Building a house can be a very intimidating task. There are many decisions to be made when figuring the perfect structure for you and you family. We want to help you along your way, and make you task less overwhelming. The HBA of Mahoning Valley has endless resources to help you plan and make those hard choices. One such choice is hiring a contractor. There are many contractors out there, and it is not only important that you choose a contractor that you can work with, but also one that has a good reputation, built on quality work, good business practices and work ethic, and has an organized, reliable manner when on the job. 

                   Always verify this information by seeing written proof.

The Contractor:

1.  Carries liability insurance
2.  Carries workers' compensation on employees
3.  Provides a list of sub-contractors
4.  Has a written safety plan
5.  Reads trade magazines and manuals
6.  Schedules their workload
7.  Speaks in plain language
8.  A member of an association (HBA or similar organization)

Differences Between HBA Certified Contractors
Over Questionable Contractors

1.  Must derive significant portion of income from housing industry

2.  Agrees to ethics and honesty policy of HBA
3.  Must also meet the following minimum standards:
       -Business entity for 1 years
       -Six (6) consumer referrals
       -Two (2) supplier (credit) referrals
       -Insurance and bank referrals
       -Must cover all employees under state workers' compensation
       -Must carry $500,000 of liability insurance
4.   Members shall constantly seek to provide better values for the customers they serve.
5.   Members shall at all times share their knowledge
6.   Members shall not obtain any business by means of fraudulent statements
7.   Members shall comply, both in spirit and letter, with rules and regulations prescribed by law and governement agencies. 

8.  Members receive Trade Magazines and Continuing Education Courses to keep up with an ever changing industry.

9.  HBA becomes involved in a complaint process of supporting consumers with communication issues. Only customers of HBA members can receive "The Industry Standards Manual" which reviews normal defects in construction and when a contractor is responsible to fix a problem.

10.  HBA Members have a greater incentive to conduct business in a professional manner due to peer pressure.

To view a list of HBA of Mahoning Valley Members, please see "Find a Member" on this site (left side navigation bar), or call 330-965-9779.