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I moved back east to a “small town” thinking that I would not have to deal with shady contractor handymen carpenters. Boy was I wrong. I am amazed at how many of these “professionals” can barely start a project on time, let alone finish one. This is my chosen profession, to be a contractor, and I am continually running into clients who have been given the short end of the stick when it has come to their home reno projects. In a town of 38,000, I have come across seven “companies” who did not have the skill to bid a project properly, did not have the skills to complete a project completely, or the will to complete a project completely (let alone do it within a set time frame). Your home is one of your largest long term material investments Stop cheaping out and hiring contractors for $10 an hour and expecting the work to be perfect.
The customers are also to blame for this. They hire people without transportation— first sign you’re not dealing with a professional. They get major projects started with out a written contract. So no set price, no written scope of work, no payment schedule and no time frame to complete said work. Then they wonder why they get ripped off or the “contractor” disappears when the wallet seems to be empty. Then expect me to come in a rescue them for $10 an hour. Screw that. I would rather work at a fast food joint—at least there I am inside and they buy the uniform. Thankfully I have the skills, tools, truck and will power to compete jobs and every single client I have done work for since I’ve been here has used my company for second and third projects and/or have referred me to friends and co workers.
For people wanting to hire someone: look for little things in your next contractor; has business cards professionally done; has signage on their WORK TRUCK not their mom or wife’s geo metro; takes their shoes off when in your home; has a website or Facebook page that shows work they’ve actually done (not from some generic stock photo); check the date the website/Facebook page was created and that will give a better indication on when they started the company; look for date stamps on photos; BBB look for bad reviews (if they are listed, that does not mean they are a bad company—it means they don’t need or want to pay for a high grade); will provide a written contract or a written estimate for small or large jobs. If they want you to get a second and third quote for a job, it means they are confident in their work and price. If you do not feel comfortable with them don’t use them. Don’t rely solely on review websites. Search “BBB scam,” “angies list scam,” “Yelp scam,” or fill-in-the-blank review website scam. You will find that any one can pay for a better rating or for fake reviews. —Tired of cleaning up other peoples messes
This article appears in Jan 29 – Feb 4, 2015.
Look chappy, it means work for you. Why bitch?
Thanks for the public service announcement Mr. Holmes. Fuck off! Since you are now the come-from-away with signage on your WORK TRUCK and professional business cards your business will boom! It isn’t like you are not being paid to rectify the problems of a previous contractor. Ya doing this for free? Shut the fuck up.
COMPLETING A PROJECT COMPLETELY: THE SKILLS & THE WILL
“In a town of 38,000. I have come across seven ‘companies’ who (sic) did not have the skill to bid a project properly, did not have the skills to complete a project completely, or have the will to complete a project completely (let alone do it within a set time frame).” Tired of cleaning up other peoples (sic) messes
Clearly a great deal is involved in completing a project completely. Not only does it involve the requisite skills but it also involves the power of the will to set those skills into operation. However, there is the conceptual difficulty concerning just how one is to complete a project completely since “to complete” something means just that, to complete it. In other words, the adverbial modifier “completely” is redundant, unnecessary and incoherent. Thankfully, you did not sign your name “Tired of cleaning up other peoples’ messes completely.”
A pleasure as always,
Cheerio!
How does one contact you?
Very wise advice, Mr. Tired. I’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt and filmed the movie. In Nova Scotia, these cockroach contactors are everywhere, even in small communities, where such work is a supplement to those on the dole.
As a resident of rural Nova Scotia, I know finding good, reliable people for contracting-type purposes can be trial-and-error. The concept of time eludes them. Some good points there OP, thanks for the post.
Rule 1 – proof of WCB coverage.
Rule 2 – If no WCB coverage just say ‘No thank you’
Reminds me of that old Pete Seeger song. Everybody join in now!
Where have all the carpenters gone, long time passing?
Where have all the carpenters gone, long time ago?
Where have all the carpenters gone?
Gone to Alberta, every one.
Oh, when will they ever learn?
Oh, when will they ever learn?
He speaks the truth, and I appreciate his professionalism. The clueless fools like Koda are part of a culture where doing a good job is actually bad practice.
I’ve learned that in maritimes, you have to demand good work, or you just won’t get it. People here call it ‘fancy’, but the civilized world knows this as ‘quality work’