Cowboys are among the greatest characters of the American West. Sadly, today their sterling image has been tarnished by a new, more sinister character, the shady "cowboy builder." Luckily there are several ways to spot the tell tale signs of a cowboy builder before he can do damage to a home and run off with the owner's money.
Hiring tradesmen to do work on homes, offices, factories and other buildings would be so much easier if it were possible to trust every worker without question. Sadly, just as with every trade or profession, there are lazy, dishonest people who are willing to con people out of their money by doing sloppy, even dangerous work. Learning how to detect these people in advance can save both money and heartache.
There are four sure tell tale signs that a cowboy builder is at work. These include refusing to produce evidence of building trades certification; refusing to provide references of past work, including contact information; pressuring customers to make a quick decision before they can verify qualifications; and demanding money in large amounts before any work has been done. Anytime a homeowner is confronted with one or more of these situations, it's a good bet that the tradesman is at least shady, and quite possibly criminal. Here's how to protect yourself against cowboy builders.
First, resist all attempts by a tradesman to get you to sign a blank contract right away for whatever reason. Never sign anything without reading it thoroughly and filling in blanks. Also never pay a worker in advance, even if he says he needs cash to buy supplies. Hand over the cash and you've probably seen the last of that cowboy builder.
Even with written bids, there's still a possibility of being duped by a tradesman. So once you have their proposals, check out their credentials. A reputable tradesman will gladly provide a certificate of qualification, complete with registration number and a telephone number to call the accrediting agency. Be suspicious of any builder or remodeler who doesn't provide such information upon request.
Next, ask for references. Call up the references and ask how well the tradesman performed their work, what problems occurred and how they were handled by the builder. If possible, set up an appointment with one or two references to visit the site where the work was done to see for yourself the quality of the work. Listen carefully to what the references tell you. Someone may seem like a great guy, but he could still not do the job correctly.
Lastly, never knuckle under to a tradesman who pressures you to make a quick decision or who insists on getting money up front. These are two of the biggest signs of a cowboy builder. If you encounter these tell tale signs, firmly decline to hire them and get out fast.
The tell tale signs of a cowboy builder are actually very easy for homeowners to spot. Get the inside scoop in our complete sash windows and sash window company guide.