5 Red Flags When Hiring a Contractor
Today, I had a conversation with a customer regarding an upcoming project. We finalized some selections for their project, including the type and style of materials to be used. We discussed the next steps in our process, which involve sending them a deposit invoice for 50% of the total cost. Once the deposit is paid, we will proceed to order the materials and schedule the work.
This individual was gun shy about paying the deposit because of a prior experience with a contractor, and unfortunately in my 21 years of contracting and building, I’ve heard way too many horror stories of “so-called” contractors that will take advantage of people, take money and run off and leave an incomplete job and big mess in their wake.
This particular individual was from out of state, and had come from a coastal area of the U.S. Being near the coast meant they needed hurricane-rated windows, which are much more expensive than regular windows. They were looking to replace the windows in their home with hurricane-rated windows. So, they hired someone who was somewhat known around their area and even polite and considerate on the front end while discussing their window project. They came to an agreement with this handyman/contractor and gave them money to purchase the windows. Evidently, the individual even presented some receipts for the hurricane windows that he was supposed to buy and install. The handyman/contractor delivered some windows to the home and was in a rush to get them installed. The homeowner, prompted by a gut feeling, decided to check the windows that were being stored in the garage. To their surprise, the new windows were not hurricane-rated as they had requested and paid for, but rather much cheaper standard windows. Thankfully, they caught the guy and forced him to install the hurricane windows, but he skipped out before completing all of the trim and the project. The homeowner had to spend several thousand dollars for a second, legitimate contractor to come in and fix the windows that had not been installed correctly in the first place. They also had to complete the siding, painting, and other necessary work in order to truly finish the project.
The same charlatan also made an agreement with an elderly woman in the neighborhood to paint her house. He took money from her, began painting a room, and then abandoned the project, taking the money and leaving a big mess in the home of a 90-year-old woman.
Unfortunately, we have come across these types of stories throughout the years, and have had to come behind and fix what was not done correctly the first time.
Scroll to the bottom of this article to see more stories.
We know it can be overwhelming to decide whom to contact or hire for a fence or other home projects. So, we’ve compiled a list of things to look out for when making your decision.
What are some red flags you can look for when hiring a contractor to do work at your home?
1. If a contractor is too eager to get money on the front end or wants you to go buy material for the project for them then that could be a red flag.
Now, my only hesitation in saying this is there are plenty of reputable companies that require a deposit (including our company) to start your project, but there is a difference between paying a deposit and someone who can’t operate unless you give them money first. I will attempt to explain the difference below.
Avoid hiring a contractor who cannot finance project aspects on their own. If they solely depend on you for funds to buy materials and pay for labor, it may indicate poor financial management. Similarly, if they lack established relationships with vendors and want you to purchase materials directly, it’s a red flag.
So you may be asking, why do you require a deposit to start a project?
● For most projects, the 50% deposit does not cover the full cost of the material.
● Please be aware that there are additional administration and labor costs involved
in coordinating your project, acquiring, handling, storing, prepping, and transporting your materials before they reach your property and are used to create a beautiful fence, gate, railing, etc. These costs are not included in the deposit amount. It would not be professional for us to request you to cover all costs dollar for dollar upfront so we can operate. We are asking you to be vested in the project to protect both you and us. We both have a stake in the game and are working together toward a common goal.
2. If the contractor does not have an established business in your town or area that could be a red flag.
There are a lot of great contractors out there, but unfortunately, there’s not a lot required for someone to decide they want to open up a business and start trying to work on your home. For that reason, you get a wide array of people who range from inexperienced individuals operating out of their vehicles, to experienced professionals who have established places of business. I recommend finding a company that has built a reputable foundation in their local community.
3. If a contractor offers a wide range of services and doesn’t specialize in a particular area that could be a red flag.
We live in a fast-paced world of multitasking, so it can be beneficial to be well versed in several different areas, but when choosing a professional to do work on your home, you want someone who does that type of work day in and day out. This is a big one. We’ve
come across so many projects where someone tells a homeowner “Yeah, I can do that”, but the results are subpar and poor quality.
4. Lowest bid, and overpromising, this could be a red flag.
You are in need of something for your home, whether that be a fence to help create a beautiful backyard space or something else, but how do you know who to trust? The risk is hiring someone who offers a low bid or overpromises, only to end up leaving your house in disarray for weeks or months, delivering a subpar product or installation, or leaving the job unfinished and absconding with your materials or payment. This could result in a long and difficult process to recover what is rightfully yours. In most of these cases, it is much more costly in the long run because you end up having to pay another party to come in and rework what has already been done or started. This is typically more expensive because they will have to undo what has been done and then start fresh.
5. If a contractor does not have much experience doing the work that you need done, that could be a red flag.
This goes hand in hand with the point above, but just like specialization is a benefit, experience in a craft is crucial.
Experience matters. Experience is a great teacher, and the longer someone has worked in the trade or craft, the more they have seen and learned along the way. This also produces a storehouse of knowledge to make your project come to life.
6. If a contractor is rushed in their communication with you and has a hard time listening to your needs and desires, that could be a red flag.
Communication is key in pulling off a successful home project. If your contractor is overloaded and seems like they never have time to listen to your thoughts or concerns that could be telling of how they operate. They might be very skilled at their work, but they might have too much to handle and are attempting to fit too much into a single day. This could ultimately impact the quality and results of your project because they may be doing their best. Still, if they are not genuinely listening and accurately recording what you want in your project, it can lead to misunderstandings and errors.Now mistakes happen, but we strive to listen well and minimize miscommunications.
We hope this is helpful and assists you in improving your home and hiring professionals to turn your dreams and projects into reality. If you are in the Central Arkansas area and are looking for a fence, gate, railing and/or pergola we’d be happy to help in any way that we can. Call or text us at 501-205-4345 and we look forward to talking with you about how we can help you create a safe, enjoyable outdoor space at your home!
More horror stories we have heard over the years:
We recently had a long-time customer that contacted us because their father had hired someone to replace their fence, and do some remodel work inside of the home. This individual replaced two-thirds of the fence but did a very poor job. He also started some remodeling work on the inside of the house which turned into a disaster. There was furniture and material all over the place. He used pieces of nice furniture as saw horses to support and cut wood on. The homeowner had purchased expensive cedar fence material to be used for the rest of the house. However, it was haphazardly thrown into the garage and looked more like a pile of wood for a bonfire than a neat stack of cedar lumber for the job. This person left the job incomplete and skipped town with several thousands of dollars. The homeowner was then forced to spend additional money to completely redo the fence and to have someone come in and correct and finish the remodel work that had been started inside the house.
I was speaking with an HVAC contractor who said he recently had a situation where a company came in and sold a brand new Air Conditioner unit with supposed new duct work to an elderly lady. The lady went with that AC company because they were cheaper than the other quotes she had received. The company did come in and mount a new Air Conditioner unit, but it was not hooked up correctly, and then they made a total mess of the ductwork. When the elderly lady had problems with her heat she tried calling the company but, they never answered or returned her calls. She then had to hire the HVAC contractor I know to come in and fix the mistakes in how the unit was installed. They had to completely redo the ductwork to make it right. Once again, the homeowner was out thousands of dollars in addition to what they paid the dishonest contractors who took advantage of them.