Be Aware Of The Tell Tale Signs Of A Cowboy Builder

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.

It’s important to remember that most builders and building tradesmen are ethical. They do good work at fair prices. Unfortunately, there are too many people working in building trades who do shoddy work at inflated prices and leave the homeowner in worse shape than when they started. Many of the following guidelines to spotting cowboy builders can be applied to con artists in other professions as well.

For starters, cowboy builders are often friendly and confident, making potential employers reluctant to verify the worker’s abilities and promises. Don’t be fooled by a genial manner, however. The first rule of smoking out a cowboy builder before he can bilk you out of money is to “trust, but verify.”

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.

To get the best service, start by asking family, neighbors and friends for recommendations of workers who’ve done work similar to your planned project. Ask your advisers to tell you specifically what they liked and didn’t like about the tradesmen’s work, and get telephone numbers to call them.

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 exclusive inside skinny in our sash windows and sash window company review.