Deborah and Les Scott stood in what had been their foyer and gestured forlornly at what was left. The house was gutted in preparation for an extensive renovation they'd dreamed of since they bought the cottage 24 years ago.

"They just wrecked our house," Deborah said. Work on their house stopped in April after they already had shelled out nearly $70,000 of the $92,500 estimated cost.

In the aftermath, the couple discovered the contractor had never gotten a building permit and used unlicensed electricians and plumbers to wire and plumb the house. When Les applied for a permit and requested an inspection for work already done, he found it could not pass and would have to be removed.1

Each year, home remodeling contractor problems rank among the top 10 consumer complaints to the Better Business Bureau. In fact, the BBB received nearly 6,500 complaints in 2000.

One of the main causes for the dissatisfaction is that homeowners don't get all the details written into the contract before signing it. Another reason is that homeowners base their decision too heavily on price, without investigating the background of the contractor first.

Ensure that your project is well defined and that the project plans and specifications are part of the contract. Check the BBB for past complaints about the contractor you are considering. Verify that the contractor is bonded and licensed in the state of Utah. Also arrange an agreement to use progress payments. An architect can make sure you are only paying for the percentage of work that's been completed.

Nightmare on Your Street, Tinah Saunders, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 10/31/03