Contractor woes - help!!!

Parent Cafe
1

My house was damaged. Insurance company gave me a very generous estimate for repairs. But now I have to find a contractor to do the repairs . . . and all of a sudden life isn’t so much fun anymore. Here’s what happened with contractors # 1 and #2:

Contractor #1: I showed him the insurance adjuster’s report, with a detailed list of ALL repairs that needed to be done, along with labor and materials costs. His response: “Sure, I can do that work for that price.”

Yeah, well, great . . . but I was really hoping to get the work done for something less than the adjuster’s cost, so I’d have a small cushion left over to do a couple of other things around the house. And an entire year has gone by, and he still hasn’t found the time to actually do the work, so time to move on . . .

Contractor #2: I showed him the damage to the house, but not the adjuster’s report. His response? “Oh, there’s just a small amount of work to be done - I can finish that in two days.” No, he doesn’t do written estimates, but he’s happy to guarantee that the whole job won’t cost more than a couple of thousand.

Meanwhile, more than half the issues identified by the adjuster (including some significant structural damage), he didn’t even notice. When I pointed them out, his response was, “Old houses always shift like that - that’s nothing that needs to be fixed.” Then he asked to see the adjuster’s report.

All I want to do is have a contractor look at the damage, actually identify all the things that need to be fixed (without me having to point them out), and then give me a written estimate that I can compare to the adjuster’s estimate. Is that so unreasonable???

The insurance company is being ridiculously generous (which they can afford to be - all the repairs are being paid for by the 3rd party who actually caused the damage!), but they won’t pay up unless all the work is actually done. So if I can get all the repairs done for anything less than the adjuster’s cost, I come out ahead. But if only half the work is done, then I lose. How would you handle this?

2

I would ask the insurance company if they have someone they can recommend. You need to find someone reputable, who can see what needs to be done, without showing the report.

3

Thank you - that’s what I needed to hear!

4

After moving and doing some decorative remodeling with a contractor that I like, but who has recently admitted to me he is ADHD (to explain his lack of dependability, although his work is good), I started asking around. I am hesitant to start over with a solo, contractor/handyman, so people have suggested companies such as Mr. Handyman, and Task Rabbit. People I know who have used these companies (at least in my neck of the woods) have been incredibly happy with their services… no more waiting around for someone to show up when they said they would, calling back, etc. That’s the route I will be going in the future. I’m tired of being told someone will be available in a couple of weeks to stop by and look at something, when in reality it’s going to be more like 3-4 weeks, and that’s only if I call them and remind them. Like I said, it’s really too bad, because he does do good work.

5

Have you considered Angie’s List?

If you would like to reveal roughly where you are located, people might be able to recommend someone. For example, my mother lives in mid-Fairfield County, CT, and has found someone who seems to do good work whom I could recommend. She also knows an excellent tiler. If you lived in Southern Maine, I might be able to make some recommendations.

6

@teriwtt I am in the middle of a two bathroom remodel and my contractor has major ADHD. My daughter has it, so I can recognize it in people. I always know when he’s in the house because he’s the only one that runs up the stairs in in 5 seconds flat. At first I thought it was great because he noticed when one of his workers had a slightly larger gap in a row of tiles, but I had a few problems last week. He forgot the niche in the shower and then he told me the tile order was 6 tiles short in the other bathroom, so I had them overnighted to me. Then he told me he needed another 6. Overnight shipments of tile aren’t cheap.

7

@Consolation - I’m actually in “out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere” New Hampshire. To the best of my knowledge, the closest CC’ers are still a good hour away . . . and the job isn’t big enough to hire someone who isn’t local. It just wouldn’t be worth their while.

I actually got several recommendations from a company nearby that specializes in new construction. My repair work isn’t something they’d be able to do, but they were able to give me the names of several local people whom they trust. So I have names . . . the question is what to expect of them. If it’s reasonable to ask them to come out and give me a written estimate (with labor and materials), then that’s what I’m going to do.

8

That sounds reasonable to me, as well as an estimate as to how long they believe it will take, start to finish.

9

I would recommend the following:

Create a separate typed list titled 'Scope of Work ’
Organize the items into chronological order if you can figure it out
Do not put any costs on list
Include the extra items you want done
Make sure that you include all cleanup and hauling of debris and especially any drywall repairs needed
you probably should include repainting any areas affected by the repairs

If the repairs include cosmetic items (such as paint color, lighting or fixtures), Do Not let the contractor select and purchase the items. Put the "installation "on the list and state they will be supplied by you. Purchase them and keep receipts for insurance company

Now you can go shopping for contractors and handymen and get quotes and estimates, emphasizing that work has to start on Date X and finish by his/her promised date

If you have Nextdoor website available in your neighborhood, post a message and everyone will have recommendations

10

If you think there are structural issues, I wouldn’t rely on a contractor’s advice - I would call a local structural engineer. Yes, that will cost a few hundred dollars, but it could save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run.

I say that as a structural engineer. Contractors are NOT qualified to make structural assessments, although they will tell you differently. We’ve seen it over and over.

11

Keep a receipt from the structural engineer and insurance should cover the as part of repair costs. Agree that is crucial!

12

A couple good ways to get contractor recommendations are through realtors and interior designers. Realtors in particular are pretty careful about who they use, since they depend on contractors to get houses ready for listing and delays impact their pocketbooks. Likewise for designers who have to rely on contractors to turn their visions into reality while keeping their clients happy.

