⚠️ Consumer Alert: Fraud

The Material Bait & Switch
(Paying for Fillet, Getting Hamburger)

Executive Summary

  • THE RISK:Paying for premium materials (Cedar, Copper) and receiving generic substitutes (Pine, Plastic).
  • THE CAUSE:Profit padding by unverified contractors.
  • THE FIX:Inspecting material labels and delivery tickets.

The "High Stakes" Scenario

You pay a premium for a Cedar Deck because you want rot resistance and that beautiful red look. Cost: $25,000. The contractor shows up. The wood looks... reddish. He builds it. Three years later, it's rotting. A carpenter looks at it: "This is stained Pine. It's not Cedar."

The contractor pocketed the $3,000 difference. You are left with a rotting structure.

Section 1: The Anatomy of the Risk

Most homeowners cannot tell the difference between:

  • Grade 1 vs Grade 3 Lumber.
  • 30-Year vs 50-Year Shingles.
  • Copper vs Copper-Clad piping.

Contractors know this. They order the "Budget" line at the supply house but charge you the "Premium" price in the bid.

🧱 The "Label Swap": On roofing jobs, some scammers will leave a bundle of "Premium" shingles visible on top, while the rest of the pallet is generic.

Three Steps to Safety

  1. "Please stack the material labels/wrappers in a pile for me to see." Honest pros have no problem with this.
  2. "I want to see the Delivery Ticket." This document lists exactly what was delivered. Match it to your contract.
  3. Learn the Marks. Look for the stamp on the wood. "STUD" is cheap. "SEL STR" (Select Structural) is strong.

Find Honest Pros Here.

We verify that our pros use the materials they quote.