How to Deal with Contractor Delays – Bad Contractor Series Part 2

If your contractor keeps delaying, start with a calm in-person conversation and a written schedule you both agree to, then send a warning letter if that stalls. Some delay is normal on any remodel: 10 to 20 percent is common, but 50 to 100 percent is a red flag. Here is how to tell the difference, and two letters you can copy and send.

At GreatBuildz, a free service that connects homeowners in California with reliable general contractors, delays are one of the two complaints we hear most.

Key Takeaways

• A 10 to 20 percent delay is normal even with a good contractor. A 50 to 100 percent overrun is not, and points to a contractor who is overbooked, mismanaged, or dishonest.
• Some of the delay may be yours. Custom material orders, changed decisions, and limited site access all add time.
• Ask for a written schedule, not a promise. “A few more weeks” is not a commitment and cannot be enforced.
• A warning letter resolves more of these than a phone call. Send the gentle one first and the firm one only if nothing changes.
• Suing over delays is almost always the wrong first move. It stops your project until it resolves and the costs are prohibitive.

What Counts as a Normal Delay

Some delay is unavoidable and you should plan for it. The list of things that go wrong on a job site and are outside the contractor’s control is close to endless: workers calling in sick, truck breakdowns, material backorders, damaged deliveries, subcontractor problems, failed inspections, and whatever is hidden inside the walls of your house.

There is an old line that a remodel will cost twice as much and take twice as long. That overstates it, but the direction is right: most jobs run longer and cost more than the original number.

The useful threshold is this. A 10 to 20 percent overrun on schedule is normal, even with good contractors. A 50 to 100 percent overrun is not normal and usually means the contractor took on too much work, manages crews badly, or was never realistic about the timeline in the first place.

Some of the delay may be yours

Worth being honest about before you raise it, because a contractor who can point to your decisions will.

Selections are the usual culprit. Homeowners find inspiration online, then discover the pieces are custom-made or only available from one boutique supplier with a long lead time. By the time the decision is final and the item is delivered, weeks are gone. Changing your mind mid-installation costs more time again, because a light fixture that has to come down, get repackaged, and be replaced is a day nobody planned for.

Limiting working hours or site access does the same thing. So does a slow response when the contractor needs an answer to keep moving.

Make selections early, keep decisions consistent, and answer questions quickly. That alone removes a meaningful share of the delay risk.

Signs the Delay Is a Real Problem

Once the project has started, a few things reliably predict trouble:

Missing full days with excuses. The first missed day is nothing. A pattern of them is the earliest reliable warning.

Small crews. One person where there should be four, or a crew that arrives late, leaves early, and takes long breaks.

A request for money earlier than the schedule calls for. Usually a sign the contractor is stretched thin or covering a shortfall on another job. In California, payments after the deposit cannot exceed the value of work already performed or materials already delivered, under Business and Professions Code section 7159.5.

Slower and vaguer communication. If the contractor has gone properly quiet rather than just slow, that is a different problem with a different response. Part 5 covers the unresponsive contractor and the escalation ladder for getting an answer.

What To Do About Contractor Delays

1. Have the conversation in person

Ask to sit down with the owner, and come prepared with specific dates: days with no crew, days with a partial crew, promises that were made and missed. Be direct and unemotional. Explain what the delay is actually costing you, whether that is rent, storage, a second mortgage payment, or a family living in one room.

Then ask for the thing that matters: a written schedule with a completion date, not a verbal estimate. Say you are willing to be flexible on the date but not on having one in writing.

Remind them you both want the same outcome. The project finished and the contractor paid.

2. Send a gentle warning letter

If the conversation produces nothing, put it in writing. Keep the first letter deliberately mild. The goal is to be taken seriously without making the contractor defensive.

3. Send a firm letter if nothing changes

Give the first letter a week or two. If the pattern continues, send the second by email and by certified mail with return receipt requested, so there is proof of delivery.

One note on reviews. An honest public review carries real weight, and contractors know it. Write one. Just keep it out of the letter. Offering to withhold a bad review in exchange for action turns a legitimate complaint into something a contractor’s attorney can characterize as extortion. Write the review once the project is settled and let it stand on its own.

