Improve Your Home Improvement Experience

Eager participants in the Improve Your Home Improvement Experience forum, which I co-hosted, went home with answers to their questions as well as questions they didn’t even know to ask. Representatives from the Maryland Home Improvement Commission, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, our own Department of Permitting Services and the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition presented various perspectives and advice for those undertaking home improvements.

The County’s Office of Consumer Protection reported that they get more complaints about home improvements than any other category except trespass towing. That’s disturbing, but the good news is that there are a lot of resources to help homeowners. Panelists encouraged people to get the facts before starting a project; pay no more than 1/3 of the total in advance; check a company’s credit with suppliers like TW Perry; and resist high-pressure or door-to-door sales tactics.

If things still go wrong, there are more options. In fact, the MHIC has a Guarantee Fund that protects you up to $20,000 for actual losses if you use a licensed contractor. Panelists couldn’t stress enough how important it is to check the license. Also, avoid signing a contract with an arbitration clause, as this limits your options if you are dissatisfied with the work.

For more information, check out the 12 Tips for Hiring a Home Improvement Contractor in in my June 21 post. We owe a big thank you to the Office of Consumer Protection and the Advisory Committee on Consumer Protection.