Many Massachusetts residents want to make their homes their own. This may involve doing some renovations that require the help of a construction contractor. In other instances, some sort of disaster, natural or otherwise, requires significant repairs. In either case, homeowners need to make sure that they are not falling victim to scams perpetrated by unscrupulous individuals.

Some individuals take advantage of the fact that most Massachusetts homeowners are not well-versed in construction. However, some of the techniques used by scammers include obvious ploys such as door-to-door solicitation, only accepting cash payments and asking for full payment up front. In a time when paying with your watch, phone or credit card is seen more often, along with the fact that few people conduct door-to-door sales anymore, these actions should make any homeowner highly suspicious.

Other scams could include giving an owner a discount for referring others, using materials supposedly left over from other jobs and recommending a lender for a home improvement loan. All of these could, and probably should, put a homeowner on alert. The potential scams in the construction industry involve much more than could be covered in this forum. The most important bit of advice would be to thoroughly investigate a contractor before deciding to hire him or her.

Sometimes, however, even a good investigation can miss something. If a homeowner discovers that a construction contractor may have scammed him or her, it would be beneficial to discuss the matter with an attorney with experience in this area of law. After a thorough investigation of the circumstances, he or she could provide advice regarding a homeowner’s rights and legal options, including the potential for litigation.