Avoiding Home Renovation Scams

The Sanding family was certain they'd fall victim to a renovation scam after hearing cautionary tales from friends, family members, and coworkers who had undergone renovations.  Everyone echoed the same warning: “You are going to get screwed.”

And they believed it – the stories were pervasive.

It’s easy to find humour in the comment, but the smile fades quickly when the true consequences unfold.

Some contractors don’t set out to scam their clients, but circumstances or lack of integrity lead them down that path.

While some renovation contractors resort to the lowest bids out of necessity, others charge higher rates, yet both find themselves in similar predicaments.

Homeowners feel betrayed, experiencing genuine feelings of being deceived and exploited.

Then there are outright con artists who make it their mission to defraud you.

They might steal your deposit, misrepresent their work with false photos, cut corners, skip unseen tasks, and use subpar materials.  They disregard timelines, treating their time as their prerogative. Schedules fall by the wayside, if they show up at all. Their shoddy practices extend the job by months – and in some cases, years.

Perhaps they use inferior products and different finishes than what you had expected or ordered, all to save a buck at your expense.

In these situations, you sacrifice your time, energy, finances, safety, and the sanctity of your home. You feel exploited and may seek legal recourse to regain control or seek justice.  The legal fees pile up, emotions run high, and your home is still not as it should be.

Almost half (42.5%) of those who experienced contractor fraud also experienced a significant impact on their mental health.

It is exhausting. It deeply saddens and frustrates me to get calls every week from people who have endured such negative experiences with contractors.