Rant time....does anyone give a shit any more?

[NRaleighLiberal]

We had a contractor do extensive work on our kitchen and bathroom last year and he didn't install the floor properly. So for one year we've had cracking grout and can't get him to commit to remedying it - in fact he seems to have done a runner on us....and it is going to be expensive to fix (he used the wrong material to secure the tiles - everything has to come up...and the counters and vanities and everything sit on the tile - going to be a hell of a mess)....

Guy who did our backsplash tile - time for him to touch it up....sets a time to come over, we stayed home all day - he never came and never called - I just called him and went ballistic - supposedly he shows up tomorrow.

Is this par for the course for contractors - or are there actually some good ones out there who have some pride in theirwork?

Whether it is rude people waiting on you in a restaurant, or checking you out at a store - what the hell is wrong with people? Doesn't anyone have any pride in their work, any responsibility to others, any shred of professional nature left? Or is the country collectively and individually giving up...


Rant over. I hate being a belligerent asshole (and it takes it toll on me) - but it seems the only way sometimes.....

[ellisonz]

1. It's just some contractors...

[ohiosmith]

2. Is there a Contractors' Board where you live? In Nevada a licensed contractor can be sanctioned by

The Board and forced to either remedy incomplete/faulty work or reimburse the costs to do so.

[Phentex]

3. The good ones are hard to find

because they stay busy and know how to manage their time.

For some, nothing matters. Not even money.

I feel your pain! It's very disappointing.

[libodem]

4. This rant reminds me

Of a good friend who has passed. Must have been over twenty years age she was having a log home built on hilly land bordering the national forest. She had "contractors" levelling the land. They didn't always show up and it was stalling the project.

She was ranting on and stated that all they ever did was install themselves in cafes to drink coffee and jerk each other off under the table. I have to laugh whenever I hear about crappy contractors.

[KurtNYC]

5. would try to get a referral

or does Yelp have reviews of contractors?

btw, contractors put liens against property all the time. If the first contractor screwed up that clearly then it seems like an easy win in small claims (especially if he doesn't show up THERE).

[NV Whino]

6. Unfortunately, it's hard to find a good contractor

I manage houses for a living and it's a constant battle to find the good guys. Even more frustrating, sometimes my clients don't want to pay for one of my good guys and they always regret it. I regret it even more since I have to deal with not only the bad contractor, but the disappointed client.

[Mira]

7. Sounds really bad!

Did you sign a contract for the work that has to be redone? One that is enforceable in some way?

I have, for what it's worth, a dynamite, reliable, reasonable, inventive and best ever tile man. Winston-Salem, and he travels in NC. I saw three baths he has done before hiring him to do my bath and its ceiling last year, it turned out to die for, and I know enough about construction to know when somebody is good.

[libodem]

8. Sorry about the mess you are in

And I hope you have recourse. I once started a new job with a rich woman. She had a new home built and the pantry caved in.

It was full of expensive glassware from trips abroad with her deceased husband. A huge loss for her in irreplaceable memories and stuff.

She was suing the contractor who took a powder on the responsibility for anything. He tried to blame her for putting heavy stuff in it.

Anyhow she sued and won for the repair and the value of her broken crystal.

[Curmudgeoness]

9. For some reason, contractors are notorious

at not giving a shit. I have so much work that needs done at the house, and I just don't even want to deal with them anymore. I know that there are good ones out there, but I don't know how to find them. I get references from neighbors and friends, and these people never return my calls. I get someone to agree to come out and give me a quote, and they don't show up.

I thought that with the economy in the toilet, and all these builders having so little to do with no new building going on, that it would finally be easier to find someone. Wrong.

I am sorry that you have such a big problem. That is bad enough that it might be lawyer time....it sounds like it was and will be expensive enough to at least talk to one.

[Generic Brad]

10. There are great ones out there

Last year I remodeled my entire house. I hired a union contracting company and they had the job completely done in six weeks - two bathrooms, a new kitchen, new ceiling, new carpeting, and a spiffy paint job throughout. It was not cheap, but everything was done perfectly and ahead of schedule. Union contractors rock!

[quakerboy]

11. If it ain't one thing, its another

We had a contractor do a few minor things for us. He did reasonable work(great for the price, friend of a family member kinda deal). It was a pain getting him to schedule though. He would periodically just go to some other part of the country to work there for a while.

I still have his step ladder. He forgot it. I reminded him a few times, but its been over a year. I didn't really want a step ladder. I had some more work for him, but the last three times I tried to make contact, he was in Florida. I dont have a clue where to start in finding a new one. So I keep trying to figure out how to do things myself. Its a good thing in the long run. I think.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

12. I can't find a competent contractor.

Hell, I can't even find someone who will show up and pull weeds on the day they say they will. They have money for 40 oz. malt liquor and coffin nails, but say they really need money....and can't show up to do yard work for a lot more than minimum wage???

There are Hispanic people who will do it, I guess. Just not in my town.



Finding somebody to sweep floors is impossible too.

[Bake]

13. Just for me, of course, but no.

I don't.



Bake

[HopeHoops]

14. We had a new roof put on and had trouble with tiles blowing off.

One of the owners came out personally and said they'd used the wrong nails on the vent cap. He had to come out three different times to fix things, but it's held up since then.

[hamsterjill]

15. No answer here...

Just commisseration. I had work done on the exterior of my house last year, and have noticed all of the trim literally pulling away from the sheetrock. The guy we used has since closed his business. Wonder why!

And, in the same realm, try ordering food at a fast food place. In the words of Joe Pesci's "Leo Getz" character ....they fuck you at the drive through. They fuck you at the drive through.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

16. Maybe off-topic, but about Angie's List

Is that list a reliable source of info about contractors? Anyone used the list?

I have to get some work done, and would like to find contractors who DO give a shit, who DO repair things that have gone bad.

Or is there any other source of contractor ratings?



As for people checking me out at a store: I'm way too old. Nobody checks me out.

[woo me with science]

18. We have found checkbook.org very helpful. nt

[GoneOffShore]

17. It's the same everywhere -

Friends in the UK, in Germany and in France have the same complaints.

And when the guys do show up they generally look over the job, shake their heads, then scratch said head, and get a mournful expression on their faces:
"Oooo, this isn't going to be easy. It may be a bit more than we talked about."

"How much more?"

"Ooo, not too sure. I'll let you know tomorrow (next week, next month, never). Shouldn't be more than a couple of hundred (thousand, ten thousand, if you have to ask you can't afford it)."

[riderinthestorm]

19. If anyone needs a referral for an outstanding contractor in the Chicago area, try this guy.

Bill Kettell. I'm not related to him but I've had him come work for me and he's worked for many people I know and he does excellent, meticulous work.

http://www.kettellcustomhomes.com/

[HeiressofBickworth]

20. I blame the economy

I think the problem is that unemployed do-it-yourself-ers are hiring themselves out as experienced contractors just to make some money. While they may have been highly skilled in the work they previously did, they are unskilled in contracting. I guess the questions to ask would be how long they have practiced the particular kind of work for which you want to hire them and for references.

A state licensing board is quite useless -- they have no qualifications for getting a contractor license other than posting a $2,000 (or maybe 3) bond. They also keep track of the bond. No help whatsoever (voice of experience here).

I think anyone who is a homeowner has run into these types. It's hard to spot them before and damned near impossible to get them to correct what they didn't know how to do right in the first place.

Good luck!