Your Real Recourse

If the letters produce nothing, here is what is actually available, cheapest first.

Withhold further payment until progress is made. You still owe for work properly completed, so withhold selectively rather than entirely.

File a CSLB complaint. Free, and it goes on the contractor’s record. The Contractors State License Board treats prolonged abandonment as a specific violation, and many homeowners report the CSLB letter is what finally produced action.

Claim against their license bond. Every licensed California contractor carries a $25,000 contractor license bond.

CSLB arbitration. For damages of $25,000 or less, CSLB can refer the case to its mandatory arbitration program and pays for the arbitrator and the hearing.

Small claims court. Up to $12,500 for individuals, no lawyer required.

Terminate and replace. The biggest step, with its own complications: what you owe for partial work, lien releases, and who holds the permit. Part 6 on firing your contractor covers all of it.

Can you sue for delays? You can, but it is rarely the right first move. A lawsuit stops your project until it resolves, the costs are prohibitive, and the odds of a strong outcome are not good. Your goal is a finished house, and litigation is the option least likely to produce one quickly.

Preventing Delays on the Next Project

The most effective thing you can do happens before the contract is signed.

Call at least three references and ask one specific question: did the job finish on schedule? A contractor whose last three clients say yes will very likely do the same for you.

Watch responsiveness during bidding. If it takes over a week to get a meeting or an estimate without a good reason, they are already too busy for you.

Get the schedule in the contract. Our construction contract guide covers what belongs in one.

Ask for a staffing commitment. Every contractor in the GreatBuildz network signs a 20-point Code of Conduct that includes committing to “having a crew of workers at the job site every weekday for eight full hours, except in the case of holidays and special circumstances.” Ask any contractor you are considering to commit to the same thing in writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a normal amount of delay on a remodel?

A delay of 10 to 20 percent is normal even with a good contractor, because material delays, hidden damage, and inspection scheduling are partly out of their control. A 50 to 100 percent delay is not normal and can point to a contractor who is overbooked, poorly managed, or dishonest.

What should I do if my contractor keeps delaying the project?

Start with a calm, in-person conversation with specific dates of missed or partial work days, and ask for a written schedule with a completion date rather than a verbal estimate. If that does not work, send a gentle warning letter, then a firm one. Treat terminating the contract or suing as last resorts, since both stall your project further.

Can I sue a contractor for delays?

You can, but it is rarely the best first move. A lawsuit stops your project until it is resolved, the costs are high, and the odds of a strong outcome are low. Try a conversation and a warning letter first. If the contractor keeps delaying or abandons the job, a free CSLB complaint, a claim against their $25,000 license bond, or small claims court are far cheaper routes.

Could I be causing some of the delays?

Sometimes, yes. Changing your mind on decisions mid-project, ordering custom or hard-to-find materials, and limiting the contractor’s access to your home all add time. Making selections early and keeping decisions consistent helps keep the project on schedule.

How many days can a contractor miss before it is a problem?

There is no legal number unless your contract sets one. A missed day here and there is normal. A repeated pattern of missed full days is the earliest reliable warning sign, and a week or more with no crew and no explanation means it is time to put your concerns in writing.

What should a contractor’s written schedule include?

The remaining phases of work, who is responsible for each, the expected duration of each, and a completion date. It should also note what the contractor is waiting on from you, such as selections or approvals, so the responsibility for any further delay is clear on both sides.

The Full Bad Contractor Series

• Part 1 – Signs of a Bad Contractor
• Part 2 – Dealing With Contractor Delays (this guide)
• Part 3 – Contractor’s Poor Workmanship: How to Deal With It
• Part 4 – How to Deal With Contractors Overcharging You
• Part 5 – What To Do When Your Contractor Stops Responding
• Part 6 – So, You Want To Fire Your Remodeling Contractor

When it comes to avoiding contractor delays and finding a reputable contractor for your project, GreatBuildz is simplifying the contractor search in California. GreatBuildz is a free service that connects homeowners with reliable, thoroughly screened general contractors and provides project support from start to finish. Call now (818.317.3567) to chat with a real person about your next renovation project or visit our website for more information: www.greatbuildz.com