If you're a licensed Maryland Home Improvement Contractor you have been issued a License to Steal.
How's that possible you say?
Here's how.
- Get you MHIC license, it's very easy, you don't even have to know anything about construction. The test is an open book test on laws and regulations. It's Simple!
- Next, put an ad in the paper, cost, about $50 per week.
- Wait for the phone to ring.
- Visit unsuspecting home owners and give estimates for work. You can easily "low ball" your bids so you make sure you get the job.
- Take a deposit, current law allows up to 1/3 of total job cost. $90,000 total job = $30,000 deposit before you ever drive one nail. J
- Use the money to buy low quality material and begin work.
- After few days "walk off the job" and don't return, keep the balance of any payments.
- Next file a "mechanics lien" against the home/homeowner. You can make a false claim that the owner refused to make additional payments for work. You can tie up their home for years in litigation, or at least threaten to.
- The unsuspecting home owner will have to hire an attorney which will cost them thousands just to prove your claim is bogus. You may even be able to win {Judges are generally ignorant of construction practices and make bad rulings based on their ignorance. With enough bogus paperwork you can confuse the judge. Who will probably rule in your favor} and get more money - even without your own attorney.
- If you don't want to litigate, which you don't, you have more home owners to scam, you can go to the homeowner, tell them you'll withdraw your mechanics lien if they sign a "settlelement" agreement absolving you of any wrongdoing and they must let you keep their money. If you're really bold you can demand even more money {extortion}. It's cheaper for the owner to forfeit the $30,000, $40,000 or even $50,000 you have kept, than it is to spend $80,000 or more in attorney's fees to fight you.
- The best part is the homeowner can't file a complaint with DLLR because the local court supersedes DLLR administrative law hearings. DLLR is powerless to touch you!
Great scam huh!
Ya wanna know who set up this great scam for you? The Maryland Home Improvement Commission and the Department of Licensing and Regulation.
How do I know this works? I've heard of a contractor who pulls this stunt all the time. Contact me and I'll tell ya who it is so you don't get burned.
There are ways to protect yourself from all unscrupulous contractors, contact me and I'll tell you how.
Jeff Underwood, Architect, Broker, Builder 410-730-2185, uncommon@comcast.net
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