Around 20 years ago, my husband and I bought our first home. We were young kids, and hardly made any money, but we knew we wanted to be homeowners. We didn’t qualify for much, but back then, houses in the Quad Cities were “cheap.” We found a 1,200-square-foot home that was partially built. It was a typical “spec” home. The builder had been in the area for a while, and had built quite a few homes of that specific model. It was so exciting to say the least! We were going to have a brand new home and I got to pick out the finishing touches such as colors and cabinets! Wow, 21 years old and I was buying my first house and calling all the shots!
With all of the excitement and the lack of education on home buying, we didn’t do our homework about the contractor. The single most important thing about having a house built or buying one from a contractor is, MAKE SURE THEY ARE LICENSED…and are in GOOD standing with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (AZROC). Now our contractor was licensed, but what we didn’t know is he had plenty of open complaints and settlements. The importance of that is integrity. Is this contractor really going to take care of us? I mean, the house should be under warranty at least two years and up to 10 years. Our fatal mistake: His integrity was in the toilet, and he split town only a month after we moved into our new home. We had no clue that a new home could have plenty of issues. It should last forever, right?
The first few months were fine, but after a while, things started happening. I mean, the linoleum was peeling, nails were coming through the drywall. The large wall in the living room began to bow. The worst part? The nails on the siding were popping out…All. Over. It was awful! So I called the contractor to get some help. I dial his number… “We’re sorry, the number you have called has been disconnected and is no longer in service.” What?! Who’s going to fix all of this? We’re poor! We BARELY bought the house as it was, and we had an expensive housewarming gift since we bought the house the year before: a baby. So, I call the realtor. She instructs me to call the AZROC. After filling out the paperwork and having it reviewed, they sent out an inspector. Now here’s the really sad part. I answer the door, pregnant….again. I’m standing there with my 12-month-old at my side. The inspector is looking at her like she has worms coming out of her ears. I look down and she’s eating a disgusting chicken bone she has dug out of the trash. Yep, it’s official. The homeowner and parenting thing was not going well for me at this point. After a thorough inspection, he determines that the house did in fact have many things that needed to be repaired. Who was going to pay for it? We’re poor, remember? I mean my child was eating chicken bones from the trash! That day, the AZROC was my hero. Because of the recapture fund they set aside for this exact situation, they gave me a check to have these things repaired. Now, had I used an unlicensed contractor, it would have been a much different outcome and a disaster!
Licensed contractors are required to hold bonds and be insured. Many of them are established as either an LLC (Limited Liability Company) or a Corporation. Yeah, it sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo, but it’s necessary to protect you, the buyer. I wouldn’t limit using licensed contracting to just buying or building a home. Small home repairs, landscaping, painting, window replacement, etc….all of those things are better off done by a licensed service company. The protection, guarantee and peace of mind it provides is worth seeking out a licensed professional.
We are fortunate enough to have the AZROC, but also the Yavapai County Contractor’s Association. The YCCA’s main goal is to ensure that contracting and service in Yavapai County is done in an integral way. They have an extensive list of outstanding, licensed contractors. You can find them on the web at ycca.org or their number is 928-778-0040. They are an excellent resource!
Don’t go it alone! Use a Licensed Contractor! QCBN
By Beverly Golan