Not much thought is given to why it is necessary to have a Contractors State License Board or a Better Business Bureau, but there are some very good reasons why. There are numerous scams and shady deals made every day, in every community in this country. Many of them by people claiming to be proficient in the Building Trades. And, just ask around . . . everybody has a nightmare Contractor story to tell.

There are methods, laws, and organizations that can help you protect your property and your money. Hiring an Unlicensed Contractor is not a wise decision. Doing so limits your use of protections available to you.  At least 30% of the jobs contracted by MGL Construction are corrections or worse, due to the use of Unlicensed Contractors. In each case, the Property Owner lost a significant amount of money.

There are four simple methods to avoid Contractor Nightmares:

1.) Every person claiming to be a Contractor is required to be licensed by the Contractors State License Board. Call them, email them, or visit their web site and verify the person hold such license. In addition, the CSLB records all complaints received against Contractors. Ask for the Contractors complaint history. ( For additional info, select CSLB from the menu on the right.)

2.) In most cities, a person claiming to be a Contractor is required to hold a Business License issued by the City where the work is to be done. The Contractor is not required to obtain such license until actually performing work in the respective city, but it is expected that such license be issued by the city where the Contractor claims his office address. Call the applicable City Clerks Office and inquire regarding such license. (While holding a Business License is not required of all Cities, Counties, or States . . . having a Business License is demonstrative of conducting a lawful business.)

3.) Most everyplace you can think of has a Better Business Bureau. And, a business is not required to be a BBB Member to be reported on. Complaints made by Consumers about local business are recorded by BBB's everywhere. Call your local, or the Contractors local BBB to see if complaints have been filed against the Contractor.

4.) Any Contractor that has successfully completed a job, has a reference. Ask your prospective Contractor to provide you with references. And, take the time to check a few of his references. You will be amazed at the information you are provided by the Contractors previous customers.

Now, there are other ways to check out a prospective Contractor, such as watching him to see if he knows which end of the hammer to hold when driving a nail, but the aforementioned do not require your knowledge of the building trades or use of tools to use. As a Home Owner you have invested a lot of money into your property. Protect your investment, protect your property, and protect your money . . . by spending a few minutes to check out your prospective Contractor.