Why does the process of finding contractors appear to be full of opportunities for shady business practices? When communities need to find qualified contractors, the process tends to be burdensome due to the fact that those involved in the selection process, the community board members and managers, need to ensure that the money they are overseeing is being spent in a responsible way. Aside from the constant worry about whether contractors are in fact being selected because they are indeed qualified, there is the constant worry that the horror stories such as the example of Aquazul suing the Related Group over shoddy construction or the example of David Taylor who was arrested for fraud could happen to you.

What is really needed in this industry in order to help the selection process is what we are seeing across many other areas in the consumer space, transparency in the marketplace. Most consumers are already enjoying the benefits of more open marketplaces for buying goods and services, purchasing airline tickets, finding hotels, and many other areas. Why is it still not happening when communities need to find contractors? Perhaps because there are too many established relationships that favor the status quo. But the question then has to be answered, whether the status quo really brings benefits to those that matter most, the people whose money is being spent, the homeowners. For communities that have a strong board and an involved communities, the chances of these horror stories happening are less than for those communities with little homeowners involvement. Regardless, there is plenty of room for improvement whenever large projects are being awarded by communities who need the work done safely and cost-effectively.