https://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2017/12/contractor-who-tried-to-have-homeowner-killed-sentenced/

A homeowner gave a remodeling business $41,000 to furnish a remodeling plan they had agreed to.

Jamison met with an under-cover officer posing as a hit-man to discuss the murder after the homeowner had Jamison charged with construction fraud for not completing a $41,000 remodeling job. (note: the money was pre-paid)

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Many remodelers in fairfax are asking for money up-front. Also note some of these are associated with political families (ie: hard as hell to sue).

The standard is to NEVER GIVE MONEY UNTIL COMPLETION and have written insurance and warrantee (ie, licensed certified contractor) before beginning, and inspection during work (noting it was not true apprentices ran the whole job without inspection in the 80's, nor is it true any inspection after work is covered/completed of any value).

In the 1980's it was optional to give 1/2 the money up front ONLY to help a contractor that was a friend of a friend (small town) and needed startup money to buy materials. they would have business licenses and would work with inspectors even if not wholey qualified (not apprenticed or certified).

Bigger contractors were NEVER paid up front in the 80's and they didn't even ask. It was considered un-professional and a fraud if a big contractor asked for any money before completion, since parent companies didn't allow it.

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Why wouldn't someone expect if they give a "fx co company" ($150 tax paid to county, maybe some to BBB which is run by local hispanics that can't speak english), $41,000, why wouldn't the person expect them to skip town?

This homeowner was extremely lucky in a few ways after doing such a DUMB THING.

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Jamison had prior experience with failing to complete work, court records show. In 2006, he pleaded guilty in both Arlington and Stafford counties to felony construction fraud and was sentenced to two years in prison, a year in each county served consecutively.

No doubt his business website said he's a BBB member, customers love him, and showed attractive photos of past work he didn't do.

fact: most remodelers in fx co va are new startups using illegal labor (no history of apprenticed/experienced skills handed down to apprentices, no master checking work), some are tied to county executives is a rumor. a large sum more that are not startups switched to illegal labor in the end of the 90's - which there were negative radio and news publications against: however the situation persisted and worsened

What universe are you living in? The norm for most in demand contractors today is to require up front deposits plus progress payments on large jobs. That was also the norm in the 1970s. Contractors that don't require these payments on large jobs are either your relatives or friends doing you a favor, or are contractors who are desperate for business.

There is nothing wrong with asking for deposits up front as well as progress payments. Contractors have to spend large amounts on materials and on subcontractors. The problem comes when contractors are demanding up front or progress payments that are out of line with the expenses they are incurring on your job, or when they are not using those payments to cover expenses on your job. Your contract should require that before any progress payment is made the contractor should provide you with signed statements from all subcontractors and materialmen that they have been paid for work performed or materials supplied for your job. Also initial deposits and progress payments should not be so large that it encourages the contractor to walk away before finishing the job.

Some contractors like to pay their subs and materialmen on a "pay when paid" basis. This may be good for the contractor's cash flow, but it isn't good for you. Nothing will encourage a sub to walk off the job quicker or a supplier to cut off your contractor like not being paid, and a contractor who owes his subs and materialmen more on a job than you owe the contractor doesn't have much incentive to finish the job either.

There are some contractors who are out and out thieves trying to steal your money. Others are simply poor businessmen who fall behind, and start trying to use money coming in from job 2 to cover the remaining costs on job 1.

BOLO