Contractor Problems in Alaska: Complaints and Your Options

Where to file a complaint

The Department of Law's Consumer Protection Unit lists 907-269-5200, and 1-888-576-2529 toll free outside Anchorage. Source

Bond or insurance

The state homeowner guide lists a $25,000 bond for general contractors, $20,000 for residential contractors, $10,000 for specialty, mechanical and electrical contractors, and $5,000 for general contractors with a handyman designation, whose jobs are limited to $10,000 or less. Each class must also carry insurance to the limits in state law. The guide's file is dated March 2015, so these amounts may have changed. Source

Contract and cancellation rules

Alaska has a cancellation period of five business days when a seller solicits a sale and the agreement is signed at your home or somewhere other than the contractor's business. The contractor should give you written notice of this right. The Department of Law also advises getting a detailed written agreement and never signing a contract with blank spaces. Source

Liens on your home

The state homeowner guide advises asking for a completed lien release before making the final payment. If work is improper or incomplete, or you've been stuck with a lien, it lists options including a complaint to the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, the Attorney General or your municipality if it regulates construction, hiring an attorney, or small claims court. It does not explain lien notice deadlines. Source

This is general information, not legal advice. A topic we don't list means we couldn't confirm it on an official page, not that the protection doesn't exist.

Alaska licensing and costs · All states

General information, not professional advice. Conditions, codes and prices vary. Turn off power, gas or water before any work, and hire a licensed professional when in doubt. Cost figures are our estimates, not quotes.