Once again we are in the season of spring home and lawn projects, including home repair and remodeling. As your Attorney General, I would like to kick off this season with some tips that could help prevent you from falling prey to home repair and remodeling fraud.

The majority of home repair fraud complaints involve workers who accept money for jobs they never finish or who fail to honor warranties on home improvement projects. Taking a few precautionary steps can help ensure that those you hire to work on your home are reputable contractors, not unscrupulous con-artist. For example:

• Verify the contractor’s name, address, and phone number. Be wary of workers who give you pager numbers or post office boxes rather than street addresses. Request references on similar work performed by the contractor, ask to see a job in progress, and ask for the name and number of a customer who had work done over a year ago.

• Make sure that your contractor has an occupational license from the Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board. (General contractors licensed prior to January 1, 1992 are exempt.)

• Obtain two or three bids. When comparing estimates, be sure each is based upon the same set of plans, specifications, and scope of work.

• Check with professional associations and licensing boards to verify the worker’s record. Ask to see the contractor’s pocket-sized license card.

• Check to see if the remodeler has a professional designation such as the Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR), which is awarded upon completion of course work in technical courses, business management and contracts and law.

Home repair and remodeling fraud is a crime that we can fight, but taking a few extra minutes of preparation can help ensure we never have to take up the fight for you. Before your contractor begins work, you should check for proof of workers’ compensation and liability insurance; agree on finance charges and make a payment schedule; put all guarantees and warranties in writing; agree on a start and a finish date and put them in writing; and make sure the contract is in writing and is specific, including details about size, colors, materials, brands, and models. Information is the greatest weapon that consumers have against home repair fraud predators. The more citizens who ask for a license, who check references, and who request multiple bids, the fewer who will become the victims of the fraud.

If you have fallen victim to one of these con-artists, my office stands ready to assist you. A hotline has been established solely for reports of consumer fraud. Our toll-free number is 1-800-392-5658 and information can be obtained on our website at www.ago.state.al.us. Information can also be obtained from the Home Builders Association of Alabama at 1-800-745-4222 or on their website, www.hbaa.org; the Home Builders Licensure Board at 1-800-304-0853 or on their website at www.hblb.state.al.us; or the Better Business Bureau at 1-800-824-5274, with their website found at www.bbb.org.