Contractors with Villagers complaints

[Richarjon]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?

[JGibson]

There is a multitude of sites including this one with contractor reviews.

I would be cautious of Nextdoor because a lot of fake users on there. They buy older members account and post like they have a long and good reputation.

Angie list and Home advisor is also good.

[mrf0151]

Never deal with a contractor that wants money up front. Reputable contractors will only ask for money once the work is done. Large addition on our house and the bill did not come until the final inspection was done. Also had our home painted last year and again the contractor did not collect until the job was complete. Be patient as you may have to wait for the good ones, but it will be worth it in the end.

[Keefelane66]

Licensed and Bonded and Insured we would loose probably over half the contractor if it were ever enforced

[retiredguy123]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?
If a contractor says he is licensed, just ask for his/her license number and look it up on this website:

Licensing Portal - License Search (https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID=)

I never insist that a contractor be insured. Any insurance they have will protect the contractor, not you. It is also very difficult to verify the amount of the insurance and if it is current.

Never pay any money in advance.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

If a contractor says he is licensed, just ask for his/her license number and look it up on this website:

Licensing Portal - License Search (https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID=)

I never insist that a contractor be insured. Any insurance they have will protect the contractor, not you. It is also very difficult to verify the amount of the insurance and if it is current.

Never pay any money in advance.

The insurance absolutely protects you. If a roofer is not insured, and falls off your roof onto your property, he will sue YOU for the medical bill and time out of work to recover (assuming he can recover).

If he's insured, then it's his insurance company's problem.

[retiredguy123]

The insurance absolutely protects you. If a roofer is not insured, and falls off your roof onto your property, he will sue YOU for the medical bill and time out of work to recover (assuming he can recover).

If he's insured, then it's his insurance company's problem.
I don't agree. A licensed contractor can sue anyone, but that doesn't mean he will win, unless he can prove that you were at fault. His insurance basically protects him against his liability, not your liability. Why would his insurance company pay for an injury that was your fault?

[JoMar]

If a contractor says he is licensed, just ask for his/her license number and look it up on this website:

Licensing Portal - License Search (https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID=)

I never insist that a contractor be insured. Any insurance they have will protect the contractor, not you. It is also very difficult to verify the amount of the insurance and if it is current.

Never pay any money in advance.

Depends on the job and the contractor.

[JerryP]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?

Seniors vs Crime

[Aces4]

If a contractor says he is licensed, just ask for his/her license number and look it up on this website:

Licensing Portal - License Search (https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID=)

I never insist that a contractor be insured. Any insurance they have will protect the contractor, not you. It is also very difficult to verify the amount of the insurance and if it is current.

Never pay any money in advance.

They should be insured and bonded. I disagree with your thought. Also, before payment to the contractor, be sure they provide you a signed lien release if one exists.

[retiredguy123]

They should be insured and bonded. I disagree with your thought. Also, before payment to the contractor, be sure they provide you a signed lien release if one exists.
I agree with the lien release and possibly the bonding. But, my thinking on the insurance is that the contractor may have a liability policy to protect him against a mistake he may make. But, the homeowner cannot file a claim directly against a policy that is structured to cover the contractor only, especially if the contractor denies any responsibility or if the contractor disappears. It's his policy, not yours. Also, I have never seen a document that clearly proves that the contractor has paid for a specific amount of liability coverage that cannot be cancelled before the project is completed. I would agree with you if the contractor purchases a "performance" bond whereby the insurance company guarantees that a specific project will be completed or they will complete it themselves. That is what the Federal Government requires on their projects.

[Aces4]

I agree with the lien release and possibly the bonding. But, my thinking on the insurance is that the contractor may have a liability policy to protect him against a mistake he may make. But, the homeowner cannot file a claim directly against a policy that is structured to cover the contractor only, especially if the contractor denies any responsibility or if the contractor disappears. It's his policy, not yours. Also, I have never seen a document that clearly proves that the contractor has paid for a specific amount of liability coverage that cannot be cancelled before the project is completed. I would agree with you if the contractor purchases a "performance" bond whereby the insurance company guarantees that a specific project will be completed or they will complete it themselves. That is what the Federal Government requires on their projects.

