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

- Gut feeling’s saved me more than once, but it’s not foolproof.
- I had a guy who seemed super honest—old-school handshake type. He did solid work, but missed a bunch of little details we never wrote down.
- Now, I try to get at least the basics in writing. Doesn’t have to be fancy, just clear.
- Trust your instincts, but a simple contract covers those “wait, did we talk about that?” moments.
- Paperwork doesn’t guarantee honesty, but it does help when memories get fuzzy three months in.

Trust your instincts, but a simple contract covers those “wait, did we talk about that?” moments.

Totally get this. Had a painter once who swore up and down he’d “take care of the trim.” Turns out his idea of “taking care” was just taping it off, not actually painting it. My gut said he was solid, but my walls said otherwise. Now I jot down even the silly stuff—like “yes, paint the closet.” Saves a lot of head-scratching later. Instincts are great, but a scrap of paper with details is better when you’re arguing over who was supposed to buy the caulk.

Totally agree—writing down even the “obvious” stuff saves so much hassle. I’ve had contractors interpret “fix the bathroom” in ways I never imagined… One guy thought just replacing the faucet counted. Do you ever include photos or sketches with your contracts? That’s helped me avoid some confusion.

Honestly, I get why people swear by photos and sketches, but for me, it’s just more stuff to wrangle. Half the time I’m not even sure what I’m looking at in my own drawings. I mean,

“One guy thought just replacing the faucet counted.”

Title: Finding reliable help for home renos—what do you look for?

I totally get where you’re coming from. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve handed over a sketch or a photo, thinking it was crystal clear, only to come back and find someone’s “interpretation” was... let’s just say, creative. One time I left a sticky note on a wall with “remove shelf” and came back to find the entire closet gone. Not kidding. Sometimes plain English is the only way to go.

That said, I do think there’s a sweet spot. I’ll write out exactly what needs doing—like you said, “replace the tiles, fix the leaky toilet”—but I’ll also snap a quick photo if there’s something weird about the space or if there’s a specific finish I want matched. It’s not about making a whole mood board, just enough so there’s no confusion. But yeah, if you’re not into wrangling files and sketches, I get it. Some folks just want a checklist and clear instructions.

Honestly, the biggest thing for me is finding someone who actually listens and asks questions. If they just nod along and say “yep, got it” to everything, that’s usually a red flag. The best contractors I’ve worked with will double-check stuff, even if it seems obvious. Like, “You want these tiles all the way to the ceiling, right?” instead of just assuming.

And don’t even get me started on the “faucet counts as a reno” crowd. Had a guy once who thought swapping out cabinet knobs was a full kitchen update. Sure, buddy.

At the end of the day, I’d rather over-communicate than deal with surprises. If that makes me a control freak too, so be it. At least my walls end up painted the right color... most of the time.