Be on lookout for unscrupulous contractors

The destructive winds of Hurricane Katrina had barely subsided when the first crews started working their way through the debris-strewn neighborhoods of coastal Louisiana and Mississippi.

With smiles masking their guile, these unsolicited visitors offered still-dazed property owners their "expert" advice about removing downed and leaning trees. That help would come with a price, of course.

"One group contacted a lady who had four trees blown down in her yard. A standard cleanup price might have been something like $4,000, which would have included cutting down the trees, sectioning them, shredding, hauling them away and eliminating the stumps," said Richard Mitchell, chief executive officer of the New Orleans Better Business Bureau.

When they charged her $14,000 after only cutting up her trees, she called the police.

Lesson No. 1 for homeowners trying to clean up a yard after a storm: Check out anyone you hire.

"Even if you're in a hurry to get things back in order again, shop around for bids," Mitchell said. "Get several estimates. Make sure these people are licensed and that the contractor has insurance and worker's comp.

"The main thing that took place with Katrina cleanup is that people paid way too much money up front. You don't pay a contractor in advance. The contractor disappears and you never hear from him again."

Here are more tips from the Better Business Bureau for homeowners seeking help with storm-related cleanup:

• Check with your insurance company about policy coverage and particular filing requirements. Save all receipts. "People should shop around for policies well in advance of need," Mitchell said. "When you're buying insurance, read the fine print and try to plan things out. Know if you're covered by flood policies. Tree clearance clauses. Rising water versus wind-driven water."

• Review documents before signing and before making any payments. See if the estimate has assigned a value to whatever your tree might be worth as firewood or converted into wood chips. Do not pay cash.

• Promises made orally should be written into a contract, including warranties on materials and labor. Spell out the work to be done, materials used and price breakdowns.

• Be leery if a "professional" shows up on your doorstep unbidden and declares something unsafe. If you're concerned about structural damage, then have an engineer or inspector come take a look.

Professionally trained arborists typically don't go door-to-door looking for work, said Woodrow Nelson, vice president of communications for The National Arbor Day Foundation in Lincoln, Neb.

"Anyone can show up in a flannel shirt and carrying a chain saw," Nelson said. "Go to a phone book and look up licensed arborists or check the Yellow Pages under 'tree care' or 'tree services.' "

"Mature trees are worth many thousands of dollars," Nelson said. "Why risk your investment by trying to save a few hundred?"