Tag: contractors

What Red Flags Should I Look out For?

By Paul F. P. Pogue From Ask Angi Nearly all contracting jobs go smoothly. You hire them, they do the work, you pay them, everyone moves on happily. Nonetheless, every so often, you run into an unscrupulous contractor who only has dollar signs in their eyes and thinks you’re the perfect mark. And in times…


Builder Contract for New House

Dear James: We have the rough plans done for our new house and need to hire a contractor. What should we pay attention to in the contract to insure all goes well?—Meg H. Dear Meg: We have all heard stories on the news of a contractor getting paid and not completing the job or doing…


Good Drawings and Detailed Instructions Help You Avoid Remodeling Nightmares

I’d like to share a story with you. This saga transpired over the past six weeks, and I feel it contains a valuable lesson that could save you thousands of dollars, allow you to sleep at night, and go to dinner with your remodeling contractor at the end of the job. This is a tale…


Don’t Just Hope Your Contractor Does the Job Right. Inform Yourself Beforehand

As a columnist, it’s my job to save you money and time on every repair or improvement project you plan for your home. While I try my best, I’m thwarted by at least two factors. First and foremost, there are thousands of contractors who do less than acceptable work. I hear about them from readers…


Turkey Probes Contractors as Earthquake Deaths Pass 36,000

ANTAKYA, Turkey—Turkish authorities are targeting contractors allegedly linked with buildings that collapsed in the powerful Feb. 6 earthquakes as rescuers found more survivors in the rubble Sunday, including a pregnant woman and two children, in the disaster that killed over 36,000 people. The death toll from the magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 quakes that struck nine…


Four Steps for Dealing With Homebuilder Warranties

I have a home that’s 2 1/2 years old, and I have a situation in which my master bedroom stays colder than all the other rooms. It’s very noticeable in the winter. To be comfortable, I use a portable heater to warm up the room before bed for my wife and me. I addressed this…


How San Francisco Extorts Contractors | Matt Gonzalez

San Francisco recently had a corruption case that highlights how much power city officials have over contracts. My guest is Matt Gonzalez, former president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He explains the types of schemes playing out in the city government and what needs to change for there to be fair treatment of…


Understanding the Differences Between Hiring Freelancers, Contractors, and Employees

By Lyle D. Solomon Very often, entrepreneurship starts as a solo venture or a partnership. But as the business expands, keeping up with client demands can be too much for any business owner to take on themselves. This is actually a good problem to have. Unfortunately, not everyone knows when it’s time to bring in…


Texas AG Paxton Seeks Temporary Restraining Order Against Biden’s Contractor Vaccine Mandate

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for federal contractors. “This sweeping mandate is a part of the President’s unconstitutional efforts to revitalize his flagging vaccination campaign at the cost of individual liberty,” Paxton’s office said in a…


Uber Drivers Are Employees, Not Contractors, Says Dutch Court

AMSTERDAM—Uber drivers are employees, not contractors, and so entitled to greater workers’ rights under local labor laws, a Dutch court ruled on Monday, handing a setback to the U.S. company’s European business model. The Amsterdam District Court sided with the Federation of Dutch Trade Unions (FNV), which had argued that Uber’s roughly 4,000 drivers in…