Avoid the Los Angeles Demolition Company Bait and Switch

Even veteran general contractors have fallen victim to a time honored (more like despised) tactic employed by some less than ethical demolition companies in Los Angeles. A demolition company provides an estimate for a demolition job and then when they arrive to do a job there is a mystic “something” that takes a $1,200 and turns it into a $2,000 job. By that point a demolition company figures they have you over a barrel and you’ll pay whatever they demand.

So how do you avoid a getting baited and switched by a demolition company in Los Angeles?

Tip #1: Always Get a Written Estimate

Unless it was written down, it never happened. So when  demolition company tells you a job is going to cost X have them put it in writing and have them sign it. While written estimates are not iron clad (and demolition jobs can run into legitimate cost overruns), they do offer you proof that the demolition company in question quoted you a certain price.

Tip #2: Get a Contract in Writing

A contract that spells out specifics protects you and protects the demolition company your contracting with. A good contract should delve deeply into specifics. What kind of demolition service is provide? How are the payments to be scheduled? What happens if there is a legitimate cost overrun? And what happens if a demolition company doesn’t perform the work to your satisfaction.

Tip #3: Don’t Reward Bait and Switch Demolition Companies.

The worst thing you can do is reward a demolition company that does pull a bait and switch by allowing them to do a job. If a demolition company insists that a job will cost more than estimated and refuses to stand by their original estimate send them packing. Yes, this will cost you time and money in the short term, but it sends a clear message that bait and switches won’t work. 

Tip #4: Report Bad Demolition Companies.

If you discover a demolition company in Los Angeles involved in a bait and switch scheme report them to the Better Business Bureau and the California Contractors State Licensing Board. While bait and switching isn’t against the law, it is an unethical practice that both the state of California and the Better Business Bureau frowns upon.

The main thing to remember when it comes to finding a demolition company is to stay vigilant and to never take anything on a handshake agreement. 

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