How To Spot A Bad Contractor

"What do you mean, 'It went a little over?'" Helen screeched. "The cost is twice as much as you promised, the cabinets look terrible and it's still not done! We went to the Olive Garden for Thanksgiving dinner, Cafe Rio for Christmas dinner but I will not go anywhere for Valentines Day. I want to cook dinner for my family in my new kitchen!"

Her contractor mumbled something about suppliers and subs, but she cut him off. "I am sick and tired of your excuses. I am sick and tired of your lies. I want this done by Friday or I will sue you for incompetence, . . . for ignorance and . . . and . . . . " In frustration Helen wheeled around and stormed out of the room as the tears began to flow.

What can you do to spot a bad contractor? They seem wonderful at the onset, they say all the things you want to hear, but before the job is over, you're ready to tear them apart, limb from limb.

Avoiding a shoddy contractor isn't as hard as most people imagine. There are tell-tale signs that can tip you off before you end up neck deep in a torrent of trouble. By carefully reading the descriptions below, you will be able to avoid the devastation of choosing the wrong contractor.

1. Bad contractors are always late. I don't mean five or ten minutes late, either. Traffic or phone calls with other clients, can throw the best laid plans awry. With a bad contractor, late is measured in hours, days or weeks. Our company policy is to inform the client if you will be more than ten minutes late and reschedule if necessary.
2. Bad contractors never return phone calls. You know to walk away when their voice message says, "We're sorry, but the mail box belonging to that number is full. Please try your call again later." Calls are not returned because there is no good answer for you and the decision is made to wait until there is. Since the answer never comes, the return phone call doesn't either. If a contractor doesn't have the courage to face up to life as it really is, they will not be able to control it and complete your job in a timely manner
3. Problems are always someone else's fault. The builder sounds like an immature adolescent, unable to actually admit they made a mistake or attempt to correct it. Good contractors seldom have to explain what went wrong. All their time is spent explaining how it will happen and then they make it happen. They know that "the size of the mess you make is not nearly as important as how well you clean it up."
4. Bad contractors always take two to three times longer than they promised. They have a bad habit of saying what you want to hear instead of what will realistically happen. This is usually an attempt to obtain the job. Good contractors will always estimate more time than actually needed. They realize things will go wrong, and if they don't, the project is completed sooner than you expected. Watch the consistency between what they promise and what they do from the very beginning. The primary rule to remember is: "When it's finished is not nearly as important as that it is finished when promised."
5. Bad contractors never actually complete a project. There is always something that wasn't done or the perennial punch list that remains as a constant source of irritation. Good contractors will use sub-contractors who examine their own work, usually with the owner, and ensure everything is done properly before they leave. This habit virtually eliminates punch lists on smaller jobs and greatly reduces them on large ones. A task that will take one half-hour to correct while the technician is still there, with tools ready, will consume three to four hours if someone has to come back and do it later. Profitability and reputation go down the tubes.

You can also ask for referrals, credentials or lists of previous customers. Undesirable contractors are usually slow to provide these. Another problem is that if you do receive any referrals, they are often sanitized or fabricated. If you can talk to other customers, ask how the contractor was to work with and pointedly ask about the signs above.

If you watch for these tell-tale symptoms, you will be able to spot a bad contractor before you are in too deep and your repair or remodel can be a pleasant experience.