What to Do When a Contractor Does Poor Work
How to Deal With a Contractor'due south Poor Workmanship
Before we bound in, don't miss out on part ane of our Bad Contractor series: How to spot a Bad Contractor.
Most of u.s.a. have known people who endured renovation nightmares after hiring a bad contractor who performed shoddy work at their dwelling house. Sadly, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Over 50% of homeowners written report having a negative experience with their remodel or complaining of a bad contractor. Many homeowners mention poor workmanship as the chief reason for their dissatisfaction.
Here at GreatBuildz, a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orangish Canton, Ventura & San Diego with reliable general contractors, we speak to homeowners every mean solar day who want to get connected with honest, reliable pros to ensure they don't get stuck with a bad contractor who does shoddy work.
At that place are many ways that you can stop up with poor workmanship – here are some tips and guidance to help you avoid that or find ways to solve these issues that accept arisen with a bad contractor.
If you haven't already started your project and hired a contractor, here are a few things y'all should practise in lodge to forbid bad workmanship. By far the most important thing yous demand to practice is rent a quality, reputable and honest contractor.
Hire a Reputable GC to Avert Poor Workmanship
A practiced contractor would never cut corners to salve a buck; they put too much value on their reputation and make it their highest priority to make certain the client is satisfied now and in the long run. They want you to be and then happy that you'll recommend them to friends for many years to come up. On the other hand, a bad contractor doesn't care about the project results and just wants to become paid and move on.
Before hiring a contractor, make sure to call a few of their references and ask them to confirm that they were fully satisfied with the quality of the contractor's work. If they did a dandy job for other clients, you tin can be confident he will do the same for you. Besides, you lot should express your expectations to the contractor clearly upfront.
At GreatBuildz, we require all our contractors to sign a 20-bespeak "Code of Comport" describing our expectations of their behavior with our customers, including the following language nearly quality to prevent shoddy piece of work: "If I notice a potential quality result during the project, I will warning homeowner immediately, so we can discuss options to proceed or ideas to correct." Homeowners should require these types of commitments from their contractors.
In one case a renovation is started, I'd suggest the homeowner cheque on job progress a few times per calendar week, and at least once a week together with the contractor or project director. Simply information technology's as well important to walk the job alone. When the contractor is there to walk the job with you, information technology's your opportunity to ask questions and address concerns.
Withal, it's as well nice to view the project progress alone so you can accept your fourth dimension looking carefully at the quality of the work and the functionality of the infinite. If you run across whatever issue or have whatsoever concerns near potentially bad work, it's best to address them as soon as possible and let the contractor address them immediately instead of waiting till the end. In order to achieve this, the homeowner should be checking the quality of the renovation on a regular footing, not just at the stop.
It'due south Too Late – Bad Quality Work Already Happened
Once yous're in the centre or cease of your renovation, finding contractor'south poor workmanship tin can be a stressful experience and can sometimes lead to a contractor dispute. This issue is not e'er straightforward considering the idea of a 'quality' finished product can vary between the client and the contractor. Some contractors will observe shoddy work, be information technology role of their work or an existing condition of the home, but say zip to the client in hopes they won't observe.
And then, at the stop of the job, the client notices this poor piece of work, just now it's very difficult to accost because the job is completed. Alternatively, a contractor might use materials that happen to be on the 'back of their truck', regardless of whether they are the right part for the task or maybe used or damaged.
Sometimes it's difficult to tell if a quality outcome or concern is caused past shoddy piece of work or but the existing conditions of your home. Although it's often not totally visible to the naked centre, you can exist sure that your business firm is not perfect. The older the firm is, the more likely information technology's starting to see issues like structural settlement, drywall/plaster imperfections, older systems, etc. These imperfections can sometimes make information technology difficult to create a perfect remodel without fixing the underlying bug first, even if your renovation has nothing to practise with these areas of the home.
