When you hire a contractor to work on your home, you need to be protected from a number of risks. These fall into two general categories:

• Risks related to poor work or dishonesty by the contractor, and
• Risks related to accidents that cause damage to property or injure someone.

The best protection from risk is to hire a contractor with a solid reputation for doing good work, and having a comprehensive written contract in place before the work begins.

Some consumers choose to deal with "underground" contractors who charge less, but only work for cash and do not provide a written contract. This type of business arrangement involves significant risks that you need to be aware of. This web site provides information about these risks, and how to avoid them.

The first step is to examine some of the questions consumers should ask about underground "cash deals".

• Why is the price lower?
• What if something goes wrong?
• What if the work is badly done?
• What if it's only a small job?
• What if laws are broken?