Welcome to LLR's Hurricane Center
Hire Only Licensed Builders and Contractors
The S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation's S.C. Residential Builders Commission and S.C. Contractors Licensing Board want to warn consumers that in the event of a natural disaster here, beware of home and commercial repair scam artists.
"Consumers are anxious to get the work done quickly and get their lives back to normal,” said Gary Wiggins, Building Codes Council administrator. “Consumers may neglect to take necessary precautions when hiring contractors.”
The biggest problems are homeowners paying too much in advance and hiring unlicensed contractors.
“Honest contractors do not require large sums of money upfront,” he said. “The most common complaints we receive after severe storms are from overcharged property owners. A scam artist will take your money up front and not perform the service as promised.”
To protect consumers, LLR offers the following consumer tips for residents immediately following a storm:
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Take photographs of damage before repairs.
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Do not panic and hire someone because they are the only company who can come out to your home or business immediately.
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After assessing damage, contact local building inspection department for information on required permits. Permits are always required for any kind of permanent repairs, reconstruction, or roofing.
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If possible, obtain recommendations from family, friends or co-workers.
Before work begins on your property, keep these tips in mind:
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Hire only state licensed, registered and insured contractors. Anyone doing construction work must be licensed or registered by LLR. In natural disasters, LLR will offer an “Emergency Construction Registration” to out-of-state licensed contractors that is valid only during the state of emergency.
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Don't pay money upfront. Wait until the work is done and you have carefully inspected it.
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Ask for photographic identification and their S.C. license or Emergency Construction Registration. Write down the information and keep it in a safe place. There is no good excuse for not showing a S.C. license or registration card.
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Verify that there is no cost for an estimate before letting anyone into your home or business. View the area with the contractor and take notes.
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Don't rely on verbal promises. If possible, get more than one estimate. Make sure price comparisons are for the same procedures and materials.
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Beware of any contractor who solicits business saying he "has material left over from another job in the area and can give you a real good price." This is a sign you may be dealing with an unlicensed contractor or scam artist.
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Make temporary repairs to correct safety hazards. However, be wary of contractors who encourage you to spend a lot of money on temporary repairs – make sure you have enough money for permanent repairs.
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Take your time signing a contract. Don't automatically select the lowest bidder, and make sure you fully understand any price variations.
Remember to obtain a signed copy of the contract. A property improvement contract must include:
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Contractor's name, address and S.C. license number or Emergency Construction Registration number issued by the S.C. Department of LLR.
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Approximate starting and finishing dates.
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Work to be done and materials to be used.
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Cost and terms of payment.
After the work is completed, consumers should:
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Call the local building inspector and schedule an inspection to make sure the repairs are up to code.
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Inspect the job carefully to make sure the contractor performed the work according to the contract agreement. If the work is not done correctly, do not pay until it is.
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Never pay cash. If possible, pay by credit card or check.
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If paying by check, make sure the check is written to the company, not to the individual making the repairs.
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Persons holding an Emergency Construction Registration are required to be licensed in another state. The registration and out of state licensure should be able to be verified by LLR.
Contact the Contractors' Licensing Board and the Residential Builder's Commission at (803) 896-4696 or via the Internet at http://www.llr.state.sc.us/ to see if the contractor is licensed and whether there have been complaints against him/her.
The Residential Builder's Commission licenses all residential builders and home inspectors and registers all specialty contractors in the state. The commission investigates complaints from homeowners having problems with builders or registered specialty contractors and, if necessary, takes disciplinary action against them.
Most builders who do home improvement projects will fall under the Residential Builders Commission. However, a contractor might be licensed by LLR's Contractors' Licensing Board, which regulates the practice of general and mechanical contracting, burglar and fire alarm system businesses and fire protection sprinkler contractors.
