Editor:

I know many of you have had the frustration of contacting contractors, setting a date for them to show up or to do a job for you and then you wait, and wait, and wait – no callbacks, no communication. Apparently, many of our local contractors must be so flush with money that they do not need our business. I have found that you can call an out-of-town contractor and get the job done very quickly and professionally.

Another issue is that of contractors not standing behind their work or their product. Warranty on a new home (per Arizona state law) is two years. If you have problems with your home within these two years that the contractors or subcontractors will not fix, or they keep putting you off, your remedy is to contact the Registrar of Contractors at 1-888-271-9286. You need to document when you contacted the contractor with the problem, whether it is verbally or a written notice (preferred) and the response. You need to make sure you have a paper trail to substantiate your claim. Write down who you talk to, what was said, if there are any witnesses present and the time of day. Your phone bill is also a corresponding document to substantiate your claim. After the two-year period, the Registrar of Contractors office will direct you to the Attorney General’s office (602-542-5025) or www.azag.com. These two steps are for warranty issues or defects.

There is also a law called “8+1.” This states that contractors and subcontractors are responsible for their work for eight years plus one more year, for a total of nine years, for installation defects and improper construction. Contractors will try to convince you that these are warranty issues or problems from “acts of God” and hope you go away.

I am trying to give you the tools to accurately make an informed decision on the issues that you may have with a contractor and the remedies available to you. My recent experience led me to find out these facts that I am passing on to you, the public, so that contractors will hopefully be aware that we do know the process in which to hold them accountable and have the courage to do so.

Before you buy property, I suggest you talk to others in the subdivision or other owners for whom the contractor has built homes and see how the contractor has handled their complaints and issues with their homes. Ask how the contractor has responded (in a timely manner or pointed his finger to someone else to blame), ask about the quality of the home (cracks in the stucco, whether water lines have been repaired, etc.).

You need to know if this is truly a quality-built home no matter where the home is located, even in Thatcher’s best neighborhoods. We lived in a manufactured home for 17 years and never had to file a single claim nor had weekly and almost daily problems as we have had with the almost 3-year-old home we just bought here.

Homeowners should not have to file a claim through their own homeowners insurance to have installation defects corrected along with any other consequences of these defects (damaged inside walls, ceilings, floor, carpet and most issues that were caused from improper flashing by the original roofer and that allowed water to come in through the unflashed roof seam).

Compliments to Belfor (property restoration) out of Phoenix, (623) 434-3333, for its quick response and action to contain and treat the affected area and hazards (in my home) and restore it to original condition. Also, thanks to my State Farm agent Holly Lyon, who helped locate this company for us. Within minutes of her call, we received a call from Belfor with immediate action.

Insurance claims cause the price of insurance to go up for all of us because contractors are not standing behind their work and being responsible for these actions or those of their subcontractors. We all pay the price for their irresponsibility. Contractors need to remember that world of mouth is the best selling strategy. Build a quality product, and if you make a mistake (we are all human), acknowledge the error and correct it.

Our society is plagued with people not taking responsibility for their actions. It is always someone else’s fault. We need to show our children, to be good examples for our next generation, that we need to be responsible for our actions. Back your word, contractors! Be an example to your own children; show them how to honestly do business. Honesty and integrity are what we need to pass on to our children. Children learn by what they see.

My grandfather was the greatest man I have ever known. One of the things he told me when I was just a little girl was that your word is the most important thing you will ever have in your life. If people cannot believe what you say or trust in your word, you have nothing. He was a man who believed a handshake deal should be as solid as a written document. If he told you something, you could count on it. Honesty and integrity are only two of the words I will use right now to describe this great man.

I have worked almost daily on issues with our new home. Welcome to Thatcher. Let’s be responsible citizens and work together to solve problems. We all have to be accountable for our actions.

Susan Yadon

Thatcher