Oh the stories I could tell. Having renovated homes and apts on three continents by now, I've seen it all, really.
I have several friends who are contractors. They have never done any work for me, and that's why we are still friends. I'm the worst type of customer - I know exactly how to do it myself and how much it should cost. I'm happy paying a fair price, but most contractors want jobs with clients who are not very savvy so when they screw up they can still charge. It's a known problem, with even the NY Times reporting profit margins of "up to 40%" in the business.
My advice is put the renovation money in the bank and wait for a slump. Then the contractors and skilled labor are hungry and will actually do good work for a fair price. Otherwise, you may as well set fire to the money
1
Here is a suggestion that might help some, certainly not all. I was a member of a large church in NY for about 10 years. Large congregations have professionals from virtually every field. There I met and (and even socialized with) several contractors, including home improvement business owners and electricians, who have worked for several members of the congregation and had good accessible references and reputations. (It is a bit more difficult to face someone on a Sunday morning that you have stiffed or ignored during the week.) They were skilled, reliable, and I am friends with some of them to this day. Even if you are not a member of such a faith based community, ask a local pastor to refer you to someone in their congregation who is reliable and with the skills you need. Or if you notice that they have undergone a nice renovation, inquire about the contractor.
It's just a suggestion, but it might help you as it's helped me.
Thanks for this. We've had the ghosting experience so many times that it's good to know we aren't alone. And a word to wise- never place a deposit unless you have a valid signed contract no matter how desperate you are. The worst in our area have been landscapers. Prices are through the roof, and even then, they rarely follow through..
2
When a local contractor ripped my family off (he took all the windows out of our Adirondack camp in October and smashed the glass in the door), we were desperate.
So we did what many American homeowners do: we hired a crew of Mexican immigrants. I've never seen anyone work so hard. They finished the work in two weeks. Some were undoubtedly illegals.
Mexican carpenters, mechanics, and landscapers work their fingers to the bone in communities all over America. They are the lifeblood or our towns.
We should celebrate them, not deport them.
14
@Sally Eckhoff I have had the same experience with Mexican immigrants. They show up and they do the job you want them to do at reasonable cost. I despair of people who blame immigrants for taking jobs away from American workers. In the first place, Americans won't do the kind of work immigrants do: try picking lettuce. In the second place, I am tired of hearing Americans whining about "no jobs" and then turning up their noses when offered a job.
5
A couple of years ago my husband and I bought a 200 year old home that hadn't been lived in for several years.
One of the major jobs needing attention is new windows. We hired someone to do half of them (my husband's idea). The contractor returned and took measurements for the rest of the windows then disappeared for several months. Finally, after ignoring our calls and texts he left me a voicemail telling me he's too busy and won't finish the job.
Not only was I shocked at the unprofessional behavior, I've been incredibly discouraged at the idea of having to find someone new, primarily because of the terrible experiences we've had with contractors.
3
I'm not quite sure why, but of all the trades I've requested estimates from, electricians are the ones who've stiffed me the most, gladly making appointments and never showing.
2
"Mr. Savage looks for clients who come prepared with blueprints, sketches and a thorough list of materials."
Sure, why don't I just do the work for you too, while you relax in my living room watching tv?
I live in an older home I had renovated (and liked my contractor very much, thank you). When I hired out the job, I was unable to count on both hands the contractors / electricians / plumbers who treated me rudely in my own home because they clearly did not like the job & had their pick of projects. Most acted as though the old wiring/plumbing was my fault despite the house clearly being built before I was even born, and balked at the idea of trying to bring things up to code. One called my house a "pig in lipstick". Felt like Tom Hanks in The Money Pit with that one.
I don't care how many projects you have to pick from - treat me rudely or act as though you are the client & should be catered to, and see if I hire you. Don't hold your breath.
4
the point of the article is that the decision to work for you is theirs, not yours.
1
It's reassuring to read this article. I put this summer aside to fix the back of my house - deck and back door with dry rot issues. I interviewed six people-some contractors, some not. they all said they would get back to me with estimates. None of them did. Some were referred by friends who have done extensive business with them. I don't know what to do next.
