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Author Topic: For our friends in North and South Carolina  (Read 1384 times)

Offline Mike Griffin

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For our friends in North and South Carolina
« on: September 11, 2018, 10:05:50 PM »
Having gone through Camille in 1969, Hugo in 1989 and Katrina in 2005 and knowing the death and destruction these storms are capable of, I want to offer prayers for all those in the path of Florence. May GOD place his hand over you and protect you.

Mike

Offline Robert Zambelli

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2018, 04:19:49 AM »
Thanks for the kind words, Mike.
We're not looking forward to all the predicted rain and wind.
Hopefully, we'll be spared.
I understand the there is mandatory evacuation along the entire South Carolina coast.
Cities like Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island.
Bob Z.

Offline Vincent Judd

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2018, 06:06:31 AM »
Having evacuated central Florida last year to avoid hurricane Irma's wrath, I can only imagine what those being evacuated are going through.  Unending lines of traffic, limited or exhausted gasoline supplies, every gas station and rest stop completely jammed, no food, tempers flaring, hotels booked, exhaustion.  Prayers are with you for a safe journey and a quick return home.  Travel safely.

 

Offline Jim Mynes

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2018, 07:11:14 AM »
I stayed put for Irma. Luckily it weakened before it got to Mount Dora, I think we had 60 mph winds with gusts to 80. And lots of rain of course. Let me tell you, that was PLENTY of storm.
We had lots of tree damage and power was out for four days. There were about three gas stations that could pump gas, and the lines to get to the pumps were insane.
Florence looks to be much more severe. More like Irma was in the Keys, as opposed to what I saw of it.
My advice is to get out of the path of the storm. Stock up on gasoline, food, and water, be self sufficient for about a week. Get a generator. Due to overwhelming demand, there will be very little in the way of resources or services to help you.
When you go back home if you have a chain saw you will be everyone’s new best friend.
Roofing companies will get booked out months in advance, so start contacting them immediately if you need repairs. In the meantime, get yourself the biggest blue tarp you can find.
DO NOT allow the contractor to collect your insurance claim. There are low lifes out there that will collect your insurance money and do zero work to repair your home. Then the company vanishes. Insurance has already paid the claim, so they don’t want to hear it. You get left with a hole in your roof.
Good luck and stay safe!
I have seen the light, and it’s powered by a lipo.

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2018, 09:00:44 AM »
Any company that requires payment first for repairs is not worth it.  Most will do repairs and then collect from you.  Living in KANSAS I've had to have two trees removed.   I did fence repairs myself.  Lucky no damage to house or vehicles. D>K
John E. "DOC" Holliday
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Offline Jim Mynes

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #5 on: September 12, 2018, 11:42:13 AM »
Any company that requires payment first for repairs is not worth it.  Most will do repairs and then collect from you.  Living in KANSAS I've had to have two trees removed.   I did fence repairs myself.  Lucky no damage to house or vehicles. D>K

Doc, it’s not that they require payment up front, they offer to process the claim for you. “Just sign here and your insurance will pay us directly, we do this all the time...”

Usually it’s a trusting, elderly soul who appreciates the convenience of not having to file the claim. They sign the papers and never see the contractor again. After several weeks of no work, the customer can’t locate the company, so they contact their insurance company. “Yeah, we paid that claim 7 weeks ago...”

This kind of scam is in the news, at least in Florida, after every severe weather event. Lots of other scams, too. It’s incredible how creative people can get to rob the unsuspecting.

There are some real dirtbags living among us.
I have seen the light, and it’s powered by a lipo.

Offline Tom Luciano

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #6 on: September 12, 2018, 01:10:31 PM »
Isolated rain totals of 40 inches. Please make sure you're safe if you are remotely in her path.

Praying this thing breaks up.

Tom
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Offline Skip Chernoff

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #7 on: September 13, 2018, 05:49:04 AM »
Best of luck to all in harms way.
Doc, I've been in the home improvement business sine 1976. Most contractors will ask for 1/3 with the signed order,1/3  half way thru the job,and the balance at completion. When "special ordered goods" are involved it's 50% up front ,50% at completion.

Keep in mind that most contractors are honest and hard working folks,but there are con men and thieves in all walks of life including HOMEOWNERS who will stiff a contractor if given the chance......ask me how I know.
I do NO work without a deposit.

Offline Steve Helmick

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2018, 12:02:01 AM »
There are also occasional stories of contractors finishing the job, getting paid in full, but not paying their suppliers or sub-contractors for the lumber, pipe, wire, etc. Months later, a lien is slapped on the homeowner.

