Department of Consumer Protection Administrator Janet Jenkins says they're seeing a wide variety of complaints regarding home improvement scams across the state. The Department has handled hundreds of complaints in the last year that range from contractors demanding more money midway through a project to just taking the money and running. Jenkins says the problem is having a major financial impact on consumers, with some consumers losing up to $70,000 on projects that have gone wrong.
The Department is urging consumers to ask questions when hiring a contractor about their insurance, practices, and requesting a list of recent references. You can also call Consumer Protection to check for previous complaints.