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1. |
License |
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Obtain
copy of the
Service
providers’
Business
License and
Professional
License
Number. It
is important
that you
verify the
license is
in good
standing by
contacting
the agency
that issued
the license.
Please note
that the
Professional
license is
much more
important
than the
City’s
Business
License.
Anybody can
go to a city
and get a
Business
license. It
is the
professional
license that
qualifies
them to
perform a
job. |
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2. |
Insurance |
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Obtain a
copy of the
Service
Provider’s
current
Certificate
of Liability
Insurance
and verify
that the
policy is
current with
the
insurance
agency or
carrier. |
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Obtain a
copy of the
Service
Provider’s
Certificate
of Worker’s
Compensation
Insurance.
Verify that
the policy
has been
paid through
the period
of time that
the Service
Provider
will be
working for
you. The
Worker’s
Compensation
Insurance is
not required
of a sole
proprietor.
In that
case, make
sure your
homeowner’s
insurance
will cover
you if the
person is
hurt on your
property. |
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3. |
References |
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Obtain
local
references
with phone
numbers. The
references
should be
for work
performed
recently.
Here are
some of the
questions
you must
ask. |
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a. |
Were
you
satisfied
with
the
project?
Was
it
completed
on
time? |
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b. |
Were
there
unexpected
costs?
If
so,
what
were
they? |
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c. |
Did
they
clean
up
after
finishing
the
job? |
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d. |
Would
you
hire
this
Service
Provider
again? |
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e. |
If
there
was
any
problem
what
so
ever,
did
the
Service
Provider
come
back
and
fixed
it. |
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4. |
Contract |
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Obtain a
contract
written on a
company
letterhead
before
ordering
services. A
contract
should
include: |
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Start
date and a
completion
date. |
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Agreed
upon payment
terms.
Withhold ten
percent
until all
work is done
to your
satisfaction.
Make sure it
is stated in
the
contract. |
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Termination
clause |
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A
detailed
description
of the work
that is
going to be
performed. |
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If any
permits are
involved,
clarify in
advance who
will take
care of
them. |
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If the
original
agreement is
being
modified or
additional
work is
being added,
make sure
all changes
are
documented
and signed
off by both
parties. |
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5. |
Payments |
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Avoid
paying with
cash and be
sure to get
a receipt
for all
payments. |
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Make
sure you are
satisfied
with the
work before
making a
final
payment to
the Service
Provider. |
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