Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 7, 1991                   TAG: 9104060266
SECTION: A GUIDE TO BETTER HOMES                    PAGE: 11   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Virginia Cooperative Extension
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

WHAT YOU SHOULD ASK WHEN HIRING A GENERAL CONTRACTOR

Check to see if the general contractor has a license or registration, Virginia Tech Specialist Irene E. Leech said.

The Virginia Board of Contractors provides license or registration service for general contractors, but does not do any skill testing. The regulating indicates that the contractor has met standards established by the board about the character, knowledge and skills necessary to practice without harming the public.

Any contractor who undertakes a project valued at $40,000 or more is required to have a valid Class A license issued by the board.

Any contractor who undertakes a project valued at $1,500 or more, but less than $40,000, must have valid Class B license.

It does not require that the contractor demonstrate specific knowledge or skills, only that there is information about the location, nature and operation of the business.

The Virginia Department of Housing and community Development tests plumbing and electrical skills.

Check references to be sure the contractor has the skills and ability to do the project.

A homeowner who hires someone for a project should ask for and check references, said Leech, who is on the faculty at Virginia Tech.

"You want to be sure they will not be learning on the job," she said. "Ask to see a sample of a completed project."

Talk to others who have hired the contractor and ask if there were any problems or concerns. Call the local Better Business Bureau or the Board of Contractors to see if there have been complaints.

Don't pay the full cost before the work is finished.

Before the contractor is hired, the homeowner should get at least two, but preferably three, bids estimating the cost of the job.

Be cautious about paying too much of the cost at the beginning of a project. The common practice is to pay about a third of the cost at the beginning, about a third to half when it is almost finished and the final payment when the project is completed or passes a building code inspection.

"Consumers might withhold a little from the final payment to pay after the final finishing touches are completed," said Helen Savage, who represents the Virginia Citizens Consumer Council on the Board of Contractors. "There often are a few details that should be worked on after the job is in use."

Have a clear and specific contract.

Try to be specific about the whole project and write it out, said Savage. If the homeowner wants a special material or color, that should be listed in the contract.

Contractors are required to have a written contract on jobs that are valued at more than $1,500, except for routine maintenance, service contracts or subcontracts to the contracting party.

If it is a big project, Savage suggested that the contract have an arbitration clause. If there is a dispute it is easier to resolve by going to a panel than to the court system.

If there is a dispute, the Board of Contractors can only discipline the contractor by imposing a fine or by suspending or revoking the license. The board cannot order the contractor to give money back, pay restitution or redo the work. Only the courts can take such actions.