HOME PROS LOCAL homeproslocal.com — Free directory of home-service pros in Houston & Dallas, TX How to Spot a Scam Contractor in Texas Storm chasers, fake licenses, and vanishing deposits: the warning signs every Houston and Dallas homeowner should know before handing over money for a home repair. The classic red flags A contractor who shows up at your door right after a storm, pressures you to sign today, demands full payment up front, or offers a big discount for cash only is waving a red flag. Legitimate Texas contractors give you a written estimate, time to think, and a payment schedule tied to work completed. Be wary of anyone who will not give you a physical business address, a license number you can verify, or proof of insurance - and of anyone whose only contact is a mobile number and a first name. Check the license - it takes five minutes In Texas, plumbers are licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) and electricians, HVAC techs and many other trades by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Both agencies have free public license searches online. Ask for the license number, check it, and confirm it is current and in the contractor's own name - not borrowed from someone else. Also ask for a certificate of insurance and call the insurer to confirm the policy is active. A real pro expects these questions; a scammer hopes you never ask. Get it in writing, and read it Never start work on a handshake. A proper written contract names the business, the license number, the full scope of work, the materials to be used, the total price, the payment schedule, and the start and finish dates. Read every line before you sign, and keep a copy. If the contractor adds work mid-job, get the change in writing with its price before the work is done. Verbal promises about warranties or extra work are worth nothing if they are not on paper. Payment rules that protect you Never pay the full price before work starts. A reasonable deposit for materials is normal, but the balance should be paid in stages as the work is finished and inspected. Never pay in cash without a receipt, and never pay the final amount until you have walked the job with the contractor and everything on the contract is done. If a contractor asks for payment to a personal account, in gift cards, or by wire transfer to a name that does not match the business, stop - those are the payment methods of a scam, because they cannot be traced or reversed. What to do if you have been scammed If a contractor takes your money and disappears, or does substandard work and will not return, gather your contract, receipts, photos and messages, and report it to the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, the Better Business Bureau, and the licensing agency for the trade involved (TSBPE for plumbing, TDLR for electrical and HVAC). If the contractor was working on your home without a required license, that alone is a reportable violation. File a police report if money was taken under false pretences. Then find a licensed pro to assess and fix the work - and check their license first. Quick checklist Verify the license free on the TSBPE or TDLR website and confirm insurance is active. Get a written contract with scope, price, payment schedule and dates - and read it. Pay in stages, never in full up front, and never in cash without a receipt. Walk the finished job before paying the final amount. Report scams to the Texas Attorney General, the BBB and the trade's licensing agency. Find pros the easy way Compare handymen and home repair pros in Houston and Dallas - and contact them directly, free, no middleman. • Handymen in Houston & Dallas - Home Pros Local Home Pros Local — 100% free for homeowners and pros. No sign-up, no lead fees, no middleman. Pros contact you directly. Browse pros now → Prepared by Home Pros Local. Always verify licenses and insurance before hiring. This guide is general information, not legal advice.