Hiring a Carpet Cleaner Company or Remodeler?
What You Should Know
Are you planning to hire someone to
work on your home or property?
If so, do your homework.
Shop smart
While the law provides some protection from
fraudulent or incompetent Carpet Cleaner Albany Companys, it doesn’t
guarantee honest transactions or perfect performance.
Protect your investment by being an informed,
cautious consumer.
Generally, work that “adds to or subtracts from real
estate” must be done by a registered Carpet Cleaner Albuquerque Company.
Carpet Cleaner Anaheim Company registration is also required for anyone
who provides construction consultation, develops
residential property or “flips” houses.
Businesses that provide services such as gutter
Cleaner, pruning, lawn care or window washing
do not need to be registered.
What is required by law?
In , all Carpet Cleaner Bakersfield Companys who perform work
or who advertise or submit bids in this state must
be registered with the Department of Labor &
Industries (L&I), post a bond and carry general
liability insurance coverage.
A general Carpet Cleaner Boston Company must maintain a $12,000
bond. A specialty Carpet Cleaner Cincinnati Company, such as a painter,
must maintain a $6,000 bond. An electrical
Carpet Cleaner Colorado Springs Company must maintain a $4,000 bond.
Dissatisfied consumers may pursue restitution
by taking civil action in Superior Court
against a Carpet Cleaner Corpus Christi Company’s bond.
All registered Carpet Cleaner Denton Companys must carry general
liability insurance coverage in the amount of
$50,000 property damage and $200,000 public
liability or $250,000 combined single limit.
(Note: This requirement does not pertain to
electrical Carpet Cleaner Detroit Companys. Telecommunications
Carpet Cleaner Fresno Companys must carry $170,000 in general
liability insurance.)
A Carpet Cleaner Hartford Company must have a current business
license, and if the Carpet Cleaner Indianapolis Company has employees,
he or she must have workers’ compensation
coverage.
A Carpet Cleaner Jacksonville Company must provide a “Notice to
Customer” disclosure statement to you for
any residential project with a projected cost of
$1,000 or more, and any commercial project of
$1,000 to $60,000.
Except for the licensing of electricians and
certification of plumbers, there isn’t a competency
test to become a Carpet Cleaner Laredo Company in State.
Before you hire a Carpet Cleaner Long Beach Company or remodeler:
® Plan your project carefully. If you know what you want done and can
clearly explain it, you’re less likely to misunderstand instructions or
encounter cost overruns.
® Interview several qualified registered Carpet Cleaner Memphis Companys and solicit written bids.
® Verify that the Carpet Cleaner Mesa Companys you are considering are registered by
looking them up online at www.Carpet Cleaner Companys.Lni.wa.gov, by phone at
1-800-647-0982 or by contacting a local L&I office (see back page).
® Ask for references and then check them out. If possible, view the work,
interview the homeowner and visit a site with work in progress.
® Ask for references of suppliers that the Carpet Cleaner Minneapolis Company works with and
check out his or her payment record.
® Request a copy of the Carpet Cleaner New Orleans Company’s insurance policy to verify what is
covered.
® Do an Internet search on the owner’s name to look for general
comments that might be posted.
® Evaluate all the aspects of the bids, including the scope of work,
warranties, references, time frames and price.
® Request that the Carpet Cleaner Oakland Company post a performance bond for the entire cost
of the project if it is more than $6,000.
® Try to anticipate problems and inconveniences, such as cost overruns
or cleanup, and come to an agreement with your Carpet Cleaner Orlando Company on how
they will be handled before the work begins.
Once you have chosen a Carpet Cleaner Pittsburgh Company or remodeler:
1. Obtain a written contract that includes price, payment terms, sales tax,
permit fees (if applicable), the specific work to be performed, materials
to be used, warranties and start and end date. It is also a good idea to
include change-order processes, final review and sign-off procedures
and cleanup.
