Does it ever get easier to spot the ones who’ll flake? Or is it just trial and error every time?
Honestly, I keep hoping there’s some magic trick for spotting the flakes, but if there is, I haven’t found it. I’ve tried everything—references, contracts, even meeting folks in person first. Still got burned last year when a painter vanished halfway through the job. Left me with half-painted walls and a garage full of paint cans I can’t return.
I do think you start to pick up on little red flags after a while, though. Like, if someone’s super eager to get started but dodges questions about payment schedules or seems weirdly casual about paperwork... that’s usually when my “uh-oh” radar goes off. But sometimes people seem totally legit until they just disappear.
The upfront discount thing is interesting—I’ve always been a bit wary of paying too much before work starts, but maybe offering a small bonus for finishing on time could help. Still feels like a gamble either way. At this point, I’m half convinced it’s just part of the home improvement lottery.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not totally sold on the “it’s just luck” idea. I’ve had better results since I started asking for super detailed quotes and timelines up front—like, down to which days they’ll be here and what gets done when. The folks who get annoyed or vague about that stuff usually end up being the ones who flake anyway. Not foolproof, but it’s saved me a couple headaches. Still, yeah, sometimes you just get burned no matter what you do...
I hear you on the detailed quotes—been there, done that, and yeah, it weeds out the folks who get cagey when you start asking for specifics. It’s like, if you can’t tell me when you’re showing up or what you’re charging for, how am I supposed to trust you with my kitchen remodel? I swear, half the time I feel like I’m interviewing secret agents, not contractors.
But even with all the prep, sometimes you just get a dud. I once had a guy who gave me a color-coded calendar and everything—looked like he was planning a moon landing. Still managed to disappear after demo day, left me with a pile of drywall and a lot of creative cursing.
I guess it’s a mix of luck and doing your homework. Maybe it never gets truly easy, but at least we get better at spotting the red flags before they turn into five weeks of radio silence and a half-finished bathroom...
Delayed payments driving me nuts—does this ever get easier?
Man, you nailed it with the “secret agent” bit. I’ve been on both sides of this—chasing down details as a homeowner, and now trying to be the guy who actually shows up when I say I will. It’s wild how many folks in this business still think vague answers are good enough. Like, if you can’t tell someone what’s happening and when, how do you expect them to trust you with their house?
But yeah, even when you do your homework, sometimes you just get burned. I’ve had clients show me the “before” pics from their last contractor—demo done, then radio silence for weeks. It’s rough. And honestly, I wish I could say it gets easier, but there’s always some new curveball. You get better at spotting the warning signs, though. If someone’s dodging your questions or gets weird about putting stuff in writing, that’s usually a pretty big red flag.
On the flip side, delayed payments are just as frustrating from my end. You finish a job, everything looks great, and then suddenly folks go quiet when it’s time to settle up. It’s like, we both want trust here, right? I’ve started breaking things down into smaller milestones—less risk for everyone, and it keeps things moving. Ever tried that approach? It doesn’t solve everything, but it helps.
At the end of the day, I think it’s about finding people who actually communicate. Not just the fancy calendars or slick presentations, but real answers and follow-through. That’s rare, but not impossible. And hey, if you’ve made it through a half-finished bathroom and lived to tell the tale, you’re already ahead of a lot of folks...
Been there, both sides too. Once had a kitchen job where the client just vanished after the last walkthrough—no payment, no response. Super awkward. Now I always get stuff in writing and split payments. Doesn’t fix everything, but at least you’re not left hanging.
