I just breezed through the body of the message and am responding to, "but my contractor said..."

Nearly 20 years ago my contractor said that the cranks on crank open windows were improved and wouldn't strip and become inoperable like the ones we were replacing. Nope. Those expensive Pella windows have had to be opened with a pair of pliers for 15 years now. Oh yes, I tried a claim with Pella, twice, and I still have windows that need to be opened with pliers.

I don't know who made the mechanisms for the cranks to our windows...because they came with the house...but we've been here 13 years and they all work quite well. They say "Entryguard" on them. Of ALL the windows in our house...the only one that is stripped is one in what used to be an auxiliary apartment. I suspect abuse there. And I'm talking a total of 26 windows.

MY contractor told me we didn't have to remove the old tile before laying the new duraplank flooring. (Which I offered to remove, because I knew he couldn't touch it as it is 1966 vintage and almost certainly has asbestos in it.) No, no, he said...we'll go over top...encapsulate it...it'll be fine.

Well...MOST of it has been fine. Except where the old tiles lifted...ugh. Luckily my handyman is a wizard. AND I had the good sense to buy an extra box of vinyl planks "just in case."

I was so naive over 20 years ago when I had a small kitchen renovated. Shoddy workmanship in my opinion...all-in-all the kitchen was better, but (this is a generalization) they don't listen to what you ask for, they don't take notes, they don't share the passion you have for the vision of your project, they always try the cheapest way out, they are inconsistent in scheduling...I could go on and on, but I have seen the awful things that have happened to other folks here and my issues were minuscule compared to some of the huge costly projects that get botched.

Contractors should be the guiding light of the project, they should know when something won't work, they should have everything measured correctly, they should oversee their workers to assure proper installations, they should be trustworthy and stand behind their work. If there are gaps in communications, they are the experts and should try to close the gaps and keep their customers informed.

We have a contractor that is a riot. We have been using him for almost 8 years. He is Polish and smokes heavily. He and his brother do all the work. (roof windows support walls plumbing electric framing tiling three stair cases etc) He has done all the major work to two of our homes. He does not talk a lot and will disapear from the job and then show up a few days later because he is juggling jobs. BUT he is amazing. Just on of a million examples; when we were converting our second floor which was an apartment for a two flat my husband and I had figured out where we wanted bedrooms and closets and had put blue tape on the floor to indicate so. He came to the house and I showed him where we wanted everything and he quietly listened and then asked if we wanted his idea I said yes and ten miniutes later I was on the phone with my husband at work telling him that the contractor had a better idea and due to our trust in his work my husband said yes without even seeing what was going to be done. When we did the bacement in our first home we just said do what you want and how much will that be. We often have to argue for him to take more money as he will just do thing that were not agreed upon that are not up to his standards. When he did that bacement he replaced the stairs so that they would not be so steep for the kids. He didn't even ask I just noticed no stairs and then new stiars. People I know who use him will wait months for him because his work is so good and his price is amazing. But we all know you have to wait and expect him to disapear and then show up early one morning with no warning. For some people that is too crazy.

My contractor is a dream. Energetic, smart, articulate and creative. He listens to me, considers, offers suggestions, never judges but has told me a few times my ideas are a little nuts (then produces fantastic results the correct way) and his fees are reasonable. I'd never hire anyone else to work here.

He was brought in on a past kitchen renovation to do some electrical work and I was so impressed with him and his crew he's my first phone call. I give out his number whenever I am asked for a referral.

I sleep with my contractor so I get exactly what I want ;-)

Dlm, I envy your circumstance. I sleep with an economist.
I have loved him dearly for 30 years and wouldn't trade him for anything, but as to usefulness...?? Not so much.

I get what you're saying, Bronwynnsmom- I've learned and grown personally from working on home projects along side contractors. If it doesn't kill you....

Though I've never slept with my contractor- I have worked with a couple of special contractors like "both" writes about- these contractors are inspiring and not at all the norm...

But I think the original post is about the homeowner more, our part in the process, our rights AND our responsibility.

