Author: Benita Peoples
Planning Unit: Harrison County CES
Major Program: Securing Financial Stability (general)
Plan of Work: Unrelated to a specified County Plan of Work
Outcome: Initial Outcome
Date: March 2019
Total number of completed evaluations: 80
Background: When building or repairing your home, the general contractor you hire can be either the biggest help or the biggest source of problems you will encounter. You can learn to protect your interests and avoid financial disaster by becoming an informed consumer.
Of the 80 participants who completed an evaluation, 70 rated “Steps Toward Hiring a Dependable Contractor” as “better to much better” than other programs they have attended. Note: 3 participants rated it as “much worse to average.”
Overall, people liked the following about the program: Handouts and resources; open discussion; concise, clear presentation; PowerPoint; websites to check; specific, helpful information, including legal information.
Other specific examples:
In summary, participants would like to see the following improvements: Include information about smaller jobs; list of steps to take when hiring a contractor; reduce glare on screen from light overhead; have an expert present to answer technical questions; use a microphone so people can hear; repeat audience questions for those who didn’t hear.
Other specific examples:
To examine the effectiveness and feasibility of the Steps toward Hiring a Dependable Contractor program, Harrison County offered the program to [X?X number] participants. Of these, 80 completed post-session evaluations. 74 participants responded that they learned where to seek recommendations for a dependable contractor. 77 participants responded that they are aware of the resources available to verify contractors’ contact, license and insurance information. 77 participants responded that they learned what should be included in a written contract with a contractor. And 78 participants responded that they are aware of how to locate and file complaints against contractors.
Participants reported learning the following new information: Need for a contract and what to put in the contract; only three counties require the contractor to have a license; contractors may say they are license, bonded and/or insured, even though they are not, and the homeowner needs to check them out; worker’s compensation is required for all workers on site; that the contractor is responsible for getting permits and the homeowner must make sure they actually do;
Other specific examples:
Misc. general comment:
“The Amish were not mentioned by the presenter or as part of the presentation of Hiring a Dependable Contractor. A participant, however, did elaborate on her negative experience with a contractor and workers who were Amish.” -- Benita Peoples, 3/19/19
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