A couple on Long Island and their three young children have spent last month living in a camper behind their home. To see her beautiful house from the outside, the stage is meaningless.
But take a step inside and the situation is very clear.
The Starientino family lives in Shoreham and hired a contractor – and a former friend – to remodel their home this summer. They delivered $ 96,200 for various appliances and materials, and the contractor came to work immediately at the house.
But this is where the work is over. When local news ABC7 visited the family on their property, they found the interior of the house with gossips, nothing, but exposed, wiring, plywood, plywood, and pointed directions for spraying where the kitchen appliances should be installed.
How to check if your contractor has a license
Check that your contractor has a license can be performed by looking through online databases, such as the Better Business Bureau, your Local Chamber of Commerce and commercial associations.
“License contractors pay a state fund that refunds the owners if the contractor does not complete the job successfully,” says Morris Katz, owner of Katz Contracting, tells Realtor.com®.
It was not until the damage that the family learned that his contractor was actually in the “Wall of Shame” of the Suffolk County Council, to operate without a valid contractor license.
Although the rules and regulations of license vary from state to state, even from county to county in some places, it cannot yet be advisable to hire an unlicensed contractor regardless of laws.
You also want to ensure that your contractor has insurance. Having an assured contractor means that his work is endorsed by a supplier, so if there is any damage caused to your home in the process of renewal, his work is covered. Most states have contractor insurance databases that you can access online.
What to look for when choosing a contractor
After tracking a licensed contractor, the next step would be to check if they are the right team for the work you need.
There are, of course, general contractors, but there are also those who specialize in specific fields, such as HVAC, electric and plumbing.
A simple Google search should solve any confusion about your experience. Also it will probably present the reviews of published customers, good and bad.
Liz Bruner-Smith, a real estate investor, had a “nightmare” experience with a contractor who made money and ran without a single day. Your main advice is to do your diligence right away.
“A simple search for his company on Google would have revealed several terrible criticism, including other cases where he had stolen money to customers,” he shared.
“After I realized that the contractor did not return, I decided to file a lawsuit of small claims against the regional court signature. My lawyer discovered that there were other active demands for the same topic against his company in public records.”
How much does a contractor cost in 2025?
A good general rule is whether a contractor offers you an estimate that seems too good to be true, probably.
Like everything else, the cost of contractor’s services has increased in recent years, with the average cost of a general contractor reaching $ 4,000, according to HomeAdvisor.com.
But you could be on the line of up to $ 58,000, depending on the level of work you need. For example, additional charges for construction permits, contracting subcontractors or completing land surveys could promote this number.
An excellent way of checking prices is to use the renewal calculator of Realtor.com. This tool will help you calculate the costs and return of investment in various home reforms based on your postal code.
What to look for when choosing a contractor
After tracking a licensed contractor, the next step would be to check if they are the right team for the work you need.
There are, of course, general contractors, but there are also those who specialize in specific fields, such as HVAC, electric and plumbing.
A simple Google search should solve any confusion about your experience. Also it will probably present the reviews of published customers, good and bad.
Liz Bruner-Smith, a real estate investor, had a “nightmare” experience with a contractor who made money and ran without a single day. Your main advice is to do your diligence right away.
“A simple search for his company on Google would have revealed several terrible criticism, including other cases where he had stolen money to customers,” he shared.
“After I realized that the contractor did not return, I decided to file a lawsuit of small claims against the regional court signature. My lawyer discovered that there were other active demands for the same topic against his company in public records.”
How much does a contractor cost in 2025?
A good general rule is whether a contractor offers you an estimate that seems too good to be true, probably.
Like everything else, the cost of contractor’s services has increased in recent years, with the average cost of a general contractor reaching $ 4,000, according to HomeAdvisor.com.
But you could be on the line of up to $ 58,000, depending on the level of work you need. For example, additional charges for construction permits, contracting subcontractors or completing land surveys could promote this number.
An excellent way of checking prices is to use the renewal calculator of Realtor.com. This tool will help you calculate the costs and return of investment in various home reforms based on your postal code.
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