COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) -
State investigators found more than 70 cases of work done by unlicensed contractors in a one-day sting.
The investigation was part of a nationwide sting of home improvement contractors working without licenses.
Investigators from the State Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation worked with the SC Residential Builders Commission to investigate undocumented contractors.
On September 10th, Investigators looked into more than 200 Internet listings and patrolled home improvement store parking lots across the state to find people who were advertising plumbing, electrical, carpentry, HVAC, roofing and other building services requiring state licenses.
"What we found in just one day further emphasizes our message that consumers need to be on alert any time they hire someone to do work to their homes: Make sure they are licensed, and never pay the full cost of the work up front," RBC Administrator Janet Baumberger said.
The goal of the nationwide sting was for states to work together to protect consumers and deter illegal construction activity. South Carolina was one of seven states participating in the investigation.
"This was not a one-time occurrence," Baumberger said. "We routinely search the Internet for unlicensed people who are offering building services in our state. And our investigators always have their eyes open for unlicensed activity."
Consumers can check to see if a builder is licensed by going to www.llronline.com and clicking on Licensee Lookup.
The RBC licenses all residential builders and home inspectors and registers all specialty contractors in the state. The commission investigates complaints from homeowners having problems with builders or registered specialty contractors and, if necessary, takes disciplinary action against them.
Most builders who do home improvement projects will fall under the Residential Builders Commission. However, a contractor might be licensed by LLR's Contractors' Licensing Board, which regulates the practice of general and mechanical contracting, burglar and fire alarm system businesses and fire protection sprinkler contractors.
In addition to making sure a builder is licensed, the RBC offers the following tips when hiring someone to do work on your home:
- Ask the builder to provide you with the names and contact information of people he worked for in the past.
- Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there have been complaints filed against the builder.
- Don't rely on verbal promises. Ask the builder to provide you with a contract, and read it thoroughly to make sure everything you agreed on is in the document.
- Don't pay all the money up front.
- Beware of any contractor who solicits business saying he "has material left over from another job in the area and can give you a real good price." This is a sign you may be dealing with an unlicensed contractor or scam artist.
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