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Contractor Fraud
Protect Yourself Against Fraudulent Contractors
The Village of Lake Zurich Building Department wants to remind all residents to be weary of unregistered contractors. Many times companies that are going door-to-door saying they are doing work in the neighborhood, especially after a storm, are unregistered.
Unregistered contractors are a threat to both consumers and legitimate contractors, as they carry no bond or insurance to protect consumers. Consumers can face serious issues if anything goes wrong on a job.
Because unregistered contractors skip the expense of protecting the consumer, they have an unfair advantage over legal contractors in competition for jobs.
The Village of Lake Zurich requires contractors to register before performing any work in the Village. View the complete list of registered contractors for more information.
If you question whether or not a contractor is registered, call the Building Department at 847-540-1698 to verify. As a general reminder, building permits are required for roofing, siding, and other projects, even when related to storm damage.
Tips to Protect Yourself from Contractor Fraud
The Village of Lake Zurich Building Department wants to remind all residents to be weary of unregistered contractors. Many times companies that are going door-to-door saying they are doing work in the neighborhood, especially after a storm, are unregistered.
Unregistered contractors are a threat to both consumers and legitimate contractors, as they carry no bond or insurance to protect consumers. Consumers can face serious issues if anything goes wrong on a job.
Because unregistered contractors skip the expense of protecting the consumer, they have an unfair advantage over legal contractors in competition for jobs.
The Village of Lake Zurich requires contractors to register before performing any work in the Village. View the complete list of registered contractors for more information.
If you question whether or not a contractor is registered, call the Building Department at 847-540-1698 to verify. As a general reminder, building permits are required for roofing, siding, and other projects, even when related to storm damage.
Tips to Protect Yourself from Contractor Fraud
- Never sign an agreement on the spot with a contractor that shows up to your door without your specific invitation.
- Always be sure to get at least three estimates on work to be done. If there is a wide discrepancy, ask each to justify their prices.
- Be sure to compare apples to apples
- Check the contractor’s license and registration
- Check insurance including worker’s compensation
- Check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- Check references
- Make sure that everything that you have verbally agreed to is in the written contract