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The True Cost of Home Improvement

According to NJ Biz, Americans took out an estimated $16.16 billion in loans in 2017 for home improvement projects. The loans came from friends and family, credit cards, payday loans, peer-to-peer lending, and personal loans.

In 2018, 5.41 million Americans borrowed funds for improvements to their home, with $2,990 as the average loan amount.

“Loans can be a viable option for those looking to expedite the home renovation process, particularly in making updates that will net more money in a sale,” said Finder.com, consumer advocate Jennifer McDermott. “However, with Americans taking out an estimated $16.16 billion for home improvements it’s more important that we’re properly researching and comparing all our borrowing options, weighing up the true cost in the long run.”

It’s always wise to weigh and compare each option when making significant transactions like home improvement costs. However, the true cost for some homeowners is more than just overpaying for home improvement services. Posternock Apell has been receiving an increasing number of calls from people who are not satisfied with their home improvement contractors.

Many of the callers have been subjected to unlawful conduct that ranges from a basic breach of contract to violations of the Home Improvement Act (and, by extension, the Consumer Fraud Act) and more serious conduct like fraud.

On the flip side, we also get calls from contractors who have been the victim of theft of services (providing services for which the homeowner intentionally fails to pay).

In response, we have developed a checklist in order to do an early evaluation of the nature of potential claims. It’s proven very helpful during our initial phone consultations, allowing us to quickly determine whether it makes sense to pursue the matter further. If you believe you have been subjected to such unlawful conduct, call Posternock Apell at (856) 242-8151.