How Do I Find Out If The Contractor is Not A Fraud?

There are a number of horrors that you can encounter when building a business. A lot of things can go wrong, even when you least expect it, and there are a lot of horror stories about building contractors that you have to be aware of. Even with utmost care, one can become a victim of a fraudulent contractor who will take off with your down payment and your dreams.

In such cases, prevention is always better than cure. It is not something you can simple shrug off and say: “Oh well” to, so to avoid it you will need to take the following guidelines into consideration:

1. Demand to see the contractors licence. Every building contractor is required to hold a contactors licence before they are given the right to take projects and jobs. To guarantee the legitimacy of the worker you are hiring, you can simply request to see his licence. There should not be a problem with showing this, if he has it. If he is giving you excuses instead of a chance to see the paper, think twice about hiring him.
2. Check the insurance certificate of currency. Apart from the contractors licence, you will want to ask for the insurance certificate of currency. This should indicate expiration and whether or not the contractor has paid in full. This is easily renewed, so any good contractor should have no trouble showing you this.
3. Require at least three references. Looking into their references whether they are mentors or past employers will help reveal so much about the contractor. By contacting their reported references, you can find out more about the professional and decide whether or not he deserves your trust.
4. Hold on to your money unless you are sure. Contractors will require a down payment—this is a common practice and you cannot be excused from it. However, you should not be pressured to paying unless you are 100% sure that you are ready to work with the contractor.
5. Choose a reputable builder. If you are worried about hiring just anyone for the job, choose a tried and tested expert who is renowned for his excellence and skill. Why settle for an unknown contractor when you can choose a familiar name.

It is not uncommon to be victimized by scammers. There are a lot of them in existence, so you really have to keep an eye out on common patterns and signs, so that you could effectively protect yourself, your money and your company. If you are having doubts, chances are you are right, so do not be reluctant to investigate. Do not finalize anything unless you are very sure.