Lawndale Tribune AND lAwNDAle News The Weekly Newspaper of Lawndale Herald Publications - Inglewood, Hawthorne, Lawndale, El Segundo, Torrance & Manhattan Beach Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 - February 23, 2017 $2,500 Grant to Support Inglewood and Hawthorne Teen Centers Representatives of LAX Consolidated Solutions, a public/private partnership, presented a $2,500 grant to the South Bay Workforce Investment Board (SBWIB) to support the Inglewood and Hawthorne Teen Centers, during the February 7 Building for the Future seminar held in Hawthorne. Hosted by the SBWIB, the seminar provided an opportunity for small and disadvantaged subcontractors to learn how they could be part of the construction team that is implementing a multi-year expansion and improvement plan at LAX. Pictured from left are: John Kron, Vice President Construction, Tishman Construction Corp.; SBWIB Executive Director Jan Vogel; Bob Lavey, Regional Managing Principal, AECOM’ and Steven DeWitt, Senior Vice President, ACS Infrastructure Development, Inc. (Photo Courtesy of SBWIB) Ask Around Before Hiring Rainy-Day Repairs By Rob McCarthy Everybody talks about the weather but nobody seems to do anything about it, Mark Twain famously said. The deluge of rain this season is the exception. It came a year later than anybody expected, and California residents and their water agencies to the north are working against the clock trying to avert major disaster in the town of Orville. All of this wet stuff was a no-show last year after meteorologists warned of a powerful El Nino, which turned into a dud. South Bay cities reached their normal yearly rainfall amounts by Valentine’s Day, and that was before last weekend’s storms rolled through and dumped up to four more inches. Rolling Hills had almost 17 inches before the weekend, while El Segundo, Manhattan Beach and Redondo measured 12 to 13 inches, according to Los Angeles County Department of Water and Power. The arrival of the rain this season is a welcome relief for our parched state. However, it also exposes the effects of sun and the elements on buildings and roofs, windows and doors, and delayed maintenance and repairs to them. Rain damage to homes and commercial buildings worsens with every storm, especially back-toback systems that don’t allow time for standing water to dry. It’s dangerous to climb on a wet roof, and hiring somebody to do it is costly too. Property owners understandably get nervous when they see leaky roofs, windows and doors. However, dishonest and unlicensed repair companies come out of the woodwork too when rain batters South Bay homes and businesses. Seniors are most vulnerable to sales pitches for storm repairs from construction companies, promoting a consumer alert from the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office. “Advertisements on social media sites, flyers and other publications promising low-cost work such as roofing repair or flood protection may sound especially appealing to a senior on a fixed income,” DA Jackie Lacey warned. “Sometimes the workmanship is so poor that the job has to be redone later. In some cases, contractors will require a very large payment before getting started and, once they get paid, the work is never finished.” Before hiring for storm repairs, ask family and friends to refer reputable contractors who are licensed and carry proper insurance. A homeowner can be liable for a slip-and-fall accident from a ladder or roof if a contractor doesn’t carry workers’ comp insurance, authorities say. Remember to ask contractors if they’re licensed, then verify it at the state Contractors State License Board (http://cslb.ca.gov). Tips from the Contractors Licensing board about storm damage repairs include: - Ask to see a contractor’s license. - Call 800-321-2752 to verify the license. - Don’t rush into decisions. - Don’t hire the first contractor who comes along. - Get three bids, check references and get a written contract. - Don’t pay more than 10 percent down or $1,000—whichever is less. - Don’t pay cash, and don’t let the payments get ahead of the work. - Contact CSLB if you have a complaint against a contractor. Scams by unlicensed contractors and dishonest repairmen succeed when homeowners feel rushed to make a decision. If a contractor is applying pressure to sign a contract on the spot, then that can be a tipoff that he or she is a fraud. Reputable construction businesses give a homeowner time to compare bids before making a decision, the State Contracting Licensing Board says. A downpour is no exception. A Southern California winter storm may huff and puff, but it won’t blow down the house. “Most of us overreact,” said South Bay roofing contractor John Ramey. Rainwater dripping from a ceiling is a good bet there’s a roof leak. It doesn’t always require the immediate attention of a roofing professional, according to Ramey. Climbing a roof in a storm is dangerous for a roofer, and costly for a homeowner for whom water damage is a huge concern. “Unless it’s a major leak, don’t panic. It’s just water,” Ramey said. “It’s hot up in an attic, so mold isn’t an issue with a roof leak. That water’s going to dry out in minutes or hours.” Reputable roofing contractors--those with licenses, general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, and references--are in heavy demand during a rainstorm. Riding out the storm can be a better option than hiring any available roof repair company on an inclement day. “All of the good roofers are super busy. So, you have to ask yourself, ‘Hey, how come this guy can come out right now?’” Ramey asked. Local companies charge between $300 and $500 for an emergency repair or to tarp the roof. California does not have a “handyman” license. All construction work that costs over $500 in combined labor and materials must be performed by a contractor with a CSLB-issued license. One of the Contractors State License Board’s best tools to catch unlicensed contractors is an undercover sting operation. CSLB conducts stings around the state on a regular basis, including one in December in San Fernando. Investigators each year arrest hundreds of unlicensed contractors who walk into undercover operations to bid on home-improvement jobs. The CSLB is looking for residential and commercial properties in the South Bay to stage one- or two-day sting operations. Call 562-345- 7600 or email SWIFTSouth@cslb.ca.gov to help protect consumers from suspected unlicensed contractors and shoddy repair crews who target seniors and use the weather as a ruse to take their money, and then blow out of town. • Inside This Issue Certified & Licensed Professionals.......................7 Classifieds............................2 Community Alert.................2 Community Briefs...............3 Seniors..................................7 Food.......................................5 Hawthorne Happenings....3 Legals............................... 2, 6 Pets........................................8 Sports....................................4 Weekend Forecast Friday Sunny 58˚/44˚ Saturday Sunny 60˚/49˚ Sunday Rain 54˚/52˚
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