THE DANGERS OF BUILDING A HOME IN BAY COUNTY, FLORIDA!

This may be the most important section of this relocation guide.

There is great danger in building a home in Bay County, Florida. I speak from experience and if I can save you even a fraction of the misery that my family has suffered then it is worth my time sharing the story of my nightmare with you.

It was so horrible that I even wrote a book that is now published and free to read on the book's site at HOME BUILDING HORROR STORY.blogspot.com

Building a home in Bay County is dangerous due mostly to lack of regulation. The Bay County Building Dept. does not enforce any of the State of Florida laws on the books to protect consumers from Contractor Scams. Please visit www.WMBB.com news channel 13 Panama city click on new, NWF is Talking. There you will find the monthly newsletter CONTRACTOR SCAMS which is published by a Consumer Advocate who formed the non-profit consumer action and advocacy group Clean Up Dirty Contractors, who is a person who also relocated to Tyndall AFB a few years back.

The locals don't speak up about things that need to be changed. Maybe they don't realize that there is a problem. However, for those of us who have lived around the world it is a different story. The voices of those fighting to make Bay County, Florida a more modern and crime conscious are sadly ignored.

The Bay County government like things just the way they are and aren't open for change.

Another danger of building a new home is the low standard of quality. The walls on my home are in such horrible condition. Sagging seams, pot holes throughout the walls. The dry wall finisher never bothered to return to apply the last coat of joint compound and it shows, believe me it shows.

The locals just like to get through life doing as little as possible. I wouldn't exactly say that they are an ambitious bunch. If you are looking for quality work then look somewhere else. You won't find it in Bay County, Florida.

Many of the contractors are considered hurricane contractors. They hang around waiting for a job when the "big one hits". All I can say for many of the local contractors is that they can hold a hammer. But, so can a chimpanzee.

The other major danger of hiring a contractor in Bay County, Florida is the lack of restriction on a contractor's criminal history. Many states would allow an ex-con or convicted felon to work as a laborer for a construction company but now grant them the license to own and operate the company on their own.

In Bay County, Florida convicted felons and ex-convicts own and operate construction companies and they committ just as much crime under their license as they did before being sent to Prison to start with.

We unexpectedly hired one of these companies that is owned and operated by an ex-con. The results have been disastrous.

If I cannot talk you out of building a new home then please take some advice and screen your contractor. We will post information on that topic in another section.

Always remember whether you hire a contractor, Realtor or especially anyone that will be around your children......Visit www.baycoclerk.com This is the link to the Bay County Courthouse where civil and criminal case history for Bay County is available for viewing absolutely FREE. This will be the most valuable resource in all of Bay County, Florida. Use it!

I didn't know that it was even available until it was too late. I could have saved my family with a five minute or less visit to that site. Always know who you are hiring in Bay County, Florida!