To warn consumers about potential scams, the BBB of Connecticut is providing advice about hiring for construction jobs in Connecticut, especially when it comes to hiring a contractor.

In 2011, BBB received more than 6,000 complaints against general contractors, an 11% increase over the previous year.

“Be especially wary of doing business with a contractor who solicits business door-to-door,” warns Connecticut Better Business Bureau President, Paulette Scarpetti.

“This could mean that the contractor is not from a local, established business and is instead just passing through and trying to scam innocent consumers.”

BBB advises consumers to follow this checklist before choosing a home contractor:

Be picky and have lots of options – Seek at least three bids from prospective contractors based on the same specifications, materials and labor needed to complete the project. Homeowners should discuss bids in detail with each contractor and ask questions about variations in pricing. The lowest-priced contractor may not be the best.

Make sure they are certified and insured – Consumers should ask whether the company is insured against claims covering workers’ compensation, property damage and personal liability in case of accidents. Obtain the name of the insurance carrier and call to verify coverage. Ask whether the contractor meets licensing and bonding requirements set by the state, county or city. Check with local authorities to find out whether permits are needed before proceeding with the work. The contractor also should be aware of any required permits.

Get everything in writing – Ask whether the contractor will provide a lien waiver upon completion of the job. A lien waiver is a statement by the contractor that all suppliers and subcontractors have been paid for their work. Read and make sure you understand the contract before signing. Get all verbal promises in writing, in addition to start and completion dates.

Follow the “Rule of Thirds” – A reasonable payment schedule would stipulate paying one third as a deposit, one third when work is half finished and one third after completion.

Despite the recession, one company is recruiting for construction jobs in Connecticut.

KBE Building Corporation (KBE) (http://www.kbebuilding.com) has been on a robust hiring spree throughout the summer and fall, demonstrating that not all news is bleak in the construction industry.

“We’ve hired 11 people in our Columbia office since late May and are looking for eight more”, said Allan Kleban, KBE’s Vice President of Business Development. Kleban attributed the new positions to two of the firm’s niche markets, universities and large retail stores; the third niche market is senior housing & healthcare, which has been down of late. “We recently completed one Harris Teeter and are building another, we’re building a new dorm at UMBC, and we’re working on three Wal-Marts in the region, among others”, added Kleban. (more…)

UnitedHealth Group has made a decision that will result in new Connecticut construction jobs.

The company has announced it will keep its workforce, made up of more than 2,000 people, in Connecticut and move its offices to a new location in Hartford. The relocation project will create 150 to 200 construction jobs during the next year to year-and-a-half, according to an article by Expansion Management.

“This is a triumph for Connecticut, for UnitedHealth Group and for our state’s capital city, and welcome news to employees and their families at a time of terrible economic uncertainty,” Gov. M. Jodi Rell said in the article. “I am doing everything in my power to keep and create jobs in our state.

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The recently-passed federal economic stimulus plan will help create new Connecticut construction jobs.

Connecticut‘s Recovery Working Group recently approved more than $200 million in federal stimulus transportation projects that will help create plenty of jobs and transportation projects throughout the state, including bridge replacement and repair, road paving and traffic signal work. This is welcome news as Connecticut’s construction industry has continued to shed jobs.

“We literally want shovels in the ground and people hired by next month,” Governor M. Jodi Rell said in a press release. “It is essential we put people back to work and money back into our economy as soon as possible. These projects will do that as well as improve the condition and safety of our roads and bridges.”

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Some Connecticut construction jobs will soon be created when a local airport gets a makeover.

The State of Connecticut recently announced that the Connecticut Development Authority has issued $9 million in industrial revenue bonds for renovations at Sikorsky Memorial Airport. The money should create jobs at the airport and increase capacity for more aircraft.

“Improvements at Sikorsky Airport will continue to build on our efforts to attract and grow businesses,” Governor M. Jodi Rell said. “With its proximity to Interstate 95 and other major highways, Sikorsky can develop into an essential hub for not only the region but for all of Connecticut. The CDA financing underscores our commitment to this smart growth initiative.”

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Connecticut as a whole lost 2,300 jobs during September, but it is Connecticut construction jobs that have seen the biggest over-the-year loss.

As of September, the construction industry employed 67,700 workers, down from 68,000 workers during August and a decrease of 1.6 percent from last year, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The state saw a total non-farm employment of 1,702,400 workers during September, the same as this time last year, but down from 1,704,700 in August. The loss of 2,300 jobs is the second largest since January, when the state lost 2,500 jobs. Although the state has seen monthly job losses, the loss of thousands of jobs is a turn around from the recent trend of the state adding jobs when compared to last year.

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