Vetting Whom You Do Business With - What Disqualifies? (Colin Powell, illegal, illegals)

[Workin_Hard]

I was going to post in the House forum but think this may get more traction here as it involves more than just home improvements.

I'm planning a significant home improvement project and have done research on it to help make an informed decision on whom I will hire. Several established brick-and-mortar companies have bid, with quotes a bit higher than I expected but still doable. Then an acquaintance suggested someone who had done a similar project at her home and she was quite satisfied as were several of her neighbors who had the same work done on their homes. The guy came over, driven by his wife who waited in the car at curbside with their young child as he and I talked on my front porch. We discussed details and he seemed knowledgeable about what was involved, suggesting some alternatives on certain details. He provided a handwritten quote on a generic form, like a proposal book you'd buy at Staples. The price was less than half of what the other companies bid. But, no company literature (just printed material from the manufacturer of the components to be used) and no business card.

The project will involve significant manual labor and he said a crew of 8 men will be on-site. The only way I see him doing this at the price quoted is to use day laborers which in my mind likely means illegals (which are everywhere in our area).

I did some online research on this guy last night and I can found associated with his name a conviction a year ago for embezzlement and an arrest two weeks ago for a DUI (noted as 2nd in five years). That also explains why his wife was driving and waited while we spoke.

So in my mind, he supports illegals (not OK no matter what Colin Powell says about his home repairs), he's a thief and a drunk. When talking to him, he understandably did not volunteer this info (why would he?) and I didn't ask about it. You might say that he's just doing a job, will not have opportunity to embezzle from me, and will not be driving my car, so who cares?

Would these facts, unrelated to the job at hand, be a factor in you doing business with such a person? I won't be hiring him but will tell him today that I've simply opted to go with another contractor.

[wrench409]

Well, yeah. . . duh. . .

You just might as well hand him your checkbook.

[BigDGeek]

Before anyone does work at this property I tell them that crews who do not have green cards/US citizenship are not welcome here. On the occasions that crews have been sent here, I have asked all of them to show I.D. and I write down names and birthdates of anyone who works on this property. I securely shred that information after the job is complete and I have verified that the work was carried out to my satisfaction and that nothing has gone missing from my house, but while the job is ongoing you better believe I don't let anyone on the property without valid I.D.

I also stress to them that crews must speak English while on the property and that I will not hesitate to send them away if they do not speak English. As in "do not speak Spanish while working on this house, at all, under any circumstances." Latino crews are fine. But they HAVE to speak English here. No exceptions. They have to be citizens/legal immigrants. No exceptions.

This is my home and I want to understand every single thing that is said by people working on my home because it may be extremely relevant later on down the road. I am also strongly against illegal immigration and I refuse to contribute to the problem by allowing illegal immigrants to work on my property.

I wouldn't mind using a contractor who has a minor conviction in his/her distant past, but nothing recent. They have to be bondable. I realize some people make mistakes while young and honestly I don't care if they smoked a few joints in their youth. But they still have to be bondable...and bonded! Obviously recent felonies or violent crimes are immediate deal-breakers.

[Driller1]

Of course, ask for references.

And ask for three reference where the job did not go perfect. Talk to people where the contractor had to go back.

If they say they never have to go back, they are either lying or lack expertise.

We all have had to go back on jobs.

[Pandamonium]

I wouldn't be too worried about the DUI conviction. I'm going to tell you why. It is not uncommon for people in this industry to get off work and hit a bar. Not at all. Occasionally, they even overstay their welcome. This is a work hard/play hard group. We have contractors that do not do this but we have those that take the crew and go out.

I have also seen contractors charge an exhuberent amount of money and seen someone walk in and do the work for a whole lot less and in doing so has created a name for himself because he is also a perfectionist. That can and does happen. Rare is the case.

However, we have a contractor out here that does not pay his employees. He hires these young kids and knows that if he doesn't pay them that they aren't going to sue. We also have a contractor that has several jobs going and after being payed by one, uses the money to finish another and does not have the money to complete the one that was payed for. Now, he is going through the lawsuit.

What I will not tolerate are undocumented workers being hired on. If you know that this person is going to do this and others have seen or heard this or had this happen---I would go with someone else.

I am also not keen on that embezzlement charge.

If you have red flags going on then run like hell. But, I would scrutinize the other contractors as well.