Couldn’t agree more about the importance of seeing the “messy middle.” I always tell folks, if you’re not getting those in-progress shots, what are they hiding? But yeah, too many updates can get overwhelming. Ever had a client who wanted daily play-by-plays? That gets wild.
Title: Finding reliable help for home renos—what do you look for?
I get the whole “messy middle” thing, but honestly, I’m not always convinced that more photos means more transparency. Had a contractor once who sent me daily pics of the same pile of drywall dust from slightly different angles—like, thanks, but I don’t need a time-lapse of your broom skills. Sometimes it feels like they’re just trying to prove they’re busy instead of actually making progress.
On the flip side, I’ve had crews who barely checked in at all and still knocked it out of the park. For me, it’s less about constant updates and more about whether stuff actually gets done when they say it will. If I can swing by unannounced and things look like they’re moving along (even if it’s chaos), that’s usually enough. Too many updates just make me start micromanaging, which nobody enjoys... especially not me.
- Totally get this—my last guy sent me a “progress” pic of his lunch on my kitchen counter. Not exactly what I was hoping for.
- For me, I just want to see that the big stuff is moving. Like, if the wall’s supposed to be gone by Friday, it better be gone (or at least halfway out the door).
- Communication is good, but not if it’s just filler. I’d rather have one solid update than a daily slideshow of dust bunnies.
- Curious—has anyone actually had a contractor who balanced updates and real progress, or is that just a unicorn thing?
Communication is good, but not if it’s just filler. I’d rather have one solid update than a daily slideshow of dust bunnies.
Can’t tell you how much I relate to this. I had one contractor a few years back who texted me a photo every day—sometimes it was literally just the same half-demolished wall from a slightly different angle. Meanwhile, it took them three days to even start taking out the cabinets. It’s like, thanks for the “update,” but I’d rather see actual results. I started joking with my partner that we were getting a time-lapse of nothing happening.
That said, I have run into a couple folks who actually got the balance right, but they were rare. The best one I worked with would send a quick message if there was a real snag or decision point—like, “Hey, found some old wiring behind the drywall, want to take a look?”—but otherwise he just got on with the job. I’d come by at the end of the day and see real progress. No daily play-by-play of him eating lunch or whatever.
One thing I learned after a few projects: I started being super clear up front about what kind of updates I wanted. Like, “Just let me know if you hit a problem, or when a major phase is done.” It didn’t always work, but sometimes it helped set the tone. I guess some people just want more hand-holding, but I’m with you—it’s about the work, not the photo album.
Finding someone who gets it is tough, but not totally impossible. I’ve noticed the ones who actually do quality work don’t have time for constant texting anyway. Maybe that’s the trick—look for the ones who seem a bit too busy to be sending you a hundred progress selfies.
I totally get what you mean about the “time-lapse of nothing happening”—that’s exactly what I’m worried about as I start my first reno. I keep wondering if there’s a way to tell, before hiring someone, whether they’re going to be all about the work or just over-communicate to cover up slow progress. Is it just a gut feeling, or are there actual signs?
I’ve been thinking a lot about how much communication is actually useful. Like, I want to know if something’s gone wrong or if there’s a big decision to make, but I don’t need a play-by-play of every nail going in. At the same time, I’m nervous about being left in the dark and only finding out about issues after it’s too late to do anything.
Does anyone ever ask for sample updates before hiring? Or is that overkill? I guess I’m trying to figure out how to set expectations without coming off as too controlling. It’s weirdly hard to strike that balance between trusting someone and wanting to stay in the loop.
