I'm looking into a potentially significant issue involving how residential home-improvement projects are being sold and financed in San Diego, and I'm hoping to hear directly from homeowners.
I'm particularly interested in situations where you originally called an HVAC, plumbing or electrical company for a repair, maintenance or service call — but during that visit, the technician recommended a major replacement or improvement.
For example: an HVAC system replacement, repipe, sewer project, electrical panel, or another substantial home-improvement project.
If that happened to you:
• Did the original service technician discuss replacement options or pricing with you?
• Did they discuss financing or monthly payments?
• Did another salesperson ever come to your home?
• Did you ultimately finance the project?
• Was the person listed as the salesperson on your paperwork the same person who actually discussed and sold the project to you?
• Approximately when did this happen?
California has requirements governing people who solicit, sell, negotiate or execute home-improvement contracts on behalf of contractors. I'm trying to determine whether there's a broader pattern between what actually happens during residential service calls and what ultimately appears on sales and financing paperwork.
I'm not claiming that every transaction fitting this description was unlawful, and I'm not asking anyone to accuse a company or individual of wrongdoing. I'm looking for firsthand homeowner experiences so the evidence can speak for itself.
If you're comfortable sharing the company involved, that's useful too.
Please don't post addresses, account/loan numbers, signatures or other private financial information.