Hiring a contractor can be a tricky business. Its not something most people ever do more than once or twice in their lifetime, so most folks are not experienced enough to recognize who is reliable and who is not.
In negotiating the job, look for any sign of lack of virtue on the part of the so called contractor. Those signs may seem small up front but in the long run, they most likely were big. Look into your potential contractors background and licensing. Get a look at prior work if you can and talk to his referrals to see if they are satisfied customers.
And be very discreet about how much you pay up front to get your contractor started, then pay him in pre-arranged stages so the money never gets ahead of the work. You'll most likely be sorry if it does.
And if you're not really careful about contracting with a Con'tractor, this is what you might be hiring: Watch as his partner
comes outside trying to cover up for his crewman saying he had to have a cigarette.
Everyone who owns a vehicle knows the frustration of paying too much for mechanical work which in many cases is not done properly, or was not the problem.
Mechanics are not perfect. They are subject to human error. Too make matters worse, the government in California tempts mechanics in the State by not requiring them to pass tests proving they are mechanics, and by allowing them the power of the mechanics lien to empower them to collect for work they say they have done on your vehicle.
In other words, incompetent and unskillful mechanics have the final word on what you have to pay or you most likely will find your vehicle held hostage by some means such as a mechanic's lien. So you want to be sure you trust the mechanic you hire before entrusting your valuable property into their hands.
The first rule to observe is: Do not offend your mechanic. The second rule is: Don't let your mechanic know you don't
know anything about mechanics. Get advice on the problem before going in to see your mechanic, so you can talk
intelligently about the problem. the third rule is: Don't believe everything they tell you. Case in point:
A warped carburator was taken off of a 1985 Dodge work van and rebuilt by the carburator specialist while the customer waited. The Dodge was shaking because of pressure leaks around the carburator and the owner hoped the carburator specialist would know what to do.
Instead of telling the customer his carburator could not be repaired, the specialist rebuilt it and re-installed it with extra thick gaskets in an attempt to stop the pressure leaks around the carburator. It didn't work. The Dodge engine still shook.
So the owner had another mechanic install a new carburator and asked for his money back from the carburator specialist who said, "No, I guaranteed it. Why didn't you bring it back to me?"
The customer understood the trick and answered wisely, saying: "You are a carburator specialist. You are supposed to know when a carburator is warped and not re-install it at my expense, but you did not want to lose the business to the parts man who sells new carburators.
The carburator specialist insisted the guarantee covered it all, but the customer filled out Bureau of Automotive Repair paperwork and got a partial refund.
Be careful of how mechanics answer you. If they are corrupt and slow, they will try to keep you as their customer rather than send you to buy a new carburator when the old one is bad, and their guarantee is not really a guarantee. It's their way of covering themselves from liability for not fixing the problem.
In this case, the carburator specialist wanted to do an engine overhaul or install a new engine in the Dodge which already had a fine engine. But by continuing the problem, he hoped to get a big job worth a thousand or more.
If the mechanical problems you are experiencing are beyond your understanding, and the costs mounting; it is probably
time to sell.
