The Most Common Mistakes Contractors Make

Hiring a good contractor can be tricky. There are plenty of horror stories floating around the internet about contractors who happily accepted an unlucky homeowner's deposit and the first couple of payment milestones, without doing any actual work. Or accounts of a contractor whose skillset was so shoddy that anyone with an ounce of interest in DIY projects could have likely done a better job.

The worst part is that even when you do your research and hire a great contractor, they are still vulnerable to making mistakes. The good news is that if you know what mistakes to keep an eye out for ahead of time, you can prevent most of them from happening. Some mistakes are avoided during the hiring process and just take a few more rounds of interviews and research to weed them out. Yet, others can be made by even the most seasoned of contractors and require healthy communication on both sides to overcome. We've dealt with many contractors in our day, so here are the most common mistakes they make (and how to easily fix them).

When you hire a contractor for a smaller job, you usually just work with them directly. This means that if you want a built-in bookshelf installed, the person you researched and hired shows up, does the work for you, and goes home. However, if you are having larger work done, like getting your roof redone or your foundation fixed, you will be working with an entire team instead of just one person.

If you find yourself in this situation, be sure to check all credentials to avoid lousy work. You don't want the lead contractor to be a master of his craft, but be employing untrained workers to do the actual day-to-day repairs. When hiring, be sure to ask about the allocation of responsibility in the contractor's business. Does he subcontract work out to day workers? Does he have a full-time team that he knows well? Or, maybe it's a mix of the two. To avoid surprises and poor work, it's important to get the lay of the land beforehand. You can also check online review sites before hiring to get a good idea of how satisfied past clients have been with the completed work.

Something to be careful of when working with contractors is the way you communicate your plans. When you are doing a walk-through of the job site, it's easy to have a verbal back-and-forth about taking down walls, tile colors, and so on. However, to avoid a disaster, be sure to always have written instructions and agreements, instead of just verbal ones. It can be so easy to mishear someone, or even misunderstand what they are asking about.

Written plans also provide you and your contractor with a small insurance policy. If you are ever unhappy with the work being done, you can refer back to the written plan. If it differs, you know you are in the right and the contractor will need to fix the problem on their end. However, if you have a written plan and casually mention, "Oh, I was just thinking of doing this instead," it can be hard for them to keep track. This is especially true if you aren't their only client. Even if your contractor does call you to ask a question or approval, be sure to send a quick text or email right after the phone call to summarize what you talked about.

There is an old saying that goes, "Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong." In construction, this is usually true. Things that you did not plan for are going to come up during work. Your contractor might find mold in the HVAC system or wood rot in a load-bearing wall. They might even discover the tile you want to order won't be available for another six months.

Individually, none of these things are disasters. They are setbacks, but can usually be addressed without too much stress or financial hardship. The problem comes when contractors run into an issue like this and solve it on their own. In your job, your boss might like it if your show some autonomy in making decisions; however, when your home is on the line, it's more reasonable for you to always be consulted. To avoid this issue of your contractor making the wrong choice or one you have not agreed to, it's essential to have a plan for contingencies ahead of time. They should not just order the second choice tile because they assume you won't want to wait. They should always ask you — in writing — how you would like to move forward.

If you don't keep a close eye on things, an inexperienced contractor might accidentally damage other parts of your home. This could be a small fix, like tracking dirt across your carpet, or a larger one, like knocking over an heirloom vase. To avoid conflict, be sure to lay ground rules before work begins.

The first thing you need to do is establish what parts of your home the contractor and their team can have access to. If you are getting a new roof installed, can the team come inside to use the restroom, or should you rent a portable toilet for their convenience? If you are getting a new bookshelf put in downstairs, then you should make it clear you don't expect to see anyone upstairs. Yet, limiting access isn't the only type of boundary to establish — you can also set smaller rules, too. Things like no shoes in the house, or a request to wear shoe protectors are common ones to ask. These should all be discussed before work begins to avoid any awkward moments.

A plumber, an electrician, and a bricklayer have very different skill sets and should be hired separately. When you are completing a major renovation of your home, you may need to hire each of these professionals. Yet, choosing a plumber who also dabbles in electricity is a bit like hiring a English teacher to tutor you in physics. Both are likely experts in their fields, but they don't always have the crossover skillset necessary to do good work.

Instead, be sure to interview and hire each of your contractors separately. Typically, those with good standing in the industry will be able to make recommendations to you for other tradespeople they often work with. If you enjoy the personality and quality of work from your first contractor, consider acting on their recommendation. The only reason you would not need to interview and hire your team separately is if you hire a general contractor that comes with a team of their own. In this instance, you would trust their reputation and portfolio, and that the team they choose to bring on board for your project is the same that produced the results you admired when doing your research.

Not all states require that a contractor be licensed to practice their trade, but working with a licensed contractor is typically less of a headache. This is because it can be pretty easy to pick up a trade, but being "legit and legal" means there is more work going on behind the scenes. To receive a license from the state, an individual must take an exam to ensure they understand applicable state laws and best practices. They must also pass an extensive background check.

When working with a general contractor, sometimes they are the only one who holds a license, while their subcontractors do not. This means that all those workers are operating on the authority of their boss' license. Should anything go wrong, that person is legally bound to take responsibility for it. Just like insurance, it's reasonable to ask about a contractor's state license before hiring them. Request to see a copy of it before signing any contracts. If they do not have one, be careful about moving forward.