If you're looking for a contractor in Bucks County, PA for your home renovation or remodel project, make sure you do your homework. We've heard too many stories of contractors ditching jobs, skimping on materials, or underquoting and overcharging. While these instances may seem extreme, they are all possible. Vetting your contractor before they hammer a single nail can prevent you from having to start the process all over again with a more limited budget, timeline, and comfort level.
We stand by the model of getting the job done right, the first time. It may be tempting to go with a cheaper home renovation project or a faster home remodel timeline, but in the end, you may not save yourself any time or money.
Unfortunately, the responsibility falls on you to weed out the good from the bad. But luckily, we've got a tool that can help you spot a shoddy contractor a mile away. Check out some tips from our eBook: Choosing a Professional Contractor at the end of this post.
We know these families wish they had vetted their contractors before letting them into their homes.
Contractor Horror Stories
“We hired a local contractor to redo our upper level and add a garage and bonus room -- the experience turned into an absolute nightmare that was extremely disruptive to our kids and to our lives.”
"Furniture was put into storage and we’re ready to start; only the contractor wasn’t. That week he called to tell us that he wouldn’t be able to start, as he didn’t realize the backlog the lumberyards were in and he would ultimately have to use a “higher grade” of lumber otherwise it would be another 4 weeks. Now here we are out 30K plus a lousy set of worthless plans. This guy does a couple of days of digging, pours some concrete and waits for inspection, but still no lumber. We find that the lumber will be just a little longer but it’s not a big deal he says, roof demo will still go on as planned. Week passes, nothing. Following week is inspection and still no lumber, but roof demo is slated to begin-soon. The following week the roof demo begins and the contractor shows up a couple days later with-guess what- a brand spankin’ new shiny $30,000 plus truck with all the bells and whistles. I know exactly where my 30K went because it sure isn’t invested in my house-it’s been a month since I wrote that check and we’re still waiting!"***
“After 20 months, the builder abandoned the project with hundreds of items left incomplete, including the floors and the heating and air conditioning system.” **
"Mrs. O’Connell and her husband got several estimates to build a fence but were discouraged by the cost and how long it would take to finish. All the contractors who bid told them the fence would cost at least $5,000 and take four to six weeks to put up... Then the couple found a contractor in the Yellow Pages who promised to build the fence for $2,000 and to do it in a week. They were thinking, ‘Thank God we found this guy! This is fantastic — those other people were going to rip us off.’ There was a rip-off involved, of course, but it was by the low bidder, not the other contractors. After pressuring Mrs. O’Connell to give him a $1,000 deposit for construction material quickly, he disappeared. He never showed up to build the fence, nor did he answer the phone calls Mrs. O’Connell made as the weeks dragged on." *
We don't want you to have a contractor horror story.
These situations are too common and we want to help you prevent it! Here are a few tips from our guide to choosing a professional contractor:
- Look for and ask about industry affiliations, awards, and certifications.
- Make sure when the contractor provides you an estimate that they also include a timeline for the project and a communication plan.
- Be careful of high-pressure sales processes. Often untrustworthy contractors want you to sign a contingency agreement.
Get the rest of our tips in our guide: Choosing a Professional Contractor.
