Featured Article

Avoiding Home Improvement Scams

(July 5)

 When hiring a contractor it is extremely important to find someone with a good business reputation.  To avoid being ripped off, always check the credentials of a contractor by calling the Better Business Bureau and the building inspector in your county. Never just accept references provided by the contractor. These will only provide you with information from those who were satisfied with their work. References of this nature are basically useless.  Also, ask to see photos of recently completed jobs.

Don't just pull a contractor's name out of the newspaper, phone book or off a bulletin board at a building supply store. Ask your local building Inspector to recommend someone. The inspector is the person who is the most knowledgeable on the quality of work and the professionalism of the contractor.

Make sure everything is in writing on your contract. Insist that the building contractor list every detail of the job to ensure you'll get what you expect. Don't assume that because someone seems like a nice person they will keep their word. Crooks are good actors and actresses. They are professional liars and know how to scam honest people.

Have the contractor write a date of completion on the contract. Some contractors say they don't like to do so because weather can be unpredictable, but a reasonable date should be determined. Demand a clause that provides refunds if the work is not done in a timely manner.

Never ever give a contractor more than half down on a job, even if a bank is involved. Your bank will probably not back you up. When you sign for the loan, you are responsible for seeing that the job is finished. If the contractor walks off, you will be required to pay the loan anyway, no matter what the contractor does or doesn't do. The bank lent the money to you, and you will be required to pay it back. The longer a company has been at one location the more likely it is a reputable one.

Be particularly suspicious of someone who approaches you with a deal too good to be true.  Many low-income elderly homeowners are targeted by scam artists who use high-pressure tactics to sell unneeded and overpriced contracts for "home improvements." Often these scam artists charge more than their quoted prices or their work does not live up to their promises. When the senior refuses to pay for shoddy or incomplete work, the contractor or an affiliated lender threatens foreclosure on the senior's home.   Find out how long a company has been in existence, as it is not uncommon for a company to suddenly disappear. 

If someone approaches you saying that they have just repaved a driveway in your neighborhood, have surplus materials left from a previous job, or was working on a neighbors house and can offer you a good deal while they are in the neighborhood, run as fast as you can. 

Contributed by Roberta Rosengarten, Slightly Creaky
Co-founder, Editor, Consumer Advocate, Volunteer Coordinator

Favorite Recipe

(July 20)

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Click here for previously submitted recipes

Cream of Broccoli Soup

About 2 cups of steamed broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

White Sauce:

¼ Cup of butter
¼ Cup flour
2 Teaspoons of salt
2 Cups milk

Melt butter on low heat in medium sized saucepan, add flour and salt mixture. Stir quickly and cook for about 30 seconds. Pour in cold milk. Simmer, stirring constantly. Yes, constantly or it will stick to the bottom of the pan in clumps. When the white sauce starts to boil, it will be nice and thick. Remove from heat.

Remove broccoli from steamer and add to white sauce. Reserve the water you used to steam the broccoli. Test the thickness and add a little of the veggie water to thin it just a tiny bit -- maybe 1/4 cup. I smashed up some of the broccoli florets so there would be tiny bits floating. I cooked it for about 10 minutes.

Contributed by Eva Quesnell