Finding reliable help for home renos - what do you look for?

Yeah, I’m with you - watching what they actually do tells you way more than any sales pitch. I’ve noticed the same thing: flashy talkers sometimes just want to close the deal and move on. I’d rather see a messy truck with organized scrap piles than a perfect story with nothing to back it up. One of the best guys I hired barely spoke but always labeled his leftover materials and even asked if I wanted to keep them. That kind of detail sticks with me.

That’s exactly it - actions always speak louder. I’ve worked with guys who could talk circles around you but then cut corners when no one was looking. Give me someone who’s a bit quiet but keeps their workspace tidy and actually cares about the details any day. Honestly, I’d rather see a job done right than hear another “trust me, I’m the best” pitch. Sometimes the best folks are the ones you barely notice because they’re just busy getting it right.

Couldn’t agree more - some of the best work I’ve had done on my place came from folks who barely said a word but left everything cleaner than when they arrived. I once hired a guy who didn’t say much, but he matched the original crown molding like he’d lived in my house for decades. Meanwhile, the “big talkers” usually left me with more dust than results. I’ll take quiet competence over a flashy pitch every time, especially with old houses where details matter.

I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had a couple of the “big talkers” surprise me in a good way. One guy talked my ear off about his process, but he was super transparent and I could tell he knew his stuff. Sometimes that confidence means they’re proud of their work - though yeah, you do have to weed out the ones who are all talk and no follow-through. For me, it’s less about how much they say and more about whether they actually listen to what I want done.

Yeah, I get that - sometimes the ones who talk a lot actually know their stuff. For me, it’s all about whether they respect the quirks of an old house. If they brush off my concerns about original trim or plaster, I’m out. Confidence is good, but listening matters more.