The time of year has come when home repair rip-off artists are just waiting to meet you in order to grab some of your hard-earned money.

As a consumer, you must be on the alert constantly when it comes to driveway paving, patching or replacing roofs, house painting, siding, chimney repairs or even just cleanups around the outside of your home.

Never let a stranger into your home, no matter what reason you are given. They might say they want to sit down and speak to you about “the deal” they are offering, or they might say they need a drink of water or would like to use the bathroom. Scam artists want to be out of view of other people and into your home so, if necessary, they can intimidate you.

Be sure to get a written contract if you agree to have any work done. The contract must be dated with the name and address of both the salesperson and the contractor listed. There should be a full description of the job so that it is clear to both you and the contractor what services are to be performed. Your contract should contain a full listing of all materials to be used including the name, brand, size, model, performance capacity and quality.

The total price must be in your contract plus any finance charges. Both the starting and completion dates should be reflected in the contract to prevent the contractor from carrying on the job indefinitely. A statement explaining any warranties on materials, labor or services should be on the document. Be sure that any exceptions or limitations are clearly defined. The signatures of both parties must be on the contract, but do not sign until all blank spaces are filled in so that nothing can be added later.

Never pay the entire amount up front. It is standard procedure to put one-third down, then pay a third halfway through the job and a third at the end of the job. If it is a one-day job, then payment should be made upon completion so that you can examine the work.

Do not allow a repairperson to start on a job immediately. There is law that allows for a three-day cooling-off period. Consumers have three business days to change their minds and cancel a contract if it is solicited and signed away from the seller’s regular place of business. However, the cancellation right offers little protection if you are dealing with con artists who are here today and gone tomorrow.

Each year many thousands of dollars are scammed from the consumers of Maine by transient crews whose sole purpose is to get your money, do as little as possible, if anything, and move on.

Be wary of phony building code inspectors or health officials who may try to enter your home to conduct an inspection. All inspectors, city officials and utility workers carry credentials. Insist upon seeing proper identification, and telephone the municipality or utility to verify the credentials if you are still skeptical.

Northeast COMBAT advocates buying locally. We have many outstanding businesses in the area. Compare prices after getting estimates. Then you will have a reputable person to deal with if you have a problem.

If you want to check the reputation of potential contractors, write us and list the names of the businesses you are considering. We will be glad to give you that reputability check.

Consumer Forum is a collaborative effort of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT. Send questions to Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329. COMBAT is a nonprofit organization with annual dues of $10. For membership information write to the above address.