An instance is replacing a kitchen. When a contractor goes to install upper kitchen cabinets, they oftentimes find that older ceilings are not perfectly square any more. If they endeavor to install these cabinets against a slightly sloping ceiling, you'll end upwardly with an cruddy gap above some of the cabinets, and it will seem like poor workmanship. The solution is to 'float' the ceiling to arrive totally level again, but most people don't call up nearly that as a necessary part of a kitchen renovation.
In some cases, homeowners struggle to determine if the issue that they encounter is really shoddy piece of work by and bad contractor or whether they are just existence also picky. Considering the average person doesn't actually know the standards of construction work, sometimes it's hard to tell what is adequate and what is non.
Especially, as you become close to the cease of the job, 1 tip I suggest is to hire a retired contractor or home inspector to come to your house and check the piece of work. Unlike near homeowners, this kind of person tin give you an experienced, unbiased opinion on the quality of the work, and they probably will charge you a pocket-sized fee for this service. If they are willing to write you some kind of uncomplicated 'report', that would also requite you some 'ammunition' in speaking to your contractor nearly the problem.
Why Practise Some Contractors Do Bad Piece of work
If you strongly believe the reason for poor workmanship is because you're working with a bad contractor, in that location may exist a few possible reasons this is occurring. Some contractors will have on also many jobs simultaneously and endeavor to blitz through the completion of your project, creating a potential for shoddy work.
Other contractors just don't manage their crews correctly or they get stretched too thin and might utilize the wrong staff person for a specific job. For example, the tile specialist is busy with other jobs, so they will have a framer or plumber install the tile at your job, with terrible results.
Regardless of the reasons, many homeowners seeing a contractor's poor piece of work will get so frustrated they might ask themselves: "What to do when a contractor does shoddy work?" or "Should I send a warning letter of the alphabet to contractor for non performing?". In some cases, the contractor's work is so blatantly poor task, a homeowner may wonder "How practice I sue a contractor for bad work?"
What Happens Side by side?
When a contractor'southward quality of work is poor or they are non performing up to your expectations, the very get-go thing to do is sit downward with them and have a chat almost your concerns. It's ideal to sit down down with the possessor/contractor in person and exist prepared with specific quality issues you want to hash out.
Too, make sure to be reasonable and tactful. Explain nicely and firmly that y'all are spending a lot of money on this renovation and you have certain expectations for the quality of the work. Allow the contractor know you are willing to compromise on some things, but in that location are several items that need to re-done or repaired in gild for you lot to exist happy and satisfied. Remind them that y'all both want the same matter…to accept the project washed right and that they become fully paid.
You need to remind yourself that your primary goal is to become the projection done and not get into a contractor dispute. If you lot decide to sue a contractor for shoddy work, it will only stop your project until the lawsuit is resolved, and the costs involved in a lawsuit are prohibitive. Plus, the odds are non good that you will go a positive outcome or a good monetary settlement.
Likewise, you can make up one's mind to fire your contractor and bring in a new one to finish the remodel, simply keep in mind that might exist quite a challenge. Your current contractor will still desire to get paid. Additionally, it'due south not very piece of cake to find a new contractor willing to cease someone else'due south shoddy work. However, if it'due south obvious that the quality of work is sub-par, you are within your rights to report a contractor or brand a merits with their Surety Bond or the contractor's state license board and even make up one's mind to file a lawsuit.
After y'all have an in-person chat, but before taking any of these major steps, you can consider emailing or sending a bad contractor a alarm letter for poor quality work. A first warning letter should be 'mildly' worded so that the contractor isn't offended but would ideally have information technology seriously and resolve the quality issues. An instance of a first warning letter of the alphabet is below:
Example Warning Letters for Poor Workmanship
First Warning Letter of the alphabet to Send for Poor Workmanship
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Contractor Business organization Name
Contractor Address
Re: ________________ (task address)
Dear Mr/Mrs. ______________:
I'm writing this letter about the renovation your company has been performing at my home. I appreciate all the work you have completed to engagement. However, as we've discussed, I am non satisfied with the quality of portions of your work. Beneath is a listing of quality issues:
- XXXXX
- XXXXX
- XXXXX
I understand that there are imperfections inherent in structure and I am willing to piece of work with you to reach a compromise that is reasonable to both of us. Regarding the items above, it is my stance that they don't meet the industry standard of quality. I intend to request an experienced 3rd party to inspect these items (retired contractor, home inspector, etc) and provide a written stance of their quality. If this person deems that in that location are quality deficiencies, I wait that you will right these or compensate me then that I tin hire someone else to correct these. My intention is to be totally reasonable and I will non expect y'all to repair any items that the expert believes are acceptable.
