Yeah, I totally get the frustration. I actually learned the hard way—hired a guy who came recommended for his tile work, but he barely replied to texts. I ended up having to chase him down just to get updates. Now, when I check references, I specifically ask about communication and reliability, not just how the job turned out. Quality's great, but I need someone who’ll keep me in the loop if things change or go sideways... old houses seem to invite surprises.
I get where you’re coming from about communication, but I’ve actually had a bit of a different experience. Sometimes the folks who are the most responsive aren’t always the best value for the money, at least in my case. Here’s how I usually approach it:
Step 1: I look for someone who’s upfront about their schedule and limitations, even if they’re not super chatty.
Step 2: I ask for a detailed quote and timeline in writing—if they can do that, it’s a good sign.
Step 3: I try to meet in person before committing. You can get a sense of whether they’re reliable just by talking face-to-face.
Quality's great, but I need someone who’ll keep me in the loop if things change or go sideways... old houses seem to invite surprises.
Totally agree about surprises with old houses (been there, trust me), but sometimes I’d rather have someone who’s a bit quiet but nails the work and sticks to the budget. If something does go sideways, as long as they fix it without drama, I’m happy. Maybe it’s just my luck, but the best tile job I ever got was from a guy who barely used his phone... but he showed up every day and finished on time.
I totally get what you mean about the quiet types sometimes being the most reliable. I’ve worked with contractors who barely text back but somehow always show up, tools in hand, and just get it done. But I do wonder—if something big goes wrong, how do you make sure they actually communicate the issue before it snowballs? I’ve seen jobs where a small leak turns into a whole wall coming down because no one said anything early on. Maybe it’s about finding that sweet spot between “strong silent type” and “ghost mode.”
Maybe it’s about finding that sweet spot between “strong silent type” and “ghost mode.”
That’s the million-dollar question, right? I’ve had a guy who barely said two words but would leave sticky notes on the fridge if he ran into a snag—kind of hilarious, but at least it worked. But what do you do when someone just powers through a problem instead of flagging it? Is it about setting expectations up front, or do you just cross your fingers and hope for the best? I always wonder if there’s a trick to getting updates without hovering like a helicopter...
Honestly, I’ve had folks who’d rather wrestle a leaky pipe than admit there’s an issue. I started leaving a whiteboard in the kitchen—low tech, but it beats playing detective. Setting expectations helps, but sometimes you just get radio silence no matter what.