6
I wrote a similar article - same experience, same problems, some humor - when I bought my first house in Alaska in 1985.
3
Advice to the contractor-lorn author: Get References First.
I am fortunate in that I can do a lot of work myself. I credit the US Navy SEABEES for providing me with cross training and a few years in a Public works Department. I was a Construction Electrician but that didn't mean I could lay out when there was no electrical work. I learned how to pour sidewalks, some simple plumbing projects and simple carpentry.
I have a house on the coast that needs work that has to be done after the summer rental season. I have been very disappointed too many times. Unreturned phone calls are common. Worse is when you return my call after 3-4 days. Worst is when you try to leave a voice mail and the system says it can't take a message because it is full.
I don't mind paying someone for the work I'd just like someone to do some work. I have a person now who is new to the business. I help him out with planning since I have experience doing that. He's learning and I'm not having to do all the projects myself. I'm 6 hours away and though I'm retired It's still a hassle to go there for a week at a time.
We've had work done that was substandard, we've had things stolen and we've met some of the scuzziest people ever.
I'll continue to do as much of the work as I can. It's easier and there are plenty of Do It Yourself books you can get.
1
We called some contractors to give us estimates to repair Super Storm Sandy damage. The one we wanted to use, well-known in our county, came a couple of times & finally gave us a written estimate of the work. We thought the estimate was a bit high for what he was proposing & asked him to re-evaluate the estimate. He said he would & left. Never heard from again. Finally called in another well known contractor in our county. He gave us an estimate that we thought was reasonable. In fact, we increased the scope of his work & expanded what we wanted done. His workers showed up & when some bad weather abated, the work was finished & done within budget & well done. When our son & his wife recently bought a house in our area that turned out to be a fixer-upper on the outside, guess who we called to renovate the exterior? That's right, the contractor we used. Our son & DIL are also very happy with the contractor's work. Any time we've had a problem, he came & resolved the issue, no questions.
1
Yes, same experience here many times. Contractor comes to discuss the project; I give a detailed description of what I want done; IF he wants to offer a different way of doing it that will be easier for him, I'm perfectly willing to listen, though I make clear that I am NOT looking to cut corners and/or costs; he goes away expressing enthusiasm for the job; and I never hear from him again.
But the author is wrong about comparing it to a "date". It has nothing to do with emotions. It is all about professionalism. And the fundamental problem is that far too many contractors are really just tradesmen who got tired of working for someone else, looked at their boss one day and thought "Sure, I can do that, what do I need him for?" - while having no understanding of what that boss was actually doing. So while he may be the best carpenter, plumber, etc. around, he is completely clueless about how to operate a business.
20
That last part is exactly true - a lot of tradesmen (or women) want to be their own boss without understanding the business side of things. When the economy is good, and work abounds, you can be a jerk to customers and still get work. When the economy tanks, and work is harder to come by, your crummy reputation is going to hurt you.
5
I've had similar experiences and agree with your observations. I'll add that the tradesmen I've worked with often lack office support. They're answering their own phones, scheduling, writing up proposals, bookkeeping, and managing their own purchases while trying to make a living at their trade. You need more than a truck and a cell phone to run a business.
12
Not always. I ran a voice and data cabling company for 32 years and I did it all right up to answering my trash can. Getting a PC later made it even easier. I could type up a proposal, type up an invoice, order materials and write bills and paychecks. I even met customers or prospective customers and went out and worked service orders.
I was always a fairly organized person but I got much better when I went through a Navy enlistment in a Public Works Department. I was a clerk for a while and did all the things I eventually did for myself.
Totally agree.
Consider yourself lucky. Very lucky. You did not pay him a deposit up front that would likely have been lost. Most contractors like that take a deposit and hit the road. I've renovated dozens of properties and learned very valuable lessons. Pay nothing up front. And go check the references in person. And the licenses or lack thereof.
3
There are lots of reasons why contractors and would-be customers do not come to an agreement. Follow me around for a day or week and you'll see plenty of examples. One big one is the "bargaining." I often suggest to people that when they go to get their paycheck for their salaried or hourly job, that they get offered LESS money; you know, "bargaining."
