This one is not a home inspection, but it is a story I have to tell, and it comes with a lesson for every homeowner.
What happened
I was driving home on the interstate one night when a pickup truck slammed into the back of another car, which spun into me. The pickup did a loop in the gravel, got back on the freeway and took off. Thankfully a witness chased him down, and the Highway Patrol caught up with him near Mesa. The other driver was shaken up. I was able to drive home.
When we looked up the driver’s name afterward, it matched a contractor on the Arizona Registrar of Contractors most wanted list, someone who had reportedly taken more than $400,000 from clients. A random crash ended up helping bring him in.
How to check a contractor in Arizona
Most contractors are honest and do good work. But before you hand anyone a deposit for a roof, remodel, pool or repair, take five minutes:
- Look up the license. The Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) has a free license search. Confirm the license is active and covers the type of work you are hiring for.
- Check complaints and discipline. The ROC lookup shows complaint history and any license actions.
- Get it in writing. A written contract with the scope of work, price, payment schedule and the license number.
- Do not pay big money up front. Pay as work is completed, not before it starts.
- Be careful with “handyman” pricing on big jobs. In Arizona, there are limits on the jobs an unlicensed handyman can legally take on. Homeowners who hire licensed residential contractors may also be able to file a claim with the ROC’s Residential Contractors’ Recovery Fund if the work goes bad. That protection does not exist with an unlicensed worker.
Where a home inspector fits in
I see the results of bad contractors every week: roofs that were “repaired” with paint, unpermitted additions and flips with hidden problems. If a seller tells you something was repaired, ask who did it and get the invoice. Then have your inspector look. See a roof repair that was really just paint and the worst home flip I have inspected.
Honest inspections in Gilbert and across Arizona
Property Inspections Plus works for you, the buyer. I do not sell repairs, so there is no reason to find problems that are not there or skip the ones that are. If a seller makes repairs after your inspection, a reinspection confirms the work was done. Every home inspection includes a termite (WDO) inspection at no extra charge, plus a 1-year termite warranty through Firehouse Pest Control in Gilbert if no active termites are found.
Buying a home? Book your inspection online or call 623-399-0079.
Property Inspections Plus is a Gilbert, AZ home inspection company led by Certified Master Inspector Dan Pierce. We inspect homes across the East Valley, the Phoenix metro and the rest of Arizona. See all of our service areas.
