HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Sam Prioreschi is the owner of Dr. Done Right Home Revitalization.
“I do doors, windows, and siding — both Hardie siding and vinyl siding. We do sliding glass doors, door french doors, regular swing doors,” he said.
He’s a licensed contractor, but he knows there are plenty of other people doing work across Tampa Bay without the proper licenses.
“My neighbor next door had her stuff done by an unprofessional. The doors were put in improperly. They’re leaking all over. Her floors are rotting out — all kinds of stuff,” Prioreschi.
It’s part of the reason he’s happy to learn what the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office just did.
Thursday, the sheriff’s office announced the results of an operation it dubbed Operation Hot Water, which was conducted over the past few weeks.
In the operation, undercover deputies posed as homeowners. They sought electrical and plumbing work for the installation of a hot water heater in an effort to catch unlicensed contractors involved in construction fraud.
According to the sheriff’s office, 22 people were arrested and charged.
"This sends an unequivocal statement that we will not tolerate the despicable actions of fraudulent and unlicensed contractors who prey upon our community members,” Sheriff Chad Chronister wrote in a news release.
Prioreschi says even though unlicensed contractors sometimes charge less, they can cost more in the long run when their shoddy work needs to be corrected.
He says licensed contractors are more accountable.
“Because they don’t want a bad reputation. One bad reputation will destroy an entire company,” he said.
He encourages homeowners to follow the tips suggested by the Florida Department of Financial Services:
- Verify that the contractor has an active, valid Florida license at www.MyFloridaLicense.com
- Verify that the contractor has either Workers’ Compensation Insurance or Proof of a Workers’ Compensation Exemption
- Check for complaints filed on the contractor on the Better Business Bureau’s website and other sites
- Ask the contractor for references, preferably references that are less than 12 months old
- Always get a detailed written estimate prior to signing a contract or repair agreement
- Obtain detailed, written estimates from at least three licensed, reputable contractors
You can verify a contractor’s license easily online at this website.
You can see more helpful tips from the Department of Financial Services at this link.
