If you own a property, chances are you have engaged in the time-honored adventure known as “hiring a contractor.” You’ve probably also learned that contractors operate inside of their own separate reality, where time moves differently and words often mean completely different things.
Making it worse? Even when you’ve done your due diligence, you can’t always believe what contractors say. Not all contractors outright lie to you, but some will—and others will simply say stuff they think is true, but really isn’t. Here are nine things your contractor might say that you should never believe without checking it out.
“Yes, we can get it done in a month”
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When discussing a job with you, a contractor has a lot of motivation to tell you what you want to hear. This often includes making the job sound like it will be fast, easy, and cause little disruption to your life. This is especially true if you are pushing for the job to be done on a specific timeline. If you tell your contractor you really want the bathroom reno done in one month, they will probably assure you it can be done. Three months later, you’ll probably still be showering at the gym. This isn’t always a nefarious action—no one can control the supply chain, and subcontractors do flake out and fail to show up, pushing schedules. But if your timelines aren’t in writing, don’t expect anyone to stick to them (and even then, see the previous sentence).
“The grout will cover that”
When you’re having some tile work done in your bathroom or kitchen and you notice that some of the tiles are off-center or unevenly spaced or there are chips on the edges, you might be told not to worry about it, because these imperfections will magically vanish when the grout is applied. To an extent, grout does hide imperfections—but it won’t magically make crooked tile straight, and it can even highlight chips and other damage.
“We always get half up front”
It’s not unreasonable for a contractor to ask for money up front. This could include paying for necessary materials and a small down payment on the job to hold your place on their schedule. While legal maximums on down payments vary from state to state, a good rule of thumb is about $1,000, or 10% of the total cost of the job. If the contractor insists they always get 50% down—or more—they’re probably shifting cash flow problems onto you, or planning to walk away with the money and never show up again.
“We don’t do contracts”
If you’re talking about a small project that requires a handyman, you might not need a contract. But major renovations or repairs should always involve getting everything in writing. If your contractor says they never use contracts, they’re either lying or simply not reliable. Walk away.
“We were just in the neighborhood”
If a contractor ever shows up at your house uninvited and tells you they’re working nearby and happened to notice something wrong (with your roof, for example), offering to do the repair cheap since they’re nearby anyway, politely decline. This is a common home improvement scam. These folks work a neighborhood, collecting money, and either do poor work or simply vanish.
“The bid is all-inclusive”
Never take a contractor’s word that the bid they’ve given you covers everything—read it and ask questions. Do they specify trash removal and cleanup? Will they be present for inspections? If you requested specific materials or finishes, is it there in writing? This may be in good faith, but you still shouldn’t believe them on this.
“We’re fully licensed and bonded”
A contractor tells you they’re licensed. Great! You should then ask what they’re licensed in, and where they’re licensed. There’s a difference between a business license and a contractor’s license, and licensing often specifies what a contractor is legally qualified to do. If the contractor you hire to do masonry work is actually licensed as a plumber, or only has a business license, you may not be legally protected if the work goes poorly.
“We’ve considered every scenario”
If your contractor tells you that they’ve covered every scenario in their bid and scope of work, doubt. This is usually not a purposeful lie, but no matter how much effort you and your contractor put into predicting every possible problem or unexpected challenge in a renovation or repair project you will fail, and something unexpected will come up. And that unexpected thing won’t be in the scope of work, and will cost you extra.
“You don’t need a permit”
Never believe a contractor who tells you that you don’t need a permit for the work you’re hiring them to do. Maybe you don’t! Or maybe the contractor just doesn’t want to go down to the local construction office at 7AM and spend an hour getting one. They may not be lying, but don’t believe them—make a phone call or fire up the local interwebs and find out for yourself.
The majority of contractors are honest, highly skilled professionals who will improve your home. But when it comes to dealing with them, the key phrase to remember is “trust—but verify.”