Couldn’t agree more about honesty—nothing worse than being left in the dark when your kitchen’s a construction zone. I’ve found the folks who admit when they’re swamped or need to reschedule are usually the ones who show up and actually finish the job. Overpromising is just setting everyone up for disappointment. Give me realistic timelines and a bit of communication, and I’m happy.
Couldn’t agree more about the value of honest communication. I’ve had my fair share of renos where the contractor would just vanish for days, no updates, nothing—meanwhile I’m living off microwave meals in the garage. The last time I hired out for drywall, the guy was upfront from day one: “I’m juggling a couple jobs, might be a day or two late here and there.” He actually stuck to his word and kept me posted, which made all the difference.
Here’s what’s worked for me: I always ask for a rough schedule in writing, even if it’s just an email. Then, I check in every few days—not to nag, but just to keep things moving. If someone starts dodging questions or making big promises without details, that’s usually a red flag. I’d rather have someone say “it’ll take three weeks” and finish on time than promise two and drag it out forever.
Funny thing is, when I do projects myself, I end up running into the same issues—life gets in the way, timelines slip. Guess it’s just part of the process... but at least when you’re honest about it, everyone knows where they stand.
Totally get where you’re coming from on the disappearing contractor thing—been there, done that, and it’s maddening. I’ve found that if someone’s cagey about their schedule or won’t put anything in writing, it’s usually a sign to keep looking. Honestly, I’d rather have someone tell me upfront they’re slammed than pretend my job is their only focus.
One thing I’ve started doing is asking for references and actually calling them. Sounds old-school, but you can pick up a lot from those quick chats—like if the guy leaves jobs half-finished or if he’s the type to fix issues without drama. Also, if they get defensive when you ask questions? That’s a red flag for me.
And yeah, even when I’m running my own projects, stuff drags out way longer than planned. Life happens. But at least if you’re straight with people about delays, it saves everyone a headache. Guess the trick is just finding folks who treat your place like they’d want theirs treated... not always easy, but worth holding out for.
Couldn’t agree more about the references—actually talking to past clients tells you way more than any online review ever could. I’ve had a couple contractors get weirdly defensive when I asked for details about their process or materials, and that’s always set off alarm bells for me. If someone’s proud of their work, they usually want to talk about it, right?
I do wonder sometimes if we expect too much transparency, though. Like, I get that some folks are just bad at communication, not necessarily shady. But yeah, if they can’t give you a straight answer about timelines or costs, it’s probably not worth the risk.
One thing I’ve started doing is asking about how they handle unexpected issues—like, do they have a plan if something goes sideways? That’s been a game changer for me. And you’re spot on about delays... even with the best intentions, stuff happens. As long as people are upfront, it’s way easier to roll with it. Finding someone who actually cares about your project as much as you do is rare, but man, it makes all the difference.
I get what you mean about transparency, but sometimes I think we put too much pressure on contractors to have all the answers up front. Like,
I dunno, in my experience, the best ones are honest about what they *don’t* know yet. Renovations are unpredictable—sometimes they just can’t give a solid number until they open up a wall or two. I’d rather have someone admit that than pretend everything’s set in stone. Maybe it’s less about perfect answers and more about how they handle the unknowns?“if they can’t give you a straight answer about timelines or costs, it’s probably not worth the risk.”
