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Hiring a contractor shouldn’t feel like a risky gamble—especially when you’re spending association funds and hoping for a great result for your repair or renovation project. On this week’s episode of Take It To The Board, host Donna DiMaggio Berger talks to Cinthya Lavin, VP of Communications and Community Engagement at the Better Business Bureau, to uncover practical and attainable ways Condominium, Cooperative and HOA boards can hire smarter, avoid scams, and build a reliable vendor bench without slowing projects to a crawl.
 
 Cinthya breaks down how BBB’s e-quote tool helps boards get three accredited bids—often within a day—so you can meet competitive bidding requirements and keep momentum on key repairs and capital projects.  Donna and Cinthya dig into what “accredited” really means, how BBB verifies licenses and insurance, and how the ratings algorithm weighs responsiveness, scale, complaint patterns, and government actions. You’ll learn why a vendor’s willingness to answer complaints often predicts how they’ll handle issues on your job, and why communication should be a top selection criterion alongside price and scope.
 
 They also explore the evolving threat landscape. BBB’s Scam Tracker offers a community-wide alert system for fraud attempts, and Cinthya shares simple safeguards for boards. This episode also includes a comparison of BBB with platforms like Yelp; discusses AI’s role in business education and reviews, and highlights programs such as the Torch Awards which celebrate companies with strong character, culture, customer care, and community impact.
 
 If you want to make faster, safer hiring decisions and elevate trust in your community, this conversation delivers the playbook.

Conversation Highlights: 

•  Why a 100+-year-old organization is still relevant in today’s fast-moving business landscape
• How the BBB evaluates businesses and what really separates an A+ rating from a lower grade
• How boards and managers can use the BBB to vet contractors and comply with competitive bidding requirements
• How to identify complaint trends and spot vendors with recurring unresolved issues.
• Listed vs. accredited: The key differences between businesses that appear on the BBB and those that earn accreditation.
• Warning signs on a BBB profile, from licensing issues to unresolved disputes and suspicious business details.
• How the BBB can help confirm insurance, licensing, and other critical qualifications.
• What the BBB is seeing in post-storm reconstruction—and the rise of scams and fraudulent contractors.
• One simple step boards can take today to reduce vendor risk and protect their communities

Related Links:

• Podcast: Why Every Contract Needs to Be Reviewed with Becker’s James Robert Caves
• Resource: Consumer Resources from The Better Business Bureau
• Article: Am I Protected? Contractual Quandaries for All Associations