4
Oh yeah, and the asking of "can you do better if I pay in cash?" Which is implying that I'm not gonna report the income, which is suggesting that I engage is evasion of paying sales and income tax, which is insulting. I say something like, "We're already at a good price." However, in my head I'm saying something different.
3
If you take cash rather than a credit card you don't pay the fee to the credit card company. I understand your point but sometimes no insult is intended.
Maybe instead of college for everybody, we should be steering some people into trades. Had some work done on my house and was impressed by the contractors $70,000 trucks.
12
Yeah, and I use it for work. Contains tools, hauls equipment and materials. Gets workers to the job. I am always not impressed by a $70,000 commuter car. I guess that the "we should be steering..." phrase put me off. Sounds .... elitist. I sure you meant well.
4
Spent a year trying to get someone to help us with all the things needed to be fixed/replaced/re-done in our 115 year-old house. I had exactly the same experience multiple times. It's a relief to find I'm a member of a large club.
Many of the "ghosting" contractors were from Home Advisor - we finally found a great company through a personal recommendation - but a year?
8
We are so very satisfied with the HomeAdvisor app. It’s free, precise and totally holds potential contractors accountable with a reasonable rating system. There are even completion bonuses for both parties.
2
Not so here. Two of the deck people never called. The one I called had his phone forwarded to his wife's phone who answered, "Hello?" She said they were on vacation and would call next week. No call so I called. She answered the phone, "Hello?
Hey folks, phone service is cheap. Get another line and answer it professionally with your company name. Forward your calls to the voice mail and check it often and return those calls. I did it for 32 years and in the beginning there were no cell phones. I got a page from the voice mail service and then went out to a pay phone to return the calls.
Act professional and the customer will not be looking to haggle you down because you appear to be a fly by night.
Nowadays when everyone has a cell phone, there's no excuse to leave someone hanging. None. That's just rude. But I can't understand why a contractor can't just say something short and sweet like "sorry, I already have too much work in progress & can't fit you in" or "I can't do the job with this budget", etc. End of. Then you can go to the next person on the list. There's something passive agressive about just not replying.
23
In the early days of my business there were no cell phones. All of my calls went to an off site voice mail service which would then page me. I then had to find a telephone and call and pick up the voice mail and then call the person back. I made it a prime purpose to call back immediately even if I had to drive to a pay phone.
I wanted your business and returning your call promptly was the first step in showing I appreciate you.
Now these people have cell phones and return calls after 3-4 days. The worst is when you get their voice mail and it cannot take a message because it is full. Move on.
2
Well, you got it all figured out, that is .... What other people should do. Those "short and sweet" calls turn into a half hour of an unproductive conversation that frustrates both contractor and the "un-customer." Forget excuses. Here are Reasons not to call. I don't have time and/or I don't want to. If I called back everyone that we aren't gonna do work for, I would get nothing done. So many times people have asked why didn't I call and I say, "Yeah, I could have called you at two in the morning," and they say something like, "that's ridiculous," and I say, "and that's why I didn't do it."
2
Or, alternatively, just tell the customer that they'll only hear from you if you feel you can do the job, similar to an invitation that specifies "regrets only" instead of RSVP. Also, you could set up an auto-reply on your email and zip off a quick "canned" reply. Either would be more courteous and professional than just not replying. Why so hostile to the idea of some basic courtesy? Wouldn't you be annoyed if you agreed to do a job and showed up only to find the customer either not at home or another contractor doing the work? It's about professionalism. And pragmatism. Maybe that person you "ghosted" will have a bigger job in the furture but wouldn't consider you because you'd been inconsiderate in the past.
2
Ronda Kaysen - I've had it all happen to me, including an architect/contractor team that disappeared without finishing the job. So, tell me, who's your contractor? Are you still satisfied? Send him to me when you're finished. Please!
5
I've been trying for months to get some tiles replaced in my bathroom. They can't be bothered with "little" jobs. Those little jobs get bigger and bigger if they aren't taken care of quickly. Tried two of the "recommendation" sites. Called 7 contractors. Four showed up. Two offered wildly different quotes with no details. No call backs after I asked for more info. The last guy gave me a quote and scheduled a date on the spot. Crossing my fingers!
