I'm having some trouble with my contractor, and I'm not sure if I'm being unreasonable. I got several quotes before going with him, mainly because he's a friend of my dad and lives nearby. I'm managing the material purchases myself and paying for labor. The total quote for my master bedroom remodel is $8k, with popcorn removal and refinishing plus recessed lights at $4.5k, and tile installation for multiple rooms at $3.5 per sqft—as I planned on removing the old flooring myself. The initial rough measurement he provided was for 1000 sqft, so I estimated a tile job cost of $3.5k. However, after measuring everything myself, I discovered it only came out to 750 sqft. I later wanted to include an additional 65 sqft for the utility room, but he said that would be an extra $200 for labor because the initial estimate included some extra work like fixing and painting the mouldings. I'm not happy with this because when I asked him to recheck the measurements, he flatly refused, insisting we agreed on 1000 sqft. I'm really close to canceling the tile job and looking for a different contractor altogether. I should also mention that he's not licensed and we don't have a written contract, just a handshake. Given that he's 70% done with the bathroom renovation and started on the ceiling, am I wrong for questioning this?
4 Answers
While I understand your frustration, you did agree to a rough estimate based on that 1000 sqft. Adding on work usually does cost extra, so he’s somewhat justified there. If you were planning to challenge him about the measurements, that should have happened before committing. Just a heads up, changing the scope like that often leads to misunderstandings.
When he mentioned 1000 sqft, did he specify that it was a hard number? That sounds more like a ballpark figure to me. If so, then it seems reasonable for you to question adjustments, but only up to a point. You may need to evaluate what you can live with before deciding to jump to a new contractor.
Exactly! He measured right for the bathroom, so I assumed he'd do the same for the tile job later. I figured I could just buy a bit extra for waste.
Honestly, if he's unlicensed and there's no written agreement, I'd say it's totally fine to look for someone else. You don't need any risks in a project like this, especially when you're already unsure about his measurements and pricing. Just make sure to wait until he finishes up the bathroom and ceiling since he's invested some time into those jobs.
Good point! But it’s tricky. I just wonder if waiting to finish those up is the right move considering you've already paid him for some work.
The price he's giving you for tile labor is actually quite low. If his work is solid, it might be worth sticking with him despite the hiccups. Just check what other contractors are quoting—but at $3.50/sqft, you're getting quite a bargain! How do the other quotes look?
I got a low of $2.5/sqft for labor, and the highest was $4.5/sqft. His work in the bathroom looked really good, though he used smaller tiles which are easier to cut. I’m a bit nervous about the larger 32x32 tiles for the living room, though, since he doesn’t have a tile saw.
Totally with you on that! I've learned that it's crucial to get everything written down before starting any project. You might even want to let him finish and then get a new person for the tile installation.