I'm not sure how to be sure that we don't get hosed on this. We're about to get our roof replaced, that is, if our roofing contractor hasn't already left for NC. Skip, can you offer advise on this?  H^^ Steve
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In 1944 18-20 year old's stormed beaches, and parachuted behind enemy lines to almost certain death.  In 2015 18-20 year old's need safe zones so people don't hurt their feelings.

Offline Mike Griffin

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2018, 07:40:02 AM »
This might help answer the questions.  It is long but explains how to protect yourself. 

Mike


If you are hiring a contractor to perform work on your home or property, it is essential to hire a contractor who is both licensed and bonded. When you hire an unlicensed contractor, you are taking significant risks, including that you will be subject to a lawsuit, as well as the potential that any implied warranties afforded by state law will be void.

A Licensed Contractor

While the laws for a contractor's license differs by state, in most cases, a license is required to do any type of skilled labor on another person's home or property. For instance, an electrician, a plumber, or a drywaller may be required to have a license. Someone performing a variety of tasks may need to obtain a general contractor's license. The state may impose specific requirements such as minimum education or work experience to obtain a license. The state may also require that the contractor take an examination with different levels of licensing for the right to do different size jobs. In addition, the state may require that the contractor has an active worker's compensation insurance policy for a license to be issued. In many states, being bonded is also a prerequisite to obtaining a license. 

A Bonded Contractor
Being bonded is different from being licensed, although the two are sometimes related. When a contractor is bonded, this means he has purchased a surety bond. This is a type of insurance policy that protects a property owner. The bond provides a certain amount of liability protection and if the contractor fails to complete a job as required or contracted, the bond can provide compensation to a property owner.

Typically, for a bond to pay out to a homeowner, the property owner must first win a claim with the state contractor's board by proving that the contractor failed to perform the required work. The homeowner may also be required to attempt to collect money from the contractor before making a claim against the bond. Whether the bond will be sufficient to pay the claim depends on the size of the bond that the contractor had, and on whether there are other claims against it. The Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) warns customers that the bonds required in Oregon may only provide a limited amount of financial security to property owners because the bonds required are often small compared to the volume of work performed by contractors. However, this may differ in your state and your contractor may sometimes buy a larger bond than is required by law. To determine the amount of protection available to you by hiring a bonded contractor, it is best to speak with a lawyer prior to entering into a construction agreement.

Hire a Bonded and Licensed Contractor

There are important reasons to hire a bonded and licensed contractor. First, since the unlicensed contractor is usually breaking the law by working without a license, there's a good chance he is also not complying with other laws including permit requirements and inspection requirements. This can result in your project not being up to code, and necessitating repairs or removals if your home is inspected or before your property is sold. Second, it can be much harder to determine if an unlicensed contractor will provide you with quality workmanship since the contractor has not submitted to any examination or review of his knowledge by a licensing board.

Aside from the increased possibility of receiving poor workmanship when you hire an unlicensed contractor, you may also be giving up your right to make warranty claims. While most states impose implied warranties on contractors for bad workmanship, these implied warranty laws often require that the contractor be licensed in order to apply. Furthermore, your state contractor board will not typically help you to make a warranty claim against an unlicensed contractor. So if you are trying to recover at all, you will need to go to civil court. Even if you win in civil court, without a bond, there's a good chance the unlicensed contractor will not be able to pay your damages.

Another important consideration when hiring an unlicensed contractor is that you could be subject to liability. While the licensed contractor is usually required to have worker's compensation insurance, someone unlicensed may have no protection from injury at all. If the unlicensed contractor harms himself on your property, you could be subject to a lawsuit and responsible for paying his damages.

To avoid potential hazards from hiring an unlicensed contractor, you should contact your state licensing board to determine if your contractor is licensed and if in good standing

Offline Skip Chernoff

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Re: For our friends in North and South Carolina
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2018, 04:42:34 PM »
In my experience most residential jobs are not done by "bonded" contractors. Bonding is usually required for "commercial" work.
 Also regarding leins.I'm no expert in the law,but  a building supplier's "agreement" is between them and the contractor with whom they are extending "credit". It would be a stretch for them to go after the homeowner with whom they have no agreement unless the homeowner is suppling the materials and the Contractor the labor.

If I was a building materials supplier and I got "stiffed" I'd go after whoever made the purchase.


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