Archive for the ‘Contractors’ category

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Is Your Air Conditioner the Right Size?

July 11th, 2011

When it comes time to replace your air conditioner, make sure that you are purchasing the new system from a reputable company. Selling an air conditioner to a customer means big money for the business and as a result, some less scrupulous contractors like to take advantage of the customer’s ignorance of the HVAC industry. How do they do this? Well, one way they increase their profit is by selling customers a unit that is too big for their home. This may not seem like that big of a deal, but when you consider the problems that can be caused by oversized air conditioners, you may think twice about who you trust with your next air conditioner installation.

Years of Problems to Come!

Some illegitimate contractors will tell you anything to get you to purchase a more expensive unit. They will promise more cold air and lower energy bills, and before you know it, you have purchased a unit that is twice the size of the unit you need for your home. Once that unit is installed, the real problems begin. Not only did that contractor scam you out of hundreds of dollars, he also left you with years of problems to come! » Read more: Is Your Air Conditioner the Right Size?

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Contractors, Money Saving

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Home Inspections and Second Opinions

June 29th, 2011

This summer, a good friend of mine and his wife thought that they had found their dream home. They bought a home that had been repossessed by the bank, then purchased, and remodeled by a rehab contractor. The house was beautiful. The kitchen had granite counter tops with complementing back splashes. All of the floors were hardwood with matching woodwork. On the surface this was the perfect dream house that they had been looking for, for months!

The Original Inspection

When buying a home, the mortgage company is going to want the home inspected before they hand over a penny. The lender that my friends used had their own home inspector go through the house and give the “thumbs up” before they would approve the loan. The loan was approved, and my friends became the proud owners of their first home. » Read more: Home Inspections and Second Opinions

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Contractors, HVAC Repair

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Summer Time Home Repair Scams

June 15th, 2011

The majority of scams that you hear about concern shoddy repair jobs or “fly by night” contractors, but there is another scam that dresses itself up as an offer to do home repairs but ends in a robbery. Any area that is affected by weather damage is vulnerable to these types of scams especially. The bad weather often cause roofs to crumble, gutters to fall, and a plethora of other home damage that needs to be repaired quickly. The scammers take advantage of this fact and will go door to door until they get a taker. Then the real scam begins…

Getting Their Foot in the Door

This scam is often carried out by a couple of thieves. They will say anything they can in order to get their foot inside your door. They will offer affordable low pricing and even a free on the spot inspection. An unsuspecting homeowner may think that this is their lucky day, but in reality you are anything but lucky. The “servicemen” will either try to split up or they will return later to finish the job. » Read more: Summer Time Home Repair Scams

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Posted in Consumer Protection, Contractors, Home Repairs

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What Causes an Air Conditioner Breakdown?

June 13th, 2011

When an air conditioner breaks down, many of us feel helpless. We rely on the truthfulness of HVAC technicians to identify and fix our problems, but most of the time we feel like we have no real control over the situation. Either we pay for the repair they tell us is needed, or we suffer without cooling all summer long. Neither is a very attractive choice, but maybe if we understood a bit more about the possible causes of air conditioner breakdowns, it may put our minds at ease.

Four Causes of A/C Failure:

  • Neglected Maintenance: Year after year, homeowners neglect to have a yearly cleaning and maintenance check performed on their air conditioner. When this is the case, it is only a matter of time before something breaks or stops working properly. Nearly 90% of air conditioner failures can be traced back to lack of maintenance, and if you are one of those homeowners that haven’t had a cleaning in ages, this could be the cause of your problem. » Read more: What Causes an Air Conditioner Breakdown?

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Contractors, HVAC Repair, Maintenace

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Leave Some Painting for the Pros

March 15th, 2011

Painting your home is often a job that many “do it yourself-ers” take on without help from a professional, and with the right advice, nearly any homeowner can successfully take on this project. However, not all walls are as easy to paint as you may initially think, and trying to paint these on your own could lead to a messy and tedious disaster in your home. Textured walls and ceilings as well as those that are wallpapered are defiantly much harder to paint than drywall, and professional help should be sought out to complete these home improvement projects.