Also it sounds like over the course of an entire year you’ve only talked to 2 contractors? You should talk to 4-6 right out of the gate. A good rule of thumb is that half will flake out completely, 25% will turn you off via unprofessional or questionable behavior, and you might get a reasonable quote from the other 25%.

I also wouldn’t rely on the contractor to spot everything that needs to be repaired. Make a list beforehand and walk through everything with them personally. That’ll help you to get more complete and accurate quotes. Oh and add 33% to whatever length of time they quote for doing the job.

13

Just remodeled a front porch and bathroom. Used a contractor we had used to add an addition. We found him by askng around. He definitely gives us a written estimate stating the work to be done and we both sign it. He requires some payment when he starts, another about mid way through and a final payment when the work is done.

One thing I have learned is,it always takes longer than estimated and the work begins later than told. Usually good contractors are not immediately available because they have lots of work. And they are also usually working several jobs at a time. They’re in demand and have to make a living.

We have our contractor on notice to do a minor remodel on another bathroom. I asked him to make sure he fits us in next winter, when he needs to work inside. But we will start to call him in Oct. or Nov. to remind him.

14

Why hasn’t the insurance company arranged this for you? Typically, they would use one of their preferred contractors who will do the work for the quoted amount, just as they would for an auto that needed repair after a crash.

15

I know that when I had a car accident and it needed to be repaired that the body shop told me that they had to do the work the adjuster identified and they had to charge what was in the adjusters quote. We could have had the work done for less but the body shop needed to work with the insurance company because that’s who paid them.

I have no idea if insurance companies work the same with house repairs but that has been our experience with cars. There was no pocketing of any money allowed.

16

Experienced remodeler here, with family in the business.

When you go in to the doctor, do you tell him what’s wrong or do you make them guess on everything?

Don’t get blinded by the dollar signs and cheap out on needed repairs. On the other hand, don’t make the contractor go looking and fix things outside the scope of what the insurance company will pay you for, (all houses have stuff wrong with them, don’t go looking for more trouble than you already know about because you’ll have to disclose it if you don’t fix it and ever want to sell the house.)

I would create a list of all the repairs your insurance company has indicated they would repair. I’d get a written estimate from the contractors on how long they think each task will take and how much they think it will cost. Have them break out materials and labor.

NEVER disburse funds until you know the subcontractors have been paid, or they can come after you and put a lien on your house, even if it was the contractor who didn’t pay them. Get it in writing that they’ve ALL been paid before you pay out anything more than materials to the contractor.

Never pay the contractor anything more than for materials until the work is done to your satisfaction. And only the materials as needed. Be a total hardass on this. Get him to give you the timeline for what he wants to fix when, and materials estimates from him in writing.

You’ll have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a decent contractor.

Expect the real cost to run about 30% over what a decent contractor estimates. The insurance company may appear to have given you a generous settlement, but I don’t think they’re in the business of throwing extra money around, and you may be surprised at how expensive the fix turns out to be.

Good luck, and I wish a lot of patience for you because you’ll need it.

17

I agree with making a list of what needs to be done. Some contractors are more conservative than others, you want done what YOU want done, not what they think needs to be done. It shouldn’t be a guessing game for them.

Get a written proposal with them, with their cost.

I agree that you could save some money by buying your own fixtures and paint. You may even want to paint yourself, especially if you want it done well. They probably won’t use a pro painter unless it’s a big job.

Don’t pay more than half up front and don’t pay the remainder until THEY ARE COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY DONE and all cleaned up. Learned this one the hard way…H and I got to move back a 200 lb plant that roofers had left in the middle of wherever.

I have to ask - how did someone manage to damage your house in a way that caused structural damage? Did they hit it with a car?

Also - you do need to call more people, as tedious as that is. Many won’t answer the phone or return your call, ever. Those that do might still flake out on the appointment. Those that show up might give you a really unreasonable estimate both price wise or time wise because they might be too busy to want your job. Keep looking.

18

“The insurance company is being ridiculously generous (which they can afford to be - all the repairs are being paid for by the 3rd party who actually caused the damage!), but they won’t pay up unless all the work is actually done.”

^^ This is strange. I was recently in a very similar situation when I had to recover the cost of some damages caused by an incompetent contractor. The contractor’s insurer mailed me a very generous check as soon as I sent them a signed release letter, and before any work has been done (or even started)

I always had great luck with Angie’s list - this is how I find most of my contractors. When you interview contractors, make sure to receive estimates in writing, with exact project description outlined in as many details as possible. If the project involves several phases, estimate the price of each phase separately, and pay only upon completion of each phase. This way, if you need to fire the contractor in the muddle of project, or if the contractor walks away before the job is finished, there will be no dispute how much you owe him, and you won’t have to recover your deposit.

Make sure the contractor is insured, and obtain his insurance certificate before signing the contract (you may also want to verify it with insurance company). Add project start and completion dates to the contract, and include penalties for late completion. Good luck!

19

Really, I would simply give a couple of contractors a list of what I want done and ask for a price. I would not be receptive to someone telling me an item on my list doesn’t “need” to be done. If I want it done just give me a quote please.

I would be wary of someone who does “not do written estimates.” That’s ridiculous unless he is going to give you a formal contract including a firm price before work starts. Absent something in writing you have no record of what he told you the work would cost. He could invoice you for twice the amount of what he verbally told you. Once work is underway they can slap a lien on your home for materials and labor. Get an estimate in writing - I have never had anyone attempt to deny me a written quote.

20

I also don’t know why you would make a contractor figure out what needs to be fixed if you already had a damage assessment done. Start by showing the list. The contractor may have ideas on which items on the list appear more serious and which can be addressed more cheaply.