How to Avoid Being Swindled by a General Contractor

As an executive in the construction industry, I have witnessed some shady dealings and have seen how some Concrete Contractor Calabasas CA try to swindle clients. I find this offensive on so many different levels. There is no reason to be dishonest, it always comes back to bite you where the flesh is tender, it hurts others, ruins one’s reputation and soon ruins one’s entire business.

I have consistently found that honest dealings with clients have expanded our business and created long-lasting friendships.

Plus, I firmly believe in the reaping of what one sows adage, and that what goes around comes around.

I don’t know about you, but I much prefer to create a happy and enjoyable future, than one where I have no friends, my reputation (if I have any left) is in tatters, and where I am possibly facing some bad-tempered magistrate.

Our general contractor (GC) ran across yet another dishonest contractor this morning and came back to the office in quite a state, and so decided that I needed to do a bit more, use my knowledge to warn unsuspecting homeowners. Someone warned me that I might make more enemies than friends in my business. I don’t believe that for a second for I know many more honest people than dishonest ones, and if the later decide to dislike me I would tend to think that I have successfully forewarned some homeowners and save someone a heartache and money.

There are several ways that a dishonest contractor can try to swindle you.

1- Give the home owner a very low ball estimate.

A perfect example of this is the story of this morning I referred to earlier. We had turned in an estimate for building a kitchenette in an unfinished basement. The homeowner told our GC she was absolutely stunned that our estimate was three times higher than that of another contractor’s.

Let me just say that there is absolutely no way to do this job for a third of the price we gave her. Included in our estimate for a kitchenette were demolition of an existing room, framing the walls, rough and finish electrical, plumbing, HVAC including all the fixtures, insulation on exterior walls, drywall, paint, tile floor, tile backsplash, kitchen cabinets and an island, granite tops, all appliances, labor and material for all listed. You get the idea.

But this “low balling” is not a new tactic. Its purpose is to get the job and then start adding cost while the job is going on, claiming unforeseen expenses, change orders or situations.

Once a homeowner finds himself in the middle of a project it is very hard to fire an existing contractor and take the time to find a new one.

Solution: When you see a large price discrepancy between two estimates get a couple more bids. This will give you a very good idea of what the job should cost. There is absolutely no doubt that every project must factor unforeseen circumstances, i.e., mold is found in the walls during demolition, the house is old and electrical wiring is not up to code, previous work is shoddy and isn’t known until looked at newly. The list is unfortunately long. But more often than not an estimate can give you a very good idea of what the cost will be