Red Flags?

Second Look

In my limited experience, my worst customers have been the ones who complained about a former contractor. The next time I encounter a customer like that I'm going to add about a 20% PITA factor to my proposal.

What are YOUR red flags?

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Second Look home improvement www.SecondLookHome.com
Handyman and Home Repair Specialist in Rhode Island
RI Licensed Lead Safe Remodeler/Renovator, RI Registered & Insured Contractor

slickshift

"...settlement from the lawsuit..."

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Quote:

Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

Second Look

That's a good one.

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Second Look home improvement www.SecondLookHome.com
Handyman and Home Repair Specialist in Rhode Island
RI Licensed Lead Safe Remodeler/Renovator, RI Registered & Insured Contractor

Tom R

That, - - in my opinion, - - is the biggest red flag.

I completely avoid those types of customers anymore.

Nothing good can come out of it.

Chris G

Agreed. Why do people think that it's a good thing to mention?

Another one is, "If you do this for $***, (read: a discount), there will be some bigger dollar projects for you down the road".
No there won't, because he'll just look for a new sucker to use the same line on.

skylands

In my limited experience, my worst customers have been the ones who complained about a former contractor. The next time I encounter a customer like that I'm going to add about a 20% PITA factor to my proposal.

You have to add a whole lot more then 20%. You need to add the cost of the lawyer who does the background check for liens, lawsuits, stopwork orders and so on.

There's a reason why the last contractor is NOT there anymore. You need to do research to find out why. You could be working there and find out that the last guy was working without a permit. Or you could find out that the HO has been in default in the payments to the last guy.

But without a doubt, if the HO couldn't get along with the last guy, what makes you think he will give you any respect?

dougchips

I believed that story the first 10 or so times I heard it. Now I just roll my eyes and give the expression that they are full of it.

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PressurePros

Dead-on. Had a lady show me ten different projects which she thought were performed by sub par contractors. We got a few drips of oil on her asphalt driveway and she has been holding $800 final payment. Lien filed, red flag noted.

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Gordo

When you ask them a direct question....they provide a 'dodgey' answer. You ask it again and they change the subject.

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Looks like some pros were here.

JamesNLA

The OP subject is SO true. I had a lady tell me that her former contractor layed down plywood after doing a complete flooring tear out. They tiled it over, and she sued him because the laminants in the plywood were causing her to get sick. She sued and wound up setteling with this poor guy for 300K. She also sued her roofer for the same thing. Little did I know she was a complete PITA. Once I gave her her final invoice, she was in tears (it was rather high, but accurate) got the check and went to the bank to cash it out. LAter that night I get a call (message rather) she tells me she has stopped payment on the check and is having another contractor come to look over everything I did to see if the price was accurate. I laughed at that one, as I already had the cash. However I did not charge for the repeated trips to her house to address the stupidest things and all the time I spent attempting to make her happy. She got rather mouthy with me on morning and I lost it. I cursed at this old bag like no ones business. I was almost in tears from screaming so loud. Ruined my whole morning....but I looked in my wallet and all was good again.

Point is, when they speak of bad previous contractors....your up next!

mikesewell

That, by itself, will not work. You'll get eaten alive. Bad customers have to be avoided at all costs.

I have thousands of them. If I sold them to you for $1000.00 apiece you would be getting a bargain.

The best advice that I can give you is that you have to be PERCEPTIVE and TOUGH.

Just like boxing...

C# or you will Bb.

Best regards,
Michael

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Commercial construction

Sewell Construction

Glasshousebltr

Good thread!

Don't ya just wish you could make em happy to live in Greensburg Kansas.

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Bob

nywoodwizard

Its the ones who say i don't have much money,is this going to be expensive? I say no because if i do the job its going to save you money by not hiring some idiot to do the job,so look at it like a 50% savings

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wackman

Red flags:

"Can I meet you to pay for the materials"?

"Do we have to get permits"?

"My cousins friend said he could do the electrical in the evenings".

"I'm a construction litigation attorney". (true story)

"I'm a circuit court Judge" (which to me means "I'm a very accomplished lawyer", another true story)

"My security system has cameras and microphones" (again, true story)


One guy had stuffed animals all over in every room of his apartment..creepy enough to be a red flag.

One lady won't let us, or anyone else, in her house without her there so she takes time off work whenever she needs work done. Still gives me red flags even though we've done work for her for years.

I'll think about this all day now, great thread.