Replacing your gutter system can be expensive. However, since it involves climbing around on a ladder, cutting metal, and fastening countless screws and brackets, you might be inclined to hire someone to do the job for you. After all, a well-functioning gutter system is pivotal to the long-term health of your home and its foundation.
But what if the gutter installation person or company that you’ve entrusted to do the job right … well … does it wrong?
This is the “I got screwed by my gutter installer” face.
That’s what happened to a man in Charlotte, North Carolina. He hired a home improvement company to hang new gutters on his house — and paid the contractor $3,700 for the work — only to find that the gutter guard was improperly installed in one spot and rainwater was overflowing his gutters in another. It took quite a bit of time and effort (and the intervention of a local television station) to get the problem fixed.
It’s a disturbing tale. So how can you keep it from happening to you?
Here are some tips to keep in mind when searching for a company to install your gutters.
- Read online reviews. It’s true that people who comment on review sites like Yelp! or Angie’s List may not take the most balanced approach when describing a problem they may have had with a contractor. But not only does a negative review send up a red flag, but it also gives the contractor a chance to respond to it — so you can see how the company handles customer complaints.
- Ask for references. And check them out. Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions of former customers about their experiences with a given contractor.
- Look for memberships in certain organizations. It’s generally a good sign if the contractor is a member of the Better Business Bureau, the local chamber of commerce, or an industry trade group. If nothing else, it establishes that the company is not a fly-by-night enterprise.
- Don’t put down a huge deposit. It’s not uncommon for contractors to ask for a deposit to purchase the materials for your gutter installation. But if the company is asking for a deposit in the range of fifty percent of the total cost, it reduces the incentive for the contractor to complete the job.
Here’s a contractor who just received a big, fat deposit from a customer.
- Test the gutters. Once the gutters are hung on your home, insist that the contractor run water through the entire system to make sure that they are functioning the way they should. You can even offer to let the contractor use your hose for the test.
- Be clear on the warranty. Most gutters come with a materials-related warranty, but be sure to inquire about the contractor’s guarantee on its labor as well. A good company does what it can to stand behind its work.
- Get the precise contact information. Don’t just settle for the company’s phone number or email address. Get the name of the person or project manager that installed your gutters in case you need to contact him to report an issue.
You don’t want to feel like this guy. So screen your gutter installer BEFORE the work is done.
