While there are truly some good people out there, there are some whose sole purpose is to get over on you and benefit off of your loss. Thankfully, my family and I were lucky to be able to find reputable people who did work for us after the hurricane and left us happy with the results.

Recently in the news locally, there was a man who had been arrested three times for the same thing. He was accused of promising to do work, getting advances, and not finishing up on his promise.

Here are a few safety tips you can look for when making a decision on hiring a contractor for your home or business.

  1. Plan your project. Be specific in what you want done and who you want to do a specific project. There are some contractors who are good in one particular field or work but not another.
  2. Get at least two or three estimates. It is very important to check with different contractors on pricing. Obviously, you want the best work, but you want to make sure it will be feasible with your budget.
  3. Verify the contractor's license and insurance. Get proof the person you chose for the work is licensed and registered to do the work.
  4. Check for at least three references. You would check references if you were hiring a person to work for you in a business. The same thing applies when it comes to getting someone to do contracting work for you at your home.
  5. Do not make a down payment. If you pay anything for the work to start, it should be very minimal at best. You should not have to fork over a large amount of money to get a job started.

If you are having issues with a contractor or have some doubts on how to proceed, don't hesitate to call the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-223-0814 or the Louisiana Attorney General's Consumer Dispute line at 800-351-4889.

You should be able to get what you want without being taken advantage of.

LOOK: Stunning vintage photos capture the beauty of America's national parks

Today these parks are located throughout the country in 25 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The land encompassing them was either purchased or donated, though much of it had been inhabited by native people for thousands of years before the founding of the United States. These areas are protected and revered as educational resources about the natural world, and as spaces for exploration.

Keep scrolling for 50 vintage photos that show the beauty of America's national parks.

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