2
My husband and I got so tired of waiting on a tile setter to call us back, my husband ending-up just teaching himself how to tile. He tiled both our bathroom floors, and they look great. (Note: He's a really handy person. This probably wouldn't work for a lot of people). Cost of materials to tile our master and guest bathroom - $700. That includes leveling the floor, and renting a tile cutter.
I'm a young-ish home owner. Though I've been ghosted many times, I've also been lucky to work with a couple of contractors whose work I really admire. Unfortunately, there are not enough of these skilled tradesmen and women to go around right now.
What we need are more trade schools, more cultural respect for tradesmen and tradeswomen and more flexible licensing programs so when, say, a hurricane hits New York, underemployed contractors in Ohio can more easily help to rebuild.
Work in the trades can't be off-shored and robots won't be skillfully laying tile or rewiring homes in the near future. Sometime soon, I hope this country figures out a more reasonable balance between pushing paper and money around in the finance, health and tech industries and work actually building lasting homes and infrastructure. (I say this as a worker in one of the former industries.)
35
Long time local real estate brokers often can give you the name of several remodelers they've used for years.
No recommendation is perfect, but I've had good luck using several of them. It's an approach you might try in the future.
6
This has happened to us repeatedly, both in California and New Mexico, but it was remarkably easy to get multiple bids during the great recession / financial crisis.
I'd like to do some work in my kitchen, but I'm resigned to waiting for the next major economic downturn.
9
When there is a supply shortage, that is a surfeit of good qualified contractors and their subs, zip code pricing and availability take over. The better the zip code, the the better the pay and availability. Take a drive if you don't believe me.
5
Tried to hire a contractor for a major job and he called the day of the scheduled appointment and asked if he could bring his son along. I asked how old the son was, as the son was not a worker and not covered under liability insurance. He said the kid was "a big boy."
But when pressed, acknowledged the kid was under 10 years old, and he was stuck with his son that weekend. I offered to arrange to get a female neighbor to entertain the young fellow at a local fast-food restaurant since I would not risk letting the child run wild in my home and risk being sued. The contractor refused and gave me an argument about how the kid was fully insured. I refused them entry. Make certain your contractor has insurance for his workers and will not bring family or friends with him. If a contractor has no certificate of insurance, since I don't have such coverage under my own insurance, that contractor and his "workers" will not be getting past my front door or see a penny of advance payment.
7
At least he asked you.
1
What a brilliant way for your client to screen out annoying high-maintenance clients!
4
While you're at it see if he'll sign a "Release Of Lien" form. A lot of these guys hire people and call them "subcontractors" when they are really really employees. These "subcontractors" are usually foreigners who get surprised at the end of the year with a 1099 saying they owe federal and state income taxes as well as Social Security and Medicare taxes. The taxing authorities investigate these cases and usually find that the "subcontractors" work conditions actually made them employees. The contractor will then close the corporation and register another company and stiff everyone including you because the taxing authorities
will hold you responsible for all of it.
If the employees didn't get paid the Department Of Labor will go after you to pay them or if the supplier didn't get paid it will go after you for the money.
3
What's worse is being ripped off. Our first architect and contractor worked as a team. In the complete renovation of a small New York City apartment, they left us with two major NYC building code violations in the kitchen. We had to rip out and replace the entire kitchen. The second team did the work competently and on time. And, not for nothing, the workers all spoke English. We were unable to communicate with the workers on the first team. Only the architect and contractor spoke English. No one should think this isn't a problem.
17
Contractors spend hours if not days and weeks putting together a quality proposal. Many times this is done on nights and weekends. They have to price all materials, contact several sub contractors for quotes and solve numerous construction problems. Customers expect this as a free service and I have heard many say they are looking for an "education". Many customers seek additional bids to double check the bid from the contractor they intend to hire and have no intention of hiring the others. As time and resources are limited, a contractor may calculate how fruitful their time spent will be. I have always thought that the system of free estimates is counter productive to all. Perhaps if contractors where paid for this service they would know the customer has a stake in the game and their time is not being wasted. That said...Contractors should always call back and be considerate of the homeowners time and vise versa.