Textured Walls and Ceilings

Stucco and “popcorn” walls and ceilings are just two types of textures that can be a pain to paint if you don’t know what you are doing. The countless crevices and delicate texture materials could take days to paint properly, and even then the results are not guaranteed to be what you expected. » Read more: Leave Some Painting for the Pros

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Posted in Contractors, Home Improvements, Home Services

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A Second Look Could Save Thousands!

February 23rd, 2011

Many homeowners find out the hard way that they should have gotten a second opinion on a repair job, and a recent case in Minneapolis brought this fact into the limelight. The case involved a plumbing company that was convincing homeowners they needed much bigger, and more expensive, repairs than were actually required. The end result was the loss of thousands of dollars and another black eye for the home repair industry. However, homeowners do not have to put up with this type of contractor if they know what to look for when they need a repair, and the number one rule is ALWAYS GET A SECOND OPINION! Signing a contract and handing over a check could be the biggest mistakes you ever make if you are not careful about whom you hire to perform the repairs. » Read more: A Second Look Could Save Thousands!

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Posted in Consumer Protection, Contractors, Home Repairs, Money Saving

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Professional Handyman Services

February 21st, 2011

As spring inches closer and closer, many of us will begin tackling our home repair and improvement checklists. Odds are during the long winter season that list grew exponentially, and you may begin to worry about the cost involved in making these repairs along with the amount of time you will need to dedicate to each project. Nowadays there is a specialist for everything. One company to clean your ducts, another to fix the plumbing, and yet another to clean the air conditioner for the upcoming summer season and the list could go on and on. Signing several contracts and attempting to keep track of multiple payments could become overwhelming very quickly, but if you find one contracting company to handle all of these jobs, you could save your time and your money! » Read more: Professional Handyman Services

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Posted in Contractors, Home Repairs, Home Services

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Contracting a Home Gym

January 24th, 2011

A healthy lifestyle is not complete without exercise, yet many people avoid this requirement for one reason or another. If you think you don’t have the time or if you don’t have the money to pay the outrageous fees they charge at many gyms, we have a solution for you. Consider building a gym in the privacy and comfort of your own home. You will be able to fit your workouts in when it is convenient for you, and after the initial cost of creating the gym, it is free to use. If you are ready to get serious about your lifestyle goals, a home gym is a good place to start, and with the help of an honest contractor, you could have your gym up and running in no time at all. » Read more: Contracting a Home Gym

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Posted in Contractors, Home Services, Information, Remodeling, Value

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Putting Off Home Repairs

January 12th, 2011

Ever homeowners has this list, and everything on it never seems to get done. It’s the home repair”to do” list, and instead of picking up our tools and getting to work, we use excuse after excuse to justify not completing the job. Well, today we are going to expose those excuses for what they really are, and hopefully motivate you to finally cross at least a few projects off of that growing list. Some of the most popular excuses that we all use include:

  • “I don’t know how to fix it”
  • “I didn’t know I had a problem!”
  • “It’s really not that big of a deal!”
  • “I will do it next weekend!”
  • “I don’t know who to call for help!”
  • “It will cost too much!”
  • “I don’t have time to fix it!” » Read more: Putting Off Home Repairs

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Posted in Contractors, Home Repairs, Home Services, Money Saving

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Protect Yourself from Furnace Repair Scams

January 10th, 2011

Successful scam artists are some of the best actors in town. They are equipped with the props and costumes that a legitimate company would have, and their performance is very convincing. Thousands of homeowners fall victim to their act, and end up handing over hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars for services that are illegitimate. The furnace repair industry has its fair share of fraudsters just like any other, but when homeowners know how to protect themselves from their scams, they lose their ability turn a profit. That is why we should all take note of these 3 common furnace repair scams before we have our furnaces serviced this winter season.

  • Scam #1: Demanding Upfront Payment- A common scam that many illegitimate contractors will use involves convincing the homeowner to pay in full for services before they are performed. The serviceman may tell you that he needs a certain amount of money right when he walks in the door, and then after tinkering around with the furnace, demand payment for repairs before actually fixing anything. Once payment is received, the serviceman will pretend that they have to order a part or come back later to finish the work. After the serviceman leaves, he is never heard from again. » Read more: Protect Yourself from Furnace Repair Scams

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Posted in Consumer Protection, Contractors, Furnace, Money Saving

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