Not sure I totally agree on the daily updates thing.
That’s great if you’ve got the time, but honestly, I’ve had some of my best crews be the quiet types who just get it done. Sometimes too many updates just slow things down or turn into busywork. I care more about results than play-by-play, as long as they’re responsive when there’s an actual issue. Anyone else feel like constant check-ins can be overkill?“One guy I worked with would text me photos at the end of each day, even if it was just a shot of the new drywall or whatever.”
I get where you’re coming from. I’ve never really needed daily updates either—sometimes it just makes me wonder if they’re spending more time on their phones than actually working. For me, as long as the contractor is reachable when something comes up and gives a heads-up about any big changes or delays, that’s enough.
I’ve actually found that some of the most cost-effective crews aren’t the chatty types at all. They show up, do solid work, and only check in if there’s a decision to be made or an unexpected issue. That said, I do like a quick weekly summary, just so I know we’re still on track budget-wise and nothing’s gone off the rails. Daily photos would probably stress me out more than anything... feels like micromanaging.
Guess it depends on how hands-on you want to be and how much you trust your crew. For me, less is usually more—as long as the results speak for themselves.
Daily photos would probably stress me out more than anything... feels like micromanaging.
- Couldn’t agree more. If I wanted daily play-by-plays, I’d just move in with the crew.
- My checklist: show up on time, stick to the budget, fix issues fast, and don’t ghost me when something’s off. That’s it.
- Weekly updates = perfect. Anything more and I start wondering if they’re building or just documenting.
- Trust is huge. If I have to babysit, I picked the wrong folks.
- End of the day, if the house looks good and the numbers add up, I’m happy.
Honestly, I get why some folks want all those updates, but for me it just adds to the stress. Last time I did a kitchen remodel, I told the contractor upfront—stick to the budget, don’t surprise me, and let’s check in once a week. Worked way better than hovering over every detail. If you can’t trust your crew to handle stuff without you watching their every move, maybe it’s time to rethink who you’re hiring.
Finding reliable help for home renos—what do you look for?
Weekly check-ins are totally my jam too, but I’ll admit—I’m kind of a details nerd. I’ve seen too many “creative interpretations” of my vision when I left folks to their own devices. Once had a guy install my backsplash upside down (don’t ask). Trust is great, but I still want to catch issues before they turn into expensive fixes. Guess I’m just wired to peek in on things... probably drives contractors nuts, but hey, it’s my house!
