5 Signs You’ve Hired a Shoddy Contractor — and How Much It Could Cost You
Written by
Adam Palasciano
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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Renovating your home can help boost its value and create a more comfortable and enjoyable living space for you and your family. Whether it’s a bathroom remodel or a new kitchen, it’s always nice to refresh your home. However, renovations come with a big price tag.
Today, the cost of home renovations is steadily on the rise. Clever Real Estate indicated that despite higher construction costs, it’s estimated that homeowners will spend $485 billion on renovations in 2024 — up from $363 billion in 2020. This represents a 33.6% increase in spending over just four years.
Amid higher home renovation costs, many consumers are facing problems with unreliable contractors. Here are some important statistics regarding homeowner experiences with not-so-great contractors, according to a survey from Clever Real Estate:
- 53% say they used a contractor who went over budget on their most recent renovation.
- 46% say they hired a contractor who had significant delays during their renovation.
- 39% say they think their contractor cut corners on their renovation.
- 38% report having to make unplanned repairs after a contractor completed a renovation.
- 33% say their home renovations took an additional month because their contractor needed to get permits.
- 24% say they have trouble finding reliable contractors.
If you’re unsure about which contractor to hire for your next home renovation, you’ll want to avoid contractors with any of the following red flags. Here are five signs you hired a shoddy contractor, according to Levelset and Clever Real Estate:
1. They’re Overcharging You
Maybe your contractor’s estimate for your new kitchen was astronomical, or perhaps the price they quoted you for a basic bathroom model costs more than your new car. If you suspect your contractor is charging too much, they probably are. It’s important to get many estimates from a variety of contractors before hiring them for the job. Otherwise, you could be out of thousands of extra dollars that you didn’t have to spend.
2. They’re Unreliable
If your contractor shows up late to the job every day, doesn’t return your calls, texts or emails in a timely fashion (or straight-up ignores you), they’re obviously unreliable. Working with a contractor you can count on can provide peace of mind and ensure the job gets done correctly and on time.
3. The Quality of Work Is Poor
Instead of taking too long to complete the job at hand, your contractor might be going too quickly. If the tiles look crooked, if the cabinets aren’t fully secured to the wall, or if the grout lines aren’t filled in properly, they might be doing a poor job. Reviewing samples and getting reliable testimonials of your contractor’s previous work is critical so you aren’t wasting your money on someone who will cut corners.
4. You’re Not Their Priority
If your contractor said your kitchen remodel should only take three weeks, but now it’s week six and the job is only half complete, something is off. The job might be taking much longer than expected because they’re prioritizing higher-paying jobs over yours, even if they committed to working with you first. A good contractor finds a balance between managing smaller and larger jobs so they can keep all their customers happy.
5. They’re Trying To Upsell You
Maybe you only want the oak wood cabinets and they’re trying to sell you the cherry wood cabinets. Or, perhaps you’re fine with a composite bathroom countertop, but they’re pushing you to pick the one made of Italian marble. If you’re feeling pressured to spend more money on your renovations than you intended, your contractor could be upselling you. Instead, work with a contractor who listens to your needs and respects your budget.
Clever Real Estate explained that in 2023, 48% of homeowners spent at least $5,000 on renovations. Meanwhile, 37% spent at least $10,000. Fast forward to 2024, and homeowners are investing even more in their homes, with 44% saying they’re spending more on remodeling projects this year than they did last year. Some 45% of homeowners have reported to have already spent $5,000 or more on renovations, while 36% have spent $10,000 or more.
The trend of major spending on renovations is anticipated to continue in 2025. So, if you hire a shoddy contractor to get the job done, you could potentially be out of all (or most) of the money you spent on renovations if corners were cut, things break or fall apart or, in the worst-case scenario, the job has to be completely redone. Be sure to do your homework when choosing the right contractor so you can avoid having to spend another $5,000 or 10,000+ on redoing renovations.
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