Following American Kitchen problems, tips to hire the right contractor

BURLINGTON, N.C. The State Attorney Generals Office continues to investigate the Burlington remodeling company that shut its doors last week.

Dozens of customers in the state tell FOX8 they paid American Kitchen thousands of dollars for kitchen renovations that are not complete.

The state is checking into whether the company simply went out of business or broke the law.

AG Public Information OfficerNoelle Talley suggests customers doing home repairs try to pay as little as possible before the work starts.

We recommend that people not pay more than 10 percent up front.

They also suggest signing a contract that allows the customer to pay as work is completed or finished. If a contractor claims to need a lot of money up front for supplies and materials, it may be a sign that he has poor credit or is in bad financial shape, according to home repair improvement advice from the Attorney General.

The North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors provides information on their website, too. It advises consumers to get 2-3 estimates for work. They encourage homeownerscheck their website to make sure workers are properly licensed.

Sears Home Improvement Products Area Production Manager Jason Stutts says its always helpful to choose a company thats been in business for several years.

Reputable companies will be up front with you on anything you have questions about. And spell it out in writing. They dont necessarily ask for you to buy that night. That can be an indicator of high pressure, he pointed out. Also think about- is the company going to be around later when you may needservice on down the road? Both Stutts and Talley point out, paying with a credit card can offer more fraud protection versus using cash or personal check.

Home repair issues ranked fifth on the Attorney Generals list of top consumer complaints last year.

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Following American Kitchen problems, tips to hire the right contractor