Once home improvement jobs are completed, it’s important to evaluate a contractor’s job before handing over the final payment. If there are any problems with the home improvement project, you want it resolved quickly—before you pay the contractor.

Quality Assurance and Home Improvement Jobs

If your home improvement project requires a building permit, you have a measure of quality assurance built in, as the project will be inspected to ensure it’s up to code.

A building permit inspection determines if the project is structurally sound and meets codes, which is very helpful, because it’s precisely these factors that homeowners have the most difficulty evaluating. Home improvement jobs can look beautifully finished, but the external trappings can hide problems behind walls or under floors. Building code inspections occur both during and after home improvement jobs, providing invaluable quality assurance.

Some trade associations also insist that their members provide quality assurance to customers to maintain the association’s reputation. Home improvement contractors should be willing to explain their own quality assurance standards, and homeowners should insist that a clearly defined quality assurance checklist be part of any home improvement contracts.

Fixing Problems with Home Improvement Jobs

The first thing to do if there is a problem with a home improvement project is to talk to the home improvement contractor. Most home improvement contractors take pride in their work and are well aware that unhappy customers talk, which damages their reputation. The contractor may be willing to revisit a job if you aren’t satisfied.

Having said that, some contractors will deny problems with home improvement jobs. At this point, the wording of your contract becomes very important, because the contract sets out what should or should not have been performed. If negotiations with a registered contractor break down, it may be necessary to seek arbitration through your state’s Office of Consumer Affairs.

Suing over home improvement jobs is time consuming and potentially costly, so legal suits should be considered only after all other negotiations break down.

While complaints about home improvement jobs are some of the most common complaints handled by Consumer Affairs departments, many home improvement projects end without dispute. You can reduce the risk of problems after home improvement jobs by taking the following actions:

• Communicate with the contractor throughout the project
• Comparison shop for home improvement contractors
• Fully understand your home improvement contract
• Hire state registered contractors
• Interview prospective contractors and check references.