18
GREAT article!!! I wish I had read this 6 months ago so that the ensuing experiences with contractors would not have been such a surprise, and disappointment, to me. It happened EXACTLY as you described -- in fact, I felt that I was teading the sorry saga of my own quest to find a contractor to do the job.
Finally found one, though, and am finally quite happy with him and his crews' work. It helps that this is a small New England town and that he is well known and well respected. He said he had to be, because in a small town everyone knows everyone and your reputation really matters. Thank goodness.
7
Maybe now I know why the ceiling guy ghosted me - I asked for quotes for a dropped ceiling and scrape and plaster, which probably put me into the indecisive category. Or maybe, even though I told him the number of square feet when I called, he decided that the job was too small.
My building Super, who has done major renovations with me, recommended him and is following up - for the second time. I've told him that I want just a bid for scrape and plastering. I am groveling in the hope of getting the job done.
Oh, and I live in Lower Manhattan, home of the multi-million dollar renovation. Who needs my business?
2
Years ago, my parents renovated their bathroom & kitchen. They went through a big box hardware store. In conversation with the gentleman who did the tile work, they learned that most craftsman probably wouldn't have returned their calls. By contracting with interior designers/ big box stores, the craftsman know they'll be paid & they don't have the headache of dealing with indecisive home owners.
13
I have had similar experiences. I always wish I could send the contractor a bill for wasting my time. The worst is when it is someone you have previously worked with. I had a contractor I had worked with tell me he would show up on a Saturday afternoon to discuss another project. So I spent a lovely Saturday in May waiting. And waiting. And waiting. I finally called his cell phone and left a message. He never showed. Needless to say, he will never get any more work out of me and I tell anyone and everyone who will listen what a jerk he is.
17
The author seems to be condoning the terrible "ghosting" behaviors of these contractors. No one is forcing you to take any job. But basic business etiquette requires a quick e-mail saying something like, "I'm so sorry, but upon further examination of my schedule, I'm unable to take on this project. Best of luck."
27
We've used four general contractors in the last seven years. The first one was easy - and long distance because we sold our original house after we bought the new one, a couple thousand miles west. Part of that was his character but part was that we left a lot of the decisions on details to him.
Our current contractor can do almost anything, but there are occasional hitches owing to their level of business and labor shortages.
I am willing now to pay more for contractors who have more of their processes in place.
5
Young adults aren't going into the trades in numbers as a career choice, it is physically hard work, and mentors are disappearing faster than Pythagoras can instruct.
Apprenticeships are rare or non existent, and the workforce is made up of workers without a better idea. Sometimes second or even third generation tradesmen are out there, but that is no guarantee either because a good work ethic is not always transferable.
So when you are in the hiring process, don't be in a rush, or feel desperate or insulted. Do your homework, get referrals, and drive by a project; building codes and inspections are your friends. Wait for the right person/group to come along and you should be pleasantly surprised, and lastly, don't forget what happened to the last perfect carpenter.
6
I f I could get back the hours I have spent explaining the roofing job I have to the contractors who don't call back. MONTHS of my life. It's simple, 30 squares (main house, breezeway and garage) 3 layers of tear off, re-sheathing (tongue and groove) 6 feet from the edge of ice and water shield, heavy duty roofing felt the rest, new drip edge, architecture asphalt shingles (light gray), four valleys (8 ft each), ridge vent on main house and garage. So why do they hang around for two hours and not send a quote. Or email back and forth for 6 months? If I started charging them my professional rate for time they'd have to pay me to do the flipping roof.
10
It does seem to be a problem getting contractors to return calls these days. To be honest, I have no idea if this is normal and has always been the case or if it is a sign of the times, but it is quite jarring when most everything in American life is well organized and reasonable (within acceptable limits, obviously) this "pure capitalism" opportunity is so weak. Those more experienced on the subject, please contribute your experiences so we can tell if this is new or familiar.
Also, in the interest of humor, is there someway we can blame all of this on political polarization in America or better yet on President Trump? LOL. Cheers.