I'm certain that we tin come to an understanding on the quality that works for both of u.s. and motion by this issue and then that you lot can complete this projection and get paid. If we tin exercise this, I will be a happy customer and volition commit to provide you a good reference/recommendation and post positive reviews of your company online.
Thank you for your attention.
Hopefully, this alphabetic character is sufficient to go the contractor's attention and start a positive dialogue to become the issues resolved. Yous will have to keep rails of the repairs to ensure that the contractor is meeting their commitment. If, after a week or two, you're finding that there keep to be issues with contractor poor work quality , you may need to ship a second, more strongly worded alert letter for bad workmanship ….sample below:
Firm Poor Workmanship Warning Letter of the alphabet
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Contractor Business Name
Contractor Address
Re: ________________ (job address)
Dear Mr/Mrs. ______________:
I'thou writing this letter of the alphabet about the renovation your company has been performing at my home. I appreciate all the work you lot accept completed to engagement. Withal, every bit nosotros've discussed, I am non satisfied with the quality of portions of your work. Below is a listing of quality issues:
-
- XXXXX
- XXXXX
- XXXXX
I sympathise at that place are imperfections inherent in structure and I am willing to piece of work with you to accomplish a compromise that is reasonable to both of us. Regarding the items above, information technology is my opinion that they don't meet the industry standard of quality. I intend to request an experienced 3 rd political party to audit these items (retired contractor, home inspector, etc) and provide a written stance of their quality. If this person deems that there are quality deficiencies, I expect that you will right these or compensate me then that I can hire someone else to correct these. My intention is to be totally reasonable and I volition not expect you to repair any items that the expert believes are acceptable.
I'm certain that we can come to an understanding on the quality that works for both of us and motility past this issue and so that you can complete this project and get paid. If we tin can practice this, I volition be a happy customer and will commit to provide you a skilful reference/recommendation and mail service positive reviews of your visitor online.
If you're unwilling to repair the quality bug, I volition take no choice but to take ane or more than of the below deportment:
-
- Require you to stop piece of work so I tin bring in another contractor to make repairs to your work
- Withhold farther payment until repairs are fabricated
- Write negative reviews near your firm at online sites such equally Yelp, HomeAdvisor, etc.
- File a complaint with the Land Licensing Board or Attorney Full general
- File an action with the small claims court
- Make a claim against your bond or insurance policy
I'd rather not accept to take these actions. I'm sure both of united states of america desire the same affair: to get this project completed and become you paid.
Thank you for your attending.
Hopefully, these tips are helpful in resolving some of your issues with poor workmanship from a contractor. If yous accept any questions about your contractor or need assist with a projection, visit world wide web.greatbuildz.com.
Check out the other parts of this serial to learn more than nigh how to deal with bad contractors:
Part 1 – How to Spot a Bad Contractor Earlier It's Besides late
Function two – Dealing with Contractor Delays
Part three – Contractor's Poor Workmanship: How Y'all Tin Deal With Information technology
Office 4 – How To Bargain With Contractors Overcharging You
Part 5 – 8 Secrets Near Working With Contractors
When information technology comes to finding a reputable contractor for your project – GreatBuildz is simplifying the contractor search. GreatBuildz is a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange Canton, Ventura & San Diego with reliable, thoroughly screened full general contractors and provides project support from starting time to finish. Telephone call now (818.317.3567) to chat with a real person about your next renovation project or visit our website for more information: www.greatbuildz.com
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