No deposit, direct pay, peace of mind
August 19, 2010|By Greg Dawson, The Last Resort

To combat the scourge of contractors who take the money and run, for the past five years I've presented a No Deposit list of contractors who require no upfront money before starting work.

This year it becomes the No Deposit/Direct Pay list, addressing a related problem: Contractors who take customers' money and do the work, but fail to pay the subcontractors and suppliers on the job. Under Florida's irrational lien law, the customer who already paid the contractor in full becomes responsible for paying the subs and suppliers, who place liens on the customer's home to compel payment.

The simplest way to avert this problem is to have the customer pay the subs and suppliers directly. Not select them or negotiate price – that contractor still does that – just pay them directly when the bill comes due.

• Kroeplin Irrigation, Orlando, (407) 947-4135
• L&H Renovations, Orlando, 407-839-5514
• LifeSaver Pool Fence, Oviedo, 407-365-2400
• Lifestyle Kitchens, Tavares, 352-343-3400
• Lukas Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Oviedo, 407-365-9521
• M.A.P. Land Surveying, Orlando, 407-896-4557
• Marlin Pressure Cleaning, Sanford, 407-402-4174

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