Signs of a Bad Contractor: From Being Late to Not Honoring the Contract

When remodeling, having a good contractor will make all the difference. Here are signs that a contractor is bad:

He/she is late for appointments with you.
If they can't be on time to discuss the job, it will only get worse. Give them 20 minutes to show up, but more than that shouldn't be necessary.

He/she doesn't have an established brick and mortar business.
Yes, the guy working out of his garage may be good, but are you willing to take that chance? You want someone who has a registered business should there be any problems.

He/she won't give you a specific detailed contract.
In this situation you should run far and fast. Any reputable business should be willing to give you everything in writing.

He/she doesn't want to listen to you.
You should be able to tell the contractor all of the details of the job. If one brushes aside the details, he will not be able to give you what you want.

He/she offers no communication.
You should frequently speak with the contractor and receive updates. The contractor should welcome your questions and talk openly with you about the project.

He/she asks for money outside of the agreed schedule.
Be very hesitant to hand over money that isn't due yet. If your contractor asks, make sure you get a full satisfactory explanation.

The contractor begins telling you that it is going to cost more than the contract says.
Get details, you need to know where the money is going. And be sure to get an explanation of why these expenses weren't originally accounted for. There are people who will try to raise the price in the middle of the project just because they have you over a barrel.

The contractor doesn't have a license or insurance.
If a he's reputable, he'll have both. Do your research, make sure his license is in good standing and his insurance is up to date.

The contractor doesn't want to give you references.
A contractor that does good work will not have any problems letting you talk to his past clients. And when speaking to the references be sure to ask questions about the contractor's work ethic.

Make sure all permits have been applied for and gotten. You down want an inspector showing up and shutting down your project. Even worse, you don't want to have your new kitchen torn out and redone.

Be vigilant, these are just a few things to look out for. When remodeling my dad's house, we didn't know what to look for. In the end, we had an unlicensed contractor who showed up when he felt like it. A 4-week remodel took over 6 months and tripled in price.