My experience 😑
High cost work with little to no accountability.
You can count on them doubling the estimate every single time, and you have to keep on them just to make sure the work gets done.
Just had one set of subcontractors throw away material for other fixes… Lead group days that the ones involved are no longer a part of the project, so we’re on the hook for even more.
Thinking back, i have always been unhappy with the work done by a contractor. I’m not asking for much, painters paint an area, plumbers stop leaks, drywall dudes fix the water damage… And the job is always left with areas unpainted, pipes not connected, and holes in the drywall that were not there before.
Have you ever been happy with a contractors work? What did they do for you?
Sure, yes. And even more often impressed with the work we got done ‘under the table’ so to speak - jobs we asked for done by people who did work on the side, we have an electrician who works commercial jobs but does side gigs, he put hurricane proof lights and fans on our back porch, it turned out exactly as I wanted and did survive a hurricane. We have a plumber friend who does side work on weekends.
Also the permitted and legally sanctioned work has been good. Happy with the guys who did the roof, and with our windows, happy with the work we got done when we moved in (moving walls and plumbing around).
I love to negotiate, in general, but absolutely do not when contracting for house renovations. I pay what they ask for. Might ask if there is a more affordable solution or do some of the work to help some if time permits, and do get multiple quotes on some of it, but with a couple of exceptions we have been so happy with the work done to our house. I have a clear vision and am able to communicate it, and I guess it has all been possible to do.