Do what you say you will do.

[cowadle]

I've been in construction for 50 years, and things are only going to get worse. The real pro's are retiring and dying, guys that knew the work and had the ethic, they knew they would not get rich, but they could make a living. Somewhere along the way, kids lost all desire to work in the trades, and the quality of the workforce went straight downhill. Kids have to be taught how to work, and parents don't do that anymore. For every nightmare story home owners have, I promise every good contractor and sub have as many stories. But the quality of the customer has gone down just as much, the yuppies wanted more than they could afford, so because you were a dirty face working boy they thought you should take a pay cut so they could have a 600 dollar faucet instead of a 200 one. They don't respect you because they weren't brought up right. If you come across a guy that does do what he says, treat him with respect and pay him well, he's a pro, just like a guy that wears a tie.

pretty much sums it up. problem is the trades aren't growing up youngsters to be tradesmen anymore. i learned at least 6 trades through the years all by working for a tradesman who's first lesson was always character and then the trade. but for the above to work you first have to have a competent youth that is willing to humble themselves and learn.

 

[Shoot Summ]

Did my first ever contracted house project last year, what a learning experience. I was fortunate I picked a Contractor I really liked, and he is a stand up guy. What I discovered out of this experience is that the Subs can be the challenge. In my case all of them threw trash on the ground when there are cans within tossing distance. They learned that they would clean up at my jobsite. The amount of waste is unbelievable, the answer is always get another piece, even though one the size needed is laying at your feet. And the Contractor grossly over buys to compensate for this. I managed to get about $2500 in saved and returned materials by managing the installs and pushing to return unused product. And there is little critical thinking, little perspective on "does this look OK?" more of a focus on getting it completed and leaving asap. Call backs don't seem to bother them to fix crappy work. The brick mason had to redo his work 3 times, not matching soldier course properly, and being lazy and using small brick pieces when filling in a door(pic attached). It seems the life of a Contractor is having your hair on fire everyday fighting all of the issues and complaints about the subs.

My guy wants to hire me when I retire, I told him I would do it, but he is going to have to change his MO, I don't do hair on fire...

 

[Roy14]

The guy I hired was in his 50s. Age, or lack thereof, doesn’t make you honest, or a hard worker. Only thing his half century had done for him was make him a pro at swindling people out of their money.

 

[rc508pir]

Been there. The guy that screwed me already had enough judgements against him there was nothing to be done legally. He’s bad news, and does it to everyone that will hire him.
He came recommended with “I’d trust him with my family and my bank account.”

Id sue the one that did the recommending also

 

[okierider]

There is another side to this s story as well. Know what you want when I get there. If you decide you want that wall moved 6 inches, change order, window needs moved over... change order. You decide you do not like the color of that wall..... you guessed it , change order.
You decide you do not like the shingles you picked..... not eating the restocking fee...
Blows me away what some folks will try to get you to do for free.

 

[Rez Exelon]

My wife hired a contractor to redo our second floor balcony, lay flooring in the attic, and some other general tasks. Apparently the dude keeps saying "it's too hot" or "It's too cold" and "I don't feel like it" or "Our child had activities" or "But I'm on OSA right now". Can't even fire him since she married the guy LOL

 

[Roadking Larry]

Last time I had to hire work done was a roof replacement. Quality of work was good, clean up was satisfactory but there was just this one little problem.
I was off work after my 2nd shoulder surgery in 2020 so I was home to discreetly keep an eye on things.
I'm glad I was home. When they were "finished" I noticed I was one vent stack shy on my roof. They had pulled the vent stack for my gas water heater and replaced it with a roof vent. Water heater was just venting into the attic. I kind of got insistent that they need to put it back like it was. They had to dig around in the roll off to find it, luckily it wasn't damaged. I was also polite but direct with the supervisor when he showed up and reminded him that killing his customers with CO poisoning was bad for business and tended to preclude repeat business or referrals.

 

[TerryMiller]

My wife hired a contractor to redo our second floor balcony, lay flooring in the attic, and some other general tasks. Apparently the dude keeps saying "it's too hot" or "It's too cold" and "I don't feel like it" or "Our child had activities" or "But I'm on OSA right now". Can't even fire him since she married the guy LOL

Maybe he can't be "fired," but I'd bet he could get "cut off."

 

[okierider]

Maybe he can't be "fired," but I'd bet he could get "cut off."

He is prolly prepared and has a really comfy couch!!

 

[xseler]

My guy wants to hire me when I retire, I told him I would do it, but he is going to have to change his MO, I don't do hair on fire...

I've always said, "I don't want to be a firefighter, I want to be Smokey the Bear."