3
This story sounds familiar. Contractors are the same the world over. The takehome lesson is that you get a service that you want for what you pay. I had an extensive renovation 15 years ago and the contractor prided himself on his beat-up jalopy. The results of his work were a reflection of his vehicle. Yes, he was cheaper than the others, but his work sure looked anything other than professional.
Don't hesitate to pay a few more dollars. Even a bunch more dollars. This is for the place in which you are going to live and enjoy for many years to come. Just think of how much you are paying prorated over 20 years and on a per year basis it won't seem like much.
Dan
10
Absolutely....The "Price" is not the Cost
2
Gee. The writer doesn't seem to realize that many of these guys are con artists who ghost people they have a low probability of scamming for an extended period. Many of these guys are not qualified to do the work to begin with. I resent the description of an initial meeting as being like a date. The homeowner is paying for a service, not looking for a social relationship. Perform due diligence - look in court records and official records and see how many of the ghosts have been sued, are in foreclosure, have liens against them, or worse.
25
This is appears to be a common problem from what I read in the comments. I hired a landscape architect because #1- We bought a new home where every vestige of organic nature had been wiped clean, #2 - My husband has zero interest in the landscape but I do! Unfortunately, I'm a transplanted American living in France. Planning my own garden just seemed an insurmountable upward curve for nearly an acre of land in this land of cheese and wine; and customs. Basically, I thought I could shortcut and hire some one else to do design it and project manage it. I had daydreams of me spending morning hours of touring the landscape appreciatively. Then pulling up a weed or 20, dead heading flowers, and then the final reward being collecting flowers, twigs, and grass blooms to grace our home's interior. Hahaha!
I didn't know that he had planned some park in another region in France. How could I have known that he would be awarded some sort of recognition for it? Long story short, M. French Landscape Architect left for Hollywood, California for a year. He only gave me a summary of the cost and a hand watercolor plan because I begged him. It was a pretty steep climb. We approved it though and ..... nothing happened until HRH returned from Hollywood a year later with his tail between his legs. I received an email from him offering to work it out.
I had already worked it out. I fired him because I'm the better project manager.
12
My husband is a 30-year California licensed general contractor with associated skills in carpentry, electrical, tile, etc. Over that period he has had under 10 "bad clients," those who try to control, scam, cheat or string along the skilled artisan. Others have not had this track record. The reason is that he is very skilled at reading the subtext of interactions with prospective clients.
Consistent issues are the homeowner who expects fair wages at work but somehow expects experts working for them to be grateful for minimum wage. Others watch too much HGTV and think remodel takes three days and anyone with a sledge hammer and a six of beer can do it. Still others request multiple bids (which can take unpaid hours, calls & trips) with no intent to hire, only leverage against someone they already hired. Or folks who don't know what they want so use a detailed bid as free design or who use a generic online materials estimator, then question a real materials estimate. Who wouldn't want to work for these folks?
References: Don't expect a ref list for your $500 repair. Artisans do NOT expose former clients to unwanted contact from strangers unless the job appears to be viable and of sufficient value to justify the inconvenience. "Is this guy good enough to fix my fence?" "Yes, he did a great job on our $30,000 room addition. Please call again any time." Not. Ask for the license no. and contact the state board.
Add to that angry neighbors, mean dogs, no parking.
30
Sorry, but I doubt that at the first meeting with a homeowner any contractor can accurately figure out all of those personality traits or predict what kind of customer the homeowner will be. Not even a licensed psychologist would claim that level of patient understanding after a first meeting.
9
#msormec; You don't need to "accurately" determine a potential client's personality traits, but you do have to know how to read people with a brief interaction. When I was starting out as a contractor the best advice I got was from an architect who said "learn to shrink your clients".
After forty years I can spot a narcissist or sociopath within a few minutes.
1
A homeowner who is considering spending thousands of dollars on his home can get ripped off if he doesn't ask for at least a couple bids and a couple of references. "Trust me" is not good enough. Estimates and references are standard business practices.
3
I have used a local kitchen and bath remodeling company twice with excellent results. Some of my friends questioned why I wasn't going with an independent contractor because "it would be cheaper" but the comments here only reinforce my decision. Yes, I probably paid a little more overall to cover the company overhead, but the company provided a project manager who supervised all the subs and the work on my kitchen and master bathroom got done on time and correctly. The company I chose to work with was local and had a reputation to maintain and that was evident by the great service I received throughout two different projects. I plan to use them next year on a final project, a remodel of my guest bathroom.
