Brook Park homeowners are warned about shady contractors Edit

tag: brooke elliott

A shady contractor can darken the brightest summer project, but the city has some suggestions for residents to help avoid any pitfalls, From new garage or deck could be a blessing -- or a curse. Both Mayor Mark Elliott and Building Commissioner Marty Surella say the top three things residents need to know are:

•Avoid drawing a permit on behalf of a contractor.

•Never fully pay any job up front.

•And call the building department to make sure a contractor is registered.

Drawing a permit for a contractor makes the homeowner liable for the work.

"Plus nine times out of 10, he doesn't come in and get registered, so we don't know who he is or if he has insurance. You basically shoot yourself in the foot," Surella said.

In the months of June, July and August permits are free for both contractors and residents.

"Contractors are telling residents, 'I can get you a free permit.' Sure they can, because they are free during those months," Surella said.

Though they are free they must be acquired and applications and drawings still have to be submitted.

Paying for a job up front makes a resident susceptible to fly-by-night contractors that could take the money and run.

"There might be a start up fee but don't pay 100 percent until 100 percent of the job is complete," Elliott said.

The mayor said residents need to do their homework and not just pick anyone to do their home improvements. Residents should always remember that the contractor they select needs to be registered with the proper license and insurance to do the job in the city.

"So many times people will pick a name out of the phonebook or an advertisement, and they really have no knowledge or history of what that contractor has done," Elliott said.

Surella said he has a list on file of contractors the city is familiar with and whom residents can trust.

"If they've done work in city, we know who they are. We don't recommend one contractor, but we'll give you a list and you can go shopping," he said.

Because of the economy, more and more people are doing contracting on the side and may not be expert at the craft.

"The goal is for residents to get a quality job. You have a better chance of assuring this if the contractor is licensed and bonded and has a good track record," Elliott said.

Tim Devine, a local contractor, spoke on this topic at a council meeting earlier this month. He was upset that some contractors are doing work in the area without being licensed, insured and bonded with the city.

"I feel these guys are trespassing against me. I'm paying my fees and doing it legally and these guys aren't," he told Council.

He wanted the city to consider harsher penalties such as what one Florida city does -- a $10,000 fine and up to a year in jail.

The mayor and Surella met to discuss Devine's points.

"His issue is that contractors are out there doing work on the weekends that we're not catching them," Surella said. "We catch people weekly, but there's a dilemma. If a contractor comes out and pulls a roof off a house and we catch them, we make them come in and register and get a permit. I can't kick them off the job because the house has no roof on it."

If it were to rain, the resident and the city could be liable.

Such contractors are penalized with a double fee for not registering. Repeat offenders can be cited to court.

Surella said, "we're not bashful, extreme penalties are not in the policy of the city."