I'll save the stories of learning the hard way with tears streaking down my construction dusted face--
Bronwynsmom put it consisely-- specify! Nailing it all down up front, can't be emphasised enough- and will never elimiate suprises. My last contract was more like a detailed plan- even the brand of screws to be used in the cement board was specified- and the contract and my inspiration photos were posted in the space for everyone's reference.

And, you gotta stand toe-to-toe for what you want- unless code or their reasoning truly convinces you otherwise-- even if you can't explain to them WHY your way is better design, you'll need to insist that they trust you- and you'll have to trust yourself first.

One of my contractors said

"I know you drew a line on the wall and labeled it 'the gas line *has to go here', but usually they go in the middle and I just thought you didn't know what you were talking about."

@ palimpsest- now that's an honest contractor

My contractor took the opportunity of my absence for a couple of days, to take TEN INCHES off the width of the little bathroom which I had already purchased fixtures for.....he then installed a toilet on the back side of the wall, and I could not justify moving that to regain my lost ten inch width. Result was, I had to find another lavatory which would fit the shallower spot opposite the pocket entry door, so you'd have somewhere to stand after showering and the door was closed.

Next, I was waiting for him to tell me when he'd be back to finish the bath remodel to turn the old bath into an ensuite master, which required a bumpout for a tub and a walkin closet. I was not sure how long it would take to deliver the tub. In May of this year, he told me to go ahead and order it so it would be here in a couple of weeks when he began that bumpout construction. I ordered the tub, along with all the hardware, and they arrived. With no place for a clawfoot slipper tub inside, it sat on a pallet covered for a full two months, until about two weeks ago I found someone to help me bring it into the house. I did not want some hurricane to crash a tree down on it, and the fence guys were coming to complete the privacy fence and had to get materials around the tub.

Upshot of all this is, we still have not heard from this contractor, who up to this point had been a friend as well as a nearby neighbor, dating my neighbor across the street. I've been sitting here in Mobile to keep an eye on the work, instead of joining my DH up in Massachusetts, where we are trying to get THAT house ready to go on the market next spring. It is extremely depressing to not get this project done....because I am hot to then begin the kitchen redo, my very favorite improvement for this little house.

Yeah, right now the alternative contractor is working on a job for BP, the oil company, and hopefully that will soon be done...at least I hope BP is soon out of all our lives and we can have our contractors working on our houses.

I'm definitely NOT going to walk away and let this critical little expansion of our space be done without my approval. I am alone here and not too experienced about construction details, and the resulting consequences we'll have to live with....but I do have a DH who is a phone call away and he is an engineer with lots of moxy and a good builder to boot. The finishing work will be done by US, all they have to do is the bones and the roof and the exterior stucco, and of course a good foundation. Clerestory windows, and nothing that will open, except for installing a really nice stained glass window which is in the west wall as you sit looking at it from the bathtub. I wouldn't have gotten this antique window, except, "the contractor said..." he thought it would look good. Yeah, it will, but no thanks to HIM. I hope it doesn't break before it is installed.

I assume, moccasinlanding, that you have fired that contractor and withheld payment? The things you are describing are beyond unacceptable. If you had specified the dimensions and the placements, he should have redone your small bath to your specs at his own expense.
If I were you, I wouldn't let this guy within a mile of my house.

Oh, don't get me started.

I once had a Russian paint contractor look at my color choices for my house -- a pale yellow and dark green. He hemmed and ummm'd and finally said, in his Russian accent, "But those colors are... they are... yooo-glee."

Needless to say, he didn't get the job.

But now I have a new word in my vocabulary. Yooo-glee.

: )

I too have read some of the crazy things that happen with a contractor. I think Both's contractor and mine come from the same source.

I count my blessing for my GC. He listens, he also changes, he asks questions, give suggestions and fixes things that we never even discussed. And becuase I am on a limited budget, and with all of the things that have gone wrong, or should I say he has found (my house is over 100 years) he still works with me.

I waited two years just to have my halls done. He is juggling several jobs and like Both says dissapears for a few days. It's just him and his partner and they do amazing work.

My kitchen is about 40% done, my bathroom maybe another 40% but amazing! I am so happy with my GC.

MadamG2U