Joy Lanzaro, Director of Mediation and Compliance, reviews a contract.
As in any relationship, trust is earned when parties keep agreements. It’s in everyone’s interest for things to go as planned. Yet, despite everyone’s best intentions, the unexpected conflict can arise. This page provides insight and tools to empower you in your relationships with service providers.
Thinking and Acting Through Problem Resolution
When a conflict arises, tensions are high and to some degree the higher-order mental processes are compromised. Reactions can range from anger and aggressive conduct to unwarranted agreeableness. Both are reactions to fear and helplessness over a loss of traction required to reach an agreement. Read more
Three Signs That Your Project is in Trouble
Even the most reputable contractors can find themselves in financial trouble without warning. I knew of one who lost everything when his son died unexpectedly. His son’s hospital bills and funeral/burial costs became too much, and while he had every intention of maintaining high standards for his clients, he eventually lost… Read more
Is there a “Right Way” to Give Feedback?
Delivering feedback isn’t always easy. Before deciding to speak up, you may wrestle with competing goals of personal and social responsibility versus a desire to avoid conflict. Read more
10 Tips to Resolve Contractor Disputes
1) Refer to the contract. Identify where the performance parted ways from the terms on the contract.
2) Read the small print on both sides of the contract. Determine any terms that were not complied with.
3) Gather all relevant documentation, including change orders. Read more
Three Things You Want on Your Home Improvement Contract
The California State Licensing Board (CSLB) wants consumers to know that all home improvement contracts are required to contain certain language. If you aren’t aware of this prerequisite, the CSLB’s website has plenty of information that will get you acquainted with the elements of a proper contract. In addition, you can prevent stress and conflict during a construction project by tactfully requesting that your contract contain the following three elements: Read more
10 Tips for Hiring Contractors After a Natural Disaster/State of Emergency
Finding a quality contractor to work on your home can be challenging, but after a natural disaster, it’s even more complicated. With more homeowners needing urgent repair work, contractors are quickly overloaded with requests and opportunities for less-than-honest dealings abound. Read more
Why Wildfire Victims Need to Beware of Fraudulent Contractors
The recent wildfires destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in Northern California and left others in need of urgent repairs. With their lives upended, many residents are looking to start over and return to their former routines as quickly as possible. Read more
Five Reasons to Get Three Bids
Collecting multiple bids for a home improvement project isn’t just about price shopping; it’s about ensuring every step of your project is handled as efficiently as possible. Here are the top reasons for getting at least three bids on your project: Read more
Three Questions to Ask Your Future Contractor
Good general contractors are good managers of not only their talent, but also their money and their clients’ priorities and expectations. The best don’t mind an opportunity to set upfront expectations with serious customers. Here are three questions you can ask that will give you some insight on your prospective contractor: Read more
Preparing for Design
Remodels can add style, function, and safety by way of updating electrical and plumbing systems to current building codes. Not only can this enhance your enjoyment of your home, it can also… Read more
Savvy Consumer Tip: Hiring Licensed Contractors
Do you know how to spot an unlicensed contractor? Watch this video for some helpful tips. Watch video
Your Role in Creating a Win-Win Relationship
Many consumers find that it helps to know the scope of their jobs and their overarching goals before talking to a local service company. By knowing what you want to accomplish… Read more
How to Develop the Relationship to Prevent Problems
Be willing to be satisfied. It’s strange but true. Small-business owners and their staff really like making their customers happy for its own reward. They’ll go the extra mile for customers… Read more
How to Be Their Favorite Customer
When you work with a local company, it’s ultimately their responsibility to perform a thorough and complete job, but you play a big part in the success of your project, too… Read more
Best Practices for Giving Feedback to a Company
Delivering feedback to a company is like landing an airplane on an old runway—it can be bumpy or smooth depending on how much work has been put into maintaining the area… Read more
The First Steps to Problem Resolution
“Don’t make assumptions.” This piece of wisdom is perhaps the most powerful guiding principle in conflict prevention. I picked it up from a book called The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz… Read more
Is Mediation Right for You?
Mediation is a self-directed process that’s designed to co-craft solutions. In matters related to contract performance, it can reduce the cost and time required to reach a mutually agreeable solution… Read more
Mediation: What We Do and Don’t (And Why)
The Diamond Certified Resource provides an alternative dispute resolution process per the terms of the Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee. Mediation is a self-directed dispute resolution process. In matters related to contract performance, it can reduce the cost and time required to reach a mutually agreeable solution. Read more
What We Do with Voluntary Feedback About Diamond Certified Companies
To remain Diamond Certified, a company must provide proof of required license and insurance plus maintain high ratings in customer satisfaction and helpful expertise. This data is collected in two ways: the ongoing surveys of the company’s recent customers and voluntary feedback from consumers who may or may not have had a marketplace transaction with the company. Read more
Diamond Certified Performance Guarantee
A dispute may arise from an unmet expectation or a simple misunderstanding. Many disagreements are resolved after the parties work with each other using the contract and industry standards for guidance. If you have tried unsuccessfully to resolve a disagreement, please contact us Read More
Limit of Liability
The Diamond Certified® symbol is not a promise of a company’s future performance or your actual satisfaction with that company. We endeavor to perform the rating process accurately and without bias according to the description supplied by our organization. Furthermore, we believe that the methodology used to ascertain this rating and award Diamond Certified is a fair representation of the qualifying company’s high customer satisfaction level during the period of the rating. Since we rely on multiple sources of information and each company’s performance can change over time, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information provided herewith. The content and materials provided are provided “As Is” and without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied. Memberships, awards and affiliations are not independently verified. Under no circumstances, including but not limited to negligence, shall we be liable to you or any other entity for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages. The Diamond Certified symbol does not mean that a certified company will meet every individual’s subjective markers for satisfaction. We do back our certification with a Performance Guarantee, which is our sole guarantee provided users of any information related to Diamond Certified.