from salespeople, or fliers or business cards left on their porch.
“You can look at a community from an aerial view and you can see what homes have pools and which ones don’t. And often, the contractors will print that out and then they’ll go around and they’ll put the business card on the door of those homes,” Wike said. “Every summer, we get a little bit of an uptick [of complaints]: it’s because everybody wants their pool done. With regard to pools most of it is timing: failure to complete the pool on time. There are limited plaster companies out there. There are limited steel companies out there that do pools, and they’re tied up. If the pool contractor isn’t honest with the homeowner about the schedule, that’s when they get into trouble,” Wike said.
Whether you’re face to face with a contractor knocking on your door, calling a business card left on your doorstep, or finding a business online, Wike guides you through crucial questions to always ask.
“They can right there on the spot determine whether or not they’re talking to a legitimate contractor or not,” Wike said.
The following questions are crucial to ask any contractor:
º Are they licensed?
º What’s the license number?
º Check the NSCB database: Is the license active and accurately represented?
“Often they can get a contractor’s license number and then pretend to be working for that contractor, but the names are different,” Wike said.
There are several “red flags” that should alert any homeowner:
º High-pressure sales
º A rush to sign something quickly
º Promises of a discount
º Request for a large down payment
A large down payment violates state statutes. “They can only accept $1,000 or 10% down on the contract, whichever is less. That’s going to probably be the biggest red flag that you’re dealing with someone who’s not properly licensed,” Wike said.
There are also signs of a legitimate contractor:
º The worker has a uniform
º The contractor’s truck displays the name of the company and the license number. “That is what a respectable company does, and you see it all the time with good contractors,” Wike said.
º There is no rush to commit to a contract.
“That’s the most important thing: if the consumer feels uncomfortable in any way, they should end the conversation and maybe pick it up on another day. That will give them time to check who out check out who they’re talking to,” Wike said.
The NSCB always advises consumers to get three quotes for any repair or construction work.
Tuesday, July 30, from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the NSCB and Clark County will hold a in-person and virtual town hall to discuss consumer protections. The event will be held at Clark County’s Commission Chamber at 500 S. Grand Central Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89155.
The event will also be broadcast live on Facebook.
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