Construction scams heat up with warmer weather

Construction based scams are a sign of the changing seasons, as homeowners prepare to patch up their property after the damaging winter weather.

Construction scammers feed on the spring thaw, during which property owners can find themselves conned into shoddy or incomplete work.

One common scam, which follows a similar model as other construction scams, deals with driveway paving and seal coating.

"People pull up and say they have extra blacktop," explained Paul Watts, owner of WT Paving in Lebanon. The companies will then solicit work for what is presented as a discounted price, as a way to get rid of the supposed surplus.

"It's usually more than we charge anyhow," said Watts, who explained that legitimate businesses are often too busy to need to solicit work. "Ninety-nine percent of blacktop companies which are reputable will not come knocking on your door to get your driveway paved," he said.

Often, companies who do solicit are from out of the area. Watts recalled a company from Buffalo, N.Y., coming to Lebanon County to solicit work using low-quality materials.

"It makes the reputable companies look bad," said Watts, whose company has gone through the licensing process mandated by the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act.

Construction scams such as these are often seasonal and take place when home improvement work is common.

"In the summer, we've had some driveway pavement scams," said Chief Bruce Harris of the Cornwall Borough Police Department.

Some other construction-based scams Harris mentioned were installing lightning rods on barns, soliciting for roofing projects and what he called "distraction theft," which occurs "once the weather warms up."

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Construction scams heat up with warmer weather