Ep 86 Jody Costello- ContractorsFromHell.com

Hello there and welcome!<br />P.O. Box 6120 San Diego CA 92166 (619)-223-3040 Jc@contractorsfromhell.comI’m Jody Costello, founder of this website – ContractorsFromHell.com – and creator of the “Home Remodeling Bootcamp For Women”. I launched this site as a result of a horrible remodeling disaster I experienced back in 2000, where I was in the fight of my life to seek justice. Realizing the lack of consumer education and protection, I wanted to create a site that addressed these issues and provided guidelines and warning signs for homeowners to consider when planning their renovations.As a survivor and now thriver of a remodeling nightmare, I can tell you that I was one of the lucky ones who won through the legal system. I actually received the justice I was looking for, but there was a big price to pay in terms of stress, reconstruction, legal costs, living in a half finished house for nearly three years that leaked, a contractor who constantly denied any responsibility, and construction defects that went on and on. Oh, and attorneys, attorneys, attorneys. Ugh! Enough to destroy anyone’s hope of seeing the finish line much less finding the strength to do so."But persistence and an unwillingness to accept the status quo was, and has been, a driving force that shapes me. And when you’re dealing with government agencies and the legal system, you better be head-strong if you want to achieve any level of success. I mean, I was not going to let anything get in my way and I was determined to be heard. And yeah, I got a little crazy, but the good news is I WON."You see, the whole reason for renovating the home was to bring my mother home to live with us the remaining years of her life, which wasn’t going to be a long one. She passed several weeks before our trial was to begin, and it was the hardest, most guilt-ridden period I went through. Because of the choices we made, the opportunity to have her come home were dashed. But, I have to believe God had a plan and it is the journey I’ve been on with launching my website, helping others working with the Contractors Board as a Consumer Advocate, and all that has come of it. Crazy and not what I would have chosen. Yep, I’m a woman of faith, but it’s often hard to understand the ”why” when adversities or unfair circumstances are surrounding and pummeling you with no let up in sight. It was brutal!But I’m a fighter and seeker of justice – at least that’s what I learned about myself through this horrible experience.And then some.I learned more than I actually wanted to, but with all that I have learned, I now put to use and share on my website and my online course, The Home Remodeling Bootcamp For Women.Why women, you ask? Well, because I have found that it’s the women who tend to rise to the occasion when they find themselves having serious problems with their contractor. They are PISSED – I so get it – and they have no problem confronting the contractor who dares to defy them. And they’re also more willing to reach out and ask for help; they’re the “mama bears” who come out fighting to protect their families and homes, and have that “don’t you even think you’re going to get away with this” attitude. Yes, men have contacted me too, and have rallied as well, but being a woman, I understand the fury that follows when a woman has been scorned by a contractor."And I strongly believe that because construction is typically not a “women friendly topic”, it’s all the more reason to understand the basics if you’re going to renovate and hire contractors. Because what you don’t know gets you into trouble!" I did