Hire entrepreneurs after Hélène? Advice from a pro on how to deal with it.

As communities across Western North Carolina clean up their homes and businesses, residents are eyeing a massive rebuilding effort. BPR's Gerard Albert III spoke with Megan Carroll, executive director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Builders Association.

Their conversation, edited for clarity and brevity, is included below.

Albert: Many communities are now moving from rescue mode to recovery mode. When rebuilding, what should people pay attention to when someone contacts them about repair work?

Carroll: "The first thing I would recommend to anyone who finds themselves in this situation would be to take lots of photos. Contact your insurance company, talk to them. And then maybe I would suggest thinking about how the person approaches you...

"I would be wary of seeing out-of-state license plates and phone numbers on the page of out-of-state vehicles. I would be wary of people coming to you with things that seem too good to be true.

"If this person doesn't look like anyone you've ever seen or met, and he also asks you for the advance payment before doing the work, I would be very careful about giving him anything, so so be it."

Albert: Are there ways for people to contact the association to verify an individual or even get recommendations for contractors in their area?

Carroll: "To be a licensed GC (general contractor) in this state, you must pass an exam, meet certain requirements, have a certain level of knowledge and earn continuing education credits. These things keep them informed. They keep them updated on code changes and things like that.

"Licensed GCs have a number and should display it.

"We have a list of these people online ."

Albert: What should people trust when an entrepreneur approaches them or when they contact an entrepreneur?

Carroll: "The fact that you can find them online, that they may have a website that you can see, that you can see a license number, that you can see some of their customer reviews."

"They will make you an offer. They will talk to you about this process. They will tell you about a schedule.

Albert: What can people cleaning their homes and businesses do to stay safe?

Carroll: "Handwashing is a very difficult task. So remember to cover yourself with gloves and wear breathable clothing. But remember, there is a reason this is a job.

"People are being trained to intervene and solve some of these problems. So talk to your insurance company again, decide on the way forward and then determine the next professional you need to hire. They can make recommendations, help you with cleaning and removal, and guide you through the process.

BPR's Gérard Albert III spoke with Megan Carroll. She is executive director of the Blue Ridge Mountain Builders Association.    

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