Renovation Horror Stories: How One Bad Contractor Can Ruin Your Life
Don't become another victim. Learn the red flags of a bad contractor before it's too late.
"The best way to predict the future is to create it."— Peter Drucker
Your dream renovation can turn into a financial nightmare with one simple mistake: hiring the wrong contractor. People are so eager to get started that they fall for the oldest trick in the book: the low-ball offer. A contractor who comes in with a bid that's dramatically lower than everyone else's isn't giving you a deal; they're setting a trap.
This contractor is planning to make their money back through a series of "unexpected" problems and change orders that will inflate the price throughout the project. The materials will be cheaper, the work will be rushed, and they will cut corners you won't discover until after they're long gone and your new bathroom is leaking into your kitchen. The contractor you can't afford is the one who gives you the cheapest price.
The single most important thing you can do to avoid this is to check references. And don't just ask for a list of happy clients. Ask for the last three projects they completed. Call those homeowners. Ask them if the project came in on budget. Ask them if it was completed on time. Ask them if they would hire that contractor again. A reputable contractor will be proud to share their work. A shady one will make excuses. Don't let your dream project become a horror story because you were tempted by an offer that was too good to be true.