Recent severe weather in northern and central Wisconsin has resulted in significant damage to homes and businesses throughout the region. Along with that comes the “storm chasers”: these transient home improvement workers are often from out of state, use aggressive sales tactics, and move quickly from town to town, making them difficult to track.
Storm chasers may charge high prices for poor quality work; require an upfront payment and run off with the money; or offer a set price for a job and then demand a much larger final payment than what was agreed upon.
Tips for homeowners with storm damage:
- Be wary of any contractor who knocks at your door. Call the police or sheriff’s department to check them out.
- Hire a contractor based on referrals. Ask friends and neighbors for recommendations and ask contractors for references. Before you sign a contract, contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection to see if we have received complaints about the business.
- Try to get a local contractor. Be careful if local contractors are using outside subcontractors.
- Get lien waivers from anyone you pay for home repairs. It is necessary to do this because if the person collecting the money does not pay the supplier or worker, a lien could be put on your property.
- Get a written contract with a start and completion date and warranty information. Also, make sure that the contract states exactly what work is to be done and what materials are to be used. Never rely on a verbal agreement.
- Have someone watch the work being done. Check with your local building inspector to see if the work requires a permit and make sure an inspector visits the job site before you provide final payment.
- Request a copy of the contractor’s certificate of liability insurance.
It is important to note that local door-to-door solicitation rules could vary by municipality and that there are legitimate businesses that may knock on your door with a sales pitch. A good practice to follow is to request a business representative’s permit to operate if your municipality has a door-to-door sales ordinance.
