Dealing With Contractors

Choosing the Best Contractor for Home Improvements

By choosing a good home improvement contractor, you can ensure the work is done well and to your specifications, avoid payment disputes, reduce problems during the job, and weed out scammers.

Hiring Workers in Your Home: Legal Requirements

Understand your responsibilities when hiring a nanny, housekeeper,gardener, or handyperson.

How to Handle Disputes With Home Contractors

Things are going wrong with your contractor and you may have to sue. What are some of the details about how to deal with such issues?

Contractor Does Lousy Work, Files Mechanics' Lien for Nonpayment: Now What?

You say the contractor doesn't deserve payment, but now the contractor has put a lien on your house: What's next?

Worker Injured During Homebuilding Project: Who Pays?

If you don't take steps to find out in advance whether workers in your home are insured for injuries, you could end up having to cover medical and other costs.

My Home Contractor Isn't Finishing the Job: What Can I Do?

When a remodeling or construction project is delayed long-term because of the contractor's inaction, what can a homeowner do?

Should I Take My Contractor to Small Claims Court?

Weighing the pros and cons of dealing with a dispute over a nonperforming home contractor's work in small claims court.

My Contractor Is Charging Way More Than Estimated: What Can I Do?

Although an estimate is not a contract, careful review of your contractor's final invoice should turn up information about whether the final price was fair.

Suing a Bankrupt Home Builder for Construction Defects

How do you get money out of a home contractor or builder who has none?

Without a Written Contract With My Home Contractor, Can I Sue?

Taking legal action against a home contractor on the basis of an oral agreement.

Suing Contractor in Small Claims Court: Should I Take Jury Trial Option?

Weighing the options to present a claim against a home contractor to a small claims court judge or to a jury.

How to Prove to Small Claims Judge That Home Contractor Messed Up

Photos, copies of correspondence, and affidavits from witnesses are among the types of evidence that a small claims judge will want to see if you're suing a home contractor over substandard work.