Research online for insight as to why an insured contractor is important. If he is not a fly-by-night business, he will have insurance. If their occupation requires it, also look for licensing.

[retiredguy123]

Research online for insight as to why an insured contractor is important. If he is not a fly-by-night business, he will have insurance. If their occupation requires it, also look for licensing.
I definitely agree with hiring a contractor who is licensed.

[jswirs]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?

Licensing, bonding and insurance for a contractor is very ambiguous. Depends on the amount of insurance, and exactly what the insurance covers. I was a contractor, with insurance which, at that time, allowed me to do INCIDENTAL, plumbing, electrical, etc. It's difficult to make everything clear on this forum, but I can tell you this: If you want all of your contractors to be fully insured on everything they do, don't complain about the price they charge. The contractor has to make enough to cover a decent living wage, transportation, tools, health insurance, and then the additional cost of the licensing, bonding and insurance which is the subject of the OP.

[MSchad]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?

Do you have a name to post and warn others about?

[bowlingal]

Nextdoor.com is a great place to voice any complaints/ praises. Or go to The Villages Friendly Folks for the same info

[mkjelenbaas]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?
That is what happened to me (VIP Home Improvement) when we bought a home - the contractor lied and said he was licensed/bonded/insured - and he was not! After the fact I went to the permit department and was told about an APP that you can input persons name and it will give you info - the app is: DBPRMobile - anytime I hire some now I check them out on the app and go to BBB and also call Seniors Vs Crime. Best to check everyone out here in Florida!!! BEEARE!!!

[jimkerr]

If a contractor says he is licensed, just ask for his/her license number and look it up on this website:

Licensing Portal - License Search (https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp?mode=0&SID=)

I never insist that a contractor be insured. Any insurance they have will protect the contractor, not you. It is also very difficult to verify the amount of the insurance and if it is current.

Never pay any money in advance.

It’s very easy to verify insurance. Ask the contractor for a copy of their COI. From there you can call their insurance company to see if their policy is still valid.

[snsaneholtz@gmail.com]

New slogan:
STAY AWAY FROM FRANK GAY PLUMBING!!!

[NoMo50]

Never deal with a contractor that wants money up front. Reputable contractors will only ask for money once the work is done.

Not entirely true. T&D Pools is certainly a reputable, large, contractor. If you want them to build you a pool at an existing homesite, expect to drop a large deposit before they break out any equipment.

[joelfmi]

You are getting what you pay for. Cheap work prices with no contractor licensing.
licenced contractors have very high overhead, and that cost is transferred to the homeowner. There are no bargains out there.

[ahrens fox]

Isn't there a difference between contractor's liability insurance and worker compensation insurance?

[midiwiz]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?

well that depends which forum you've looked at. if it's FB all the groups except for 1 that have to do with TV are ran by overcompensating politically correct moderators that don't even live in TV. there is 1 group that allows the ability to say whatever you want without it being deleted.

Other that the section on here for that type of information, the rest of the TV world is governed heavily.

[Ski Bum]

There are several types of insurance... inland marine (covers their equipment), auto, and liability.

None of that covers you if a worker falls off of your roof and your contractor does not have Work Comp insurance.

[NoMo50]

I never insist that a contractor be insured. Any insurance they have will protect the contractor, not you. It is also very difficult to verify the amount of the insurance and if it is current.

That can be very risky, particularly in the area of workers compensation insurance. If a homeowner hires a contractor to do work on their home, and the contractor is uninsured, the homeowner could very well be assuming liability for any worker injury that occurs on their property. In the hierarchy of liability, if a subcontractor is uninsured, liability will flow upward to the prime, or general, contractor...in this case, the homeowner.

Also, it is easy, and prudent, to ask any contractor to provide you with a certificate of insurance. A simple call to the insurance company will verify that the coverage is valid. Reputable contractors are quite accustomed to providing these certificates.

[JGibson]

Nextdoor.com is a great place to voice any complaints/ praises. Or go to The Villages Friendly Folks for the same info

I would be very leary of Nextdoor it seems to be a platform for scammers.

[Rodneysblue]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?

Caveat emptor. You need to do the research these days.

