The City of Cape Coral is warning residents about potential issues when hiring contractors. This comes after several local contractors, most recently Delta Build Services, have been accused of bad business practices.
The city posted a graphic on Facebook offering advice to residents. It advised potential customers to ask to see a contractor’s license, avoid paying in full upfront, and request references.
The city posted a warning on social media, urging residents to be vigilant about red flags when hiring contractors.
In late September, WINK Investigates asked the Cape Coral communications office about the city’s reputation for contractor fraud.
“I’m not sure that the term “hotspot for contractor fraud” accurately describes the current climate, so I’d encourage you to do research to see how many cases of fraud have been recently reported before using that terminology,” a Senior Public Information Specialist said.
Attorney Beatriz Cardoza, who has represented Cape Coral homeowners in several lawsuits against contractors, disagreed with the city’s stance.
“Southwest Florida is a hot spot for bad contracting because we get hit with hurricanes on a regular basis. We have a lot of flooding,” said Cardoza. “And because Cape Coral is still so underdeveloped in a lot of ways, it’s a hot spot for residential builders. The reason why a lot of this has gone this way is because there’s not very many rules regulating contractors.”
Cardoza went on to say, “You have to be very careful when hiring a contractor in Southwest Florida.”
After representing clients who have been left with unfinished work, Cardoza shared her tips to those looking to hire a contractor.
“You need to read through the contract. That’s step one. Step two is, by law, your contractor should have their license number on the contract. It should be on the first page. You need to see if they’re actually licensed,” she said.
WINK Investigates has put together a step-by-step process on how to check a contractor’s license through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Step 1: Google “DBPR license search”Step 2: Locate the DBPR license portalStep 3: Search by company name, license number, city or county, or license typeStep 4: Verify if the license is active and what type of license it is
Smaller jobs such as painting, cabinet installation, and flooring do not require a license.
In addition to verifying a license, Cardoza advised reading contracts thoroughly, checking for legal issues or disputes, getting references and/or ask for photos of previous work and check online reviews.
“There is a construction crisis. You know, I personally have a job because there’s so much construction crisis,” said Cardoza.
Cardoza urged homeowners to carefully assess their financial situations before entering into contracts. “If you don’t have the money to do it twice, you probably shouldn’t do it,” she said, highlighting the potential risks of financial burdens from incomplete projects.
WINK Investigates requested data from Lee, Collier, and Charlotte County Sheriff’s Offices regarding arrests involving uncertified or unlicensed contractors this year. Lee County reported 16 arrests, Charlotte County had 14, and Collier County reported two arrests.
There are resources on the Cape Coral website for unlicensed contractors.
To report an Unlicensed Contractor performing work within the City of Cape Coral, call 239-242-3783 or email Cape Coral Code Compliance at unlicensed@capecoral.gov.