I'm currently dealing with a licensed contractor who was highly recommended. He did me a favor by giving me a quote for some repairs that helped during the closing process on my house. However, now that I'm trying to schedule about $20k worth of repairs, it's been a challenge. Despite having multiple conversations, an updated estimate, site visits, and materials delivered, I can't get him to commit to dates or even discuss payment terms. It feels like I'm constantly nagging him, which I hate. I can only assume that he's overwhelmed and disorganized since he runs his own business. Is this common among independent contractors? Should I just be more aggressive to get his attention? Or is it possible my project feels less important to him? I'm really perplexed by this situation and don't want to give up yet.
4 Answers
It’s quite typical for tradespeople to excel at their craft but struggle with the business side of things. Many of them aren't great at communication or managing schedules, and some don’t have a strong business background to begin with. Just keep in touch, but don’t be too hard on him.
Patience is key, I suppose. Just a bummer when you’re trying to get something done!
It’s not just contractors; you’ll find these organization issues across many professions. Many skilled people aren't wired for office work and scheduling. Usually, if someone is truly great at their trade, they might struggle with managing everything else.
Haha, I get that! I’ve been managing for years, and I still struggle with scheduling.
Exactly! You think they’d have more help or systems in place, but that isn’t always the case.
I hear you. I had a roofer who was amazing at his job but awful about the business side of things. He didn’t get back to me for ages after finishing the roof. They can be elusive for sure, but when they show up, they often do great work!
Wow, sounds similar! At least yours delivered the work in the end. Can't imagine doing renovations without some upfront payment though!
Honestly, this is pretty normal. A lot of good contractors get pulled in a million directions at once, which can make them seem disorganized or hard to pin down. It’s not that they don’t care; they’re just super busy with multiple jobs.
That makes me feel a bit better, but it also sucks to feel like I’m just pestering him. Maybe he's just used to it?
Right? It's like they have to juggle so much that scheduling can get messy. Good workers are always in demand.
So true! I'd rather have a skilled worker who's a little disorganized than a bad worker who's great at managing schedules.