24
Oh yeah, exactly. I'm on round 4 of contractor names.
I found someone willing to do the work through one of the online referral sites, but they just seemed too good to be true. I don't have any direct references from them--it was all online likes, so I have not hired them. Yet.
And one of the contractors who returned my call informed me that there is a $100 fee to come out and meet with me. I'm not going with them either.
3
There is nothing "free" about a free estimate. It is an expense. Paid estimates are one way to break this logjam.
8
I'd been in business for a few years selling and installing business telephone systems when I decided to add voice and data cabling systems to my capabilities. I once got a call for an estimate where the customer wanted me to specify what products by brand I was using. This was after I had produced a generic quote for them. I did it but never heard back. Later I found out at the supply house that they had used my spec list to buy the materials themselves and then installed the computer network in house. The counterman had seen my company logo on the quote as they read off what they wanted.
It isn't just the contractors who can be dishonest.
I've had good luck with Yelp on home projects. Under home contractors, I pick the four most highly rated, focusing on comments about reliability and promptness. Then interview them and lay out the project. So far, have had good follow-through.
5
Me too. I get almost every contractor reference from Yelp. Yelp is an excellent way to quickly separate the wheat from the chaff. Just make sure reviews are recent. And be careful when dealing with contractors who are new to Yelp who have a lot of great reviews. They can sometimes become overwhelmed and paralyzed by the success of their exposure to social media.
Finally, and most importantly as it relates to ghosting, contractors who care about their social media reps tend to call you back, show up for appointments and submit bids because they have valuable online reputations to uphold. How do you know if a contractor cares about his/her online rep? Look at how (or if) they respond to customer complaints. If they ignore complaints online, how do you think you'll be treated in your private dealings with them?
4
As a general contractor myself I would have to agree with these comments. Especially, in a populated area with many contractors to choose from and no word of mouth recommendations.
As a general no one has to shop around for subcontractors more than me. This article is what I deal with on a daily basis. I find the reviews on Yelp to be very helpful. Even if the reviews are mixed you start to see a pattern or a character and you have a better sense of what to expect.
This piece couldn't be more timely for me. This morning I will meet with a painter to, hopefully, provide a bid for some interior and exterior painting at our family's county house in the Berkshires. He will be the 5th painter I am meeting with. The first two I met over a month ago and haven't hear a word from them. The other two a week ago and no word from them either. Truly a universal experience in home ownership.
7
If it's any comfort to anyone, this kind of thing really is universal, also here in Norway. I was literally stood up by a contractor just yesterday!
11
Unreliable home improvement people must be a universal thing. Besides seeing them close up in my house and in social and family settings I can offer this. They smoke more pot and cigarettes and drink more alcohol than any occupational group I've ever encountered. I dread that they might ever enter my house again in some "professional" capacity.
18
You call it ghosting I call it being lazy and unprofessional. In Hawaii as a first time home owner I have run the gamut of unprofessional contractors who don't even bother to respond after discussing projects with me. Part of the problem is that on the islands we are hostage to a limited number of skilled workers and with a luxury condo boom they are sucked up by such big projects. But not every small business contractor is involved in these projects - I finally lucked out in getting a personal referral from a big time construction executive who referred one of his subcontractors. Unfortunately this personal connection is what talks here. The work and follow up were excellent. At the end of the day - just say no business people. You are running a business not going on a date. This lack of professionalism and accountability (not to mention poor service) is the American norm now.
20
It is the norm in France as well. But I have learned.
for every 10 contractors or designers I email and phone only 2-3 will answer. Let's say I contacted 20 then that is 4-6 who answered.
For those who answered, then only 3 to 4 will keep the walk-about date.
For those who did a walk-about with me, with my computer print out of what I want, and then who decided to present me with an estimate might number 3 but never 4.
Once that is done, I select the contractor I like the most. We sign the contract, and we off... or not.
Next step is 1/3 payment. I have that check waiting for when the work staff shows up for work.