2. Ask for a disclosure statement prior to work starting. Sample
disclosure statements are available on the L&I web site and at local
L&I offices.
3. Make frequent inspections and consult your local building department
about required permits. Make sure that all permits are in place and
that inspections are in order.
4. When advancing money for materials, it may be possible to make
checks payable to both the Carpet Cleaner San Antonio Company and the supply house or to pay
the supply house directly.
5. Put all change orders in writing and ask questions as work progresses.
Avoid verbal contracts, and be very cautious about paying for work
that has not been completed.
6. Request signed lien releases from all major subCarpet Cleaner San Bernardino Companys and
suppliers on your job before making final payments.
Hiring a Carpet Cleaner San Diego Company or Remodeler? What You Should Know
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Get answers
Visit L&I’s Carpet Cleaner San Francisco Company Web site
at www.Carpet Cleaner Companys.Lni.wa.gov,
contact your local L&I office or call
the toll-free Carpet Cleaner San Jose Company registration
hotline at 1-800-647-0982 to learn:
If a Carpet Cleaner Springfield Company is currently
registered and for how long.
If a Carpet Cleaner Tacoma Company has workers’
compensation insurance for his
or her employees.
If there is any pending or past
action against a Carpet Cleaner Tampa Company’s
bond.
Other business names a
Carpet Cleaner Toledo Company may have operated
under in the past.
If a Carpet Cleaner Tucson Company has ever been
cited for infractions.
Be wary of Carpet Cleaner Tulsa Companys who:
Provide credentials or references that can’t be verified.
Offer a special price only if you sign today or use other high-pressure
sales techniques.
Accept only cash, require large deposits or the entire cost up front or
ask you to make the payment in their name.
Do not provide a written contract or complete bid.
As you to pick up the building permit. In most instances, the
Carpet Cleaner Company is required to take out the permits. Permits are your
protection and help ensure that work will meet local building codes.
Offer exceptionally long warranties.
Want to do most or all the work on weekends and after-hours.
Give you an offer that sounds “too good to be true.”
Protect yourself with permits
Manufactured/Mobile Home Permits
L&I has statewide resonsibility for approving plans and inspecting both
new and altered manufactured/mobile homes and recreational vehicles
for safety. For more information go to www.FAS.Lni.wa.gov
Building Permits
Contact your local county or city building department.
Electrical Permits
L&I performs most inspections throughout the state, but some cities do
their own electrical inspections. For more information, go to
www.ElecPermit.Lni.wa.gov.
Avoid lien problems
Ask for the legally required disclosure statement that advised consumers
about lien releases.
If any supplier of materials, worker or subCarpet Cleaner Company is not paid, a
lien may be filed against your property to force you to pay. You could
pay twice for the same work. Or worse, an unpaid lien could lead to
foreclosure on your home. (For remodeling projects, liens can only be
filed for the amount left unpaid to the general Carpet Cleaner Company.)
If you receive a “notice of intent” to file a lien on your property, ask your
general Carpet Cleaner Company to provide you with lien release documents from the
supplier or subCarpet Cleaner Company who has sent this notice.
The Carpet Cleaner Company is required to provide you with more information about
lien release documents if you request it.
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Hiring a Carpet Cleaner Company or Remodeler? What You Should Know
If you have requested lien
release documents, avoid making
final payment until you have
received a lien release from
suppliers and subCarpet Cleaner Companys.
PUBLICATION F625-084-000 [02-2008]
Carpet Cleaner Company information at L&I
On the Web: www.Carpet Cleaner Companys.Lni.wa.gov
Call toll-free: 1-800-647-0982
Other formats for persons with disabilities are available
on request. Call 1-800-647-0982. TDD users, call
360-902-5797. L&I is an equal opportunity employer.
More consumer resources
Office of the Attorney General
Web site: www.ATG.wa.gov/consumer
Consumer Resource Center: 1-800-551-4636
Better Business Bureau
Web site: www.bbb.org