[Chamo]

All I can say is do your homework it’s easy enough now. This day and age you can’t trust anybody and that’s a shame but that is life.

[curler1]

Better Business Bureau

[retiredguy123]

That can be very risky, particularly in the area of workers compensation insurance. If a homeowner hires a contractor to do work on their home, and the contractor is uninsured, the homeowner could very well be assuming liability for any worker injury that occurs on their property. In the hierarchy of liability, if a subcontractor is uninsured, liability will flow upward to the prime, or general, contractor...in this case, the homeowner.

Also, it is easy, and prudent, to ask any contractor to provide you with a certificate of insurance. A simple call to the insurance company will verify that the coverage is valid. Reputable contractors are quite accustomed to providing these certificates.
Thanks. This topic is very confusing. I found that, in Florida,

“As a general rule, one who hires an independent contractor is not liable for injuries sustained by that contractor’s employees in performing their work.”

It is also unclear whether your homeowners liability insurance will cover an injured worker. But, the next time I hire a contractor, I will ask for a certificate of insurance and see what happens. But, even if you verify the insurance coverage and workers compensation, you will never know if every worker who shows up on your property is actually on the contractor's payroll. And, even if they are, an injured worker can refuse to accept the workers compensation offered and sue the employer. I think I am like most people who do not require proof that contractors are insured for most small projects.

[Catfishjeff]

I am a license contractor from California currently living in The Villages. My license was kept current only if I was bonded and carried liability insurance. All customers are issued a copy of our insurance binder which names them as an additionally insured. As for payment schedules, there are limits in CA as to how much a contractor can ask for up front to cover materials. I believe that amount is 20%. Our company only does commercial work so there are some differences. As near as I can tell, Florida is similar to CA.

[mkjelenbaas]

I see no place for villagers who have hired people under the pretense that they call themselves contractors but, have no license and are not bonded. Why is there no place to inform other villagers of these rip-off people and their companies name?
How about here or Seniors Vs Crime or the permit office??

[retiredguy123]

I am a license contractor from California currently living in The Villages. My license was kept current only if I was bonded and carried liability insurance. All customers are issued a copy of our insurance binder which names them as an additionally insured. As for payment schedules, there are limits in CA as to how much a contractor can ask for up front to cover materials. I believe that amount is 20%. Our company only does commercial work so there are some differences. As near as I can tell, Florida is similar to CA.
Question - can a contractor in Florida buy a liability policy that "names" all of their customers as being covered for liability as well as the contractor? I have never heard of that type of policy.

[OhioBuckeye]

They do it probably because they’re cheap. Personally I think they’re scammers!

[joelfmi]

Not entirely true. T&D Pools is certainly a reputable, large, contractor. If you want them to build you a pool at an existing homesite, expect to drop a large deposit before they break out any equipment.

The deposit that they want is to protect their business from customer from not walking away from their job leaving them without paying.

[JMintzer]

Not entirely true. T&D Pools is certainly a reputable, large, contractor. If you want them to build you a pool at an existing homesite, expect to drop a large deposit before they break out any equipment.

A pool (or any other MAJOR addition to a home) is much different than replacing flooring or having painting or electrical work.

Most contractors will require 1/3 at the start, 1/3 at some designated time in the build and the final 1/3 upon completion to satisfaction...

[Rainger99]

I have never checked to see if a contractor is bonded but I always check to make that they are licensed and insured.

The link is an excellent discussion of construction bonds. I don’t think you would need them for small projects like painting but you would for large projects such as a pool.

How Does a Construction Bond Work (https://www.angi.com/articles/what-home-improvement-contractors-bond.htm)

[Garywt]

Just remember they are taking a chance as well. To perform work, they are just betting they will get paid and will not have to chase you. From where we are from you usually have to pay 30% upfront, 30% the day they start and 40% when done.

For the most part we have only used the contractors who built the house as they all left their numbers plus they are all listed in the book supplied by the Villages when we bought our house. We did use venders for painting our cement and enclosing our lanai which worked out great.

[GatorFan]

Workers comp. Required in the State of zflorida if they have one employee. The owner can opt out but it must be on file with state.

One other thing, when anyone is sued, even if they did nothing wrong, they have legal fees.