I am a good host to the work crew. They have access to the beverages in the outdoor frig (no alcohol though). I provide coffee and cookies for midmorning snack and midafternoon stack. ( I don't hang around ). I allow them to use the barbecue or the microwave for preparing their lunch. They are welcomed into the house to the use the bathroom whatever time of day. I stay in the house and knit or iron or something mundane so I'm not looking over their shoulders. I thank them daily. We pay on time and I expect to receive the time on the product we have paid for.
Sounds smooth?
Actually, the work will not even start until a year later.
Oh Lalala! C'est le français.
5
This happened to me with an interior decorator. She wasted my time and didn't have the decency to respond to my email on price. I should have written a yelp review on her.
9
It's not too late to write that review. Others need to know to stay away from her.
3
This is a universal problem. My wife and I have had a parade of contractors through our 43 year old, desperately in need of updating, lovely home. If you call a contractor, they don't call back. If they do call, and set a time to meet, they don't show up. If they do show up, they feign interest, and a quote never arrives. If a quote arrives, they don't respond to any changes to it. If they respond to your changes, then they're suddenly all booked up for the season. Ghosting seems almost a kind way of describing this behaviour.
29
It is pretty awful. I had a project that was going to be well over $150K. Got ghosted several times, then finally found someone who engaged. He started the process, got the permits started, billed me once for some of his time and the permit fees, then went silent. So now I'm stuck with permits that are going to expire, having spent over $20K already (the project needed engineering and soils test because it requires pilings), and have no contractor.
14
If you have to sign a contract for employing a contractor, then it should be reasonable to include penalties in that document for the contractor if agreed upon deadlines are not met. Of course, that would probably drive off even more of them.
Never had this problem through much of my adult life as my father was in the trades and could do most anything. He was also a perfectionist. Then he got old and died. I'm still trying to find someone to build the chapel needed for my pendant lights and to hang them; it's the last thing on my condo remodel, a project initiated 2 years ago and requiring my finding multiple tradespeople to complete the various tasks. Pretty soon I will get old(er) and die.
1
I may pay more than I have to, but I rarely contract for the lowest bid. I understand that a contractor should make a reasonable profit and I genuinely do not want anyone to lose money on my projects. Nor do I want to be fleeced.
I recently contracted for a major renovation of my back yard. One potential company, recommended by a friend, took over a month to return my call. The other landscaper I contacted did a wonderful job listening to and enhancing my ideas. Delivered way more than was promised. Stayed on schedule. The job was quite a bit more money than I had anticipated, but the extra money was worth it. No regrets at all.
16
Sadly, this is the norm. Somehow ghosting has become acceptable.
13
Sutter,
I wouldn't say it has become acceptable. Rather that all too often these people have no conscience and no work ethic. Too many contractors are not attracted by the creative nature of their job, but by the quick buck.
And the ones that don't call back are not the ones to whom you want to entrust your lovely home. Be happy they didn't string you on because if they had, you'd probably be regretting that you hired them and paid them.
8
Use tools at YOUR disposal: the Internet. Go on YELP, Home Advisor, Angie's List, and whatever message board you can find. Detail your experiences, then RATE the ghosting contractors. Who knows? That may have SOME impact on their behavior and willingness to be more responsive and professional.
2
What has become the norm is owners telling me "since you've got that opened up you could just do this, that, etc. (for nothing). Or my guys could take out the trash, cover the pool and take the kids to school. Then there's "bathrobing". In the late 70s we were renovation a large loft on lower Broadway for two guys, the plans were meticulous, the architect competent, the scope of work crystal clear. There was a 55' long raised platform at one end of the large room that we'd sweated over to get perfect. We arrived one morning to the 2 of them, in bathrobes, on plush chairs on that platform. They assembled the entire working crew to deliver a lecture about how the platform was almost 1/8th of an inch out of level over it's length, insisting it be torn down and redone from scratch. I pointed out it was the same distance from the floor and ceiling at all points, so perhaps the building had some sag, to no avail. 12 guys from 4 trades were packed up and out on the street in less than 45 minutes. I lost some money on that one, but it was worth every penny.
1