Contractor’s Poor Workmanship: How You Can Deal With It – Bad Contractor Series Part 3

How to Deal With a Contractor’s Poor Workmanship

If a contractor’s work is sub-standard, start by getting an independent opinion in writing, then sit down with the contractor and walk through the specific defects and what you want done about them. Put it in a warning letter if the conversation stalls. You have real rights here, including a free complaint to the state licensing board and a claim against the contractor’s $25,000 bond, but they work best after you have documented the problem properly. Here is how to tell real poor workmanship from normal imperfection, and what to do about it.

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

Key Takeaways

• Get an independent opinion before you argue. A home inspector or retired contractor costs a few hundred dollars and turns your opinion into evidence.
• Be specific and measurable. “The tile is uneven” is arguable. “Tile edges sit up to an eighth of an inch above their neighbours” is not.
• Some defects are your house, not your contractor. Older homes settle, and ceilings are rarely square. Knowing the difference protects your credibility.
• You have real recourse and most of it is free or cheap. A CSLB complaint, a claim against the $25,000 license bond, CSLB arbitration up to $25,000, small claims up to $12,500.
• Raise it during the job, not at the end. Once defective work is covered by the next layer, fixing it means tearing out both.

What Counts as Poor Workmanship

Poor workmanship means work that falls short of the reasonable standard the trade would expect, not work that falls short of perfect. That distinction matters, because a homeowner who complains about everything gets taken less seriously on the things that count.

Poor workmanship examples

Concrete examples of what genuinely falls below standard:

Tile. Edges sitting noticeably higher than the tile beside them. Grout lines that visibly vary in width. Tiles that sound hollow when tapped, which means the mortar did not make proper contact underneath and the tile will eventually crack or lift. A finished floor left substantially higher than the floor it meets, where a transition strip cannot reasonably resolve the difference.

Drywall. Visible seams and taped joints after painting. Screw heads showing through. Corners that are not straight.

Paint. Coverage thin enough that the old colour reads through. Paint applied over surfaces that were never prepared, cleaned, or primed. Overspray on fixtures, floors, or hardware.

Cabinets and trim. Runs that are not level or plumb. Doors and drawers that do not align or close properly. Gaps at the wall filled with caulk instead of scribed.

Doors and windows. Doors that do not latch, swing on their own, or rub the frame. Windows installed without proper flashing, which is the layer that keeps water out of the wall.

Plumbing and electrical. Fixtures that are not level or secure. Slow drains from improper slope. Outlets that are not grounded. Anything that would not pass inspection.

Concrete and substrate. Cracking beyond normal curing shrinkage. An uneven or improperly prepared surface that then gets covered by finish work, which is the version that costs the most to fix.

What is your house, not your contractor

Not every imperfection is the contractor’s doing, and it is worth knowing the difference before you accuse someone.

Older homes settle. Ceilings go out of square, floors slope, walls bow. When a contractor installs level upper cabinets against a ceiling that is no longer level, you get a wedge-shaped gap above them that looks like bad work but is not. The fix is to float the ceiling flat first, which most people never budget for as part of a kitchen. The same applies to new flooring meeting an old subfloor, or new trim against an old wall.

A good contractor flags this before starting rather than after you notice. The contractors in our network sign a 20-point Code of Conduct that includes exactly that commitment: if they notice a potential quality issue during the project, they alert the homeowner immediately so the options can be discussed.

Poor Workmanship: What Are Your Rights?

This is the question homeowners ask most and the one that usually gets answered vaguely. Here is the concrete version for California.

Your contract sets the baseline. A contractor who does not deliver what the contract describes is in breach of it. Beyond the written terms, contractors are expected to work to a reasonable standard of care for their trade, and work falling below that standard is a recognized claim regardless of what the contract says about quality.

You can withhold payment for defective work, carefully. You can generally withhold payment for work not completed or not up to code, but you still owe for work that was done satisfactorily. Withholding everything invites a lien or a lawsuit.

A CSLB complaint is free. The Contractors State License Board licenses California contractors and investigates workmanship complaints. It goes on the contractor’s record, and CSLB can issue citations, fines, or suspend a license.

CSLB arbitration. For disputes where the damages are $25,000 or less, CSLB can refer the case to its mandatory arbitration program. If CSLB refers it and you choose to participate, the contractor has to participate too, and CSLB pays for the arbitrator and the hearing. A voluntary program covers disputes between $25,000 and $50,000 where both sides agree.

Their license bond. Every licensed California contractor carries a $25,000 contractor license bond, which works like an insurance policy that pays homeowners harmed by the contractor’s violations.

Small claims court. Individuals can sue for up to $12,500 in small claims, with no lawyer required and modest filing fees.

Termination. If the work is defective, you notified them in writing, and they did not correct it, you may be able to end the contract and bring in someone else. Part 6 on firing your contractor covers the notice to cure, lien releases, permits, and what you actually owe.

A lawsuit beyond small claims is usually the worst first move. It stops your project until it resolves, the costs are high, and the odds of a strong outcome are not good. Work down the cheaper options first.

Get an Independent Opinion First

Do this before the conversation, not after it.

Most homeowners have no way to judge construction quality, which puts them at a disadvantage the moment a contractor says the work is within normal tolerances. A home inspector or a retired contractor will look at the work for a few hundred dollars and give you an unbiased assessment, usually with a short written report.

That report changes the conversation completely. It moves you from “I think this looks bad” to a document from someone with no stake in the outcome. It is also the single most useful attachment to a CSLB complaint, a bond claim, or a small claims filing.

If several independent tradespeople have looked at the work and reached the same conclusion, get each of them to put it in writing, even two sentences by email.

How To Tell a Contractor You Are Unhappy

The conversation goes better when you plan it. A few things that work:

Do it in person, and with the owner. Not by text, and not with the crew lead who cannot make decisions.

Bring a written list. Specific items, in order, with photos. A list keeps the discussion on the work instead of on feelings.

Describe, do not characterize. “The grout lines vary from an eighth to a quarter inch” lands. “This is unacceptable” invites an argument about standards.

Say what you want to happen. Homeowners often describe the problem and then stop, leaving the contractor to propose the remedy. Name it: corrected, replaced, or credited so you can hire someone else.

Offer the third-party test. Something like: “I would like an independent inspector to look at these items. If they say the work meets standard, I will drop it. If they say it does not, I need it corrected.” That is hard to refuse and it signals you are being reasonable rather than difficult.

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

Follow up in writing. Send a short email afterward summarising what was agreed and by when. If this ends badly, that email is the most valuable thing you own.

Warning Letters for Poor Workmanship

If the conversation does not resolve it, put it in writing. Send the first letter, give it a week or two, then send the second only if nothing has changed.

First warning letter

Deliberately mild. The goal is to be taken seriously without putting the contractor on the defensive.

Second warning letter

Firmer, and it names what happens next. Send this one by email and by certified mail with return receipt requested.

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 money turns a legitimate complaint into something a contractor’s attorney can characterize as extortion, and it costs you the sympathy of an arbitrator or a judge. Write the review once the matter is settled, describe what happened accurately, and let it stand on its own.

Catching It Early

Most of the worst outcomes come from problems found at the end rather than during.

Walk the job a few times a week, and at least once a week with the contractor or project manager. Walk it alone too, because that is when you actually look carefully instead of talking. Raise anything that concerns you immediately rather than saving it up, because a defect that gets covered by the next phase of work becomes far more expensive to correct.

Before hiring, call several references and ask specifically whether they were satisfied with the quality of the work, not just whether the job finished. Our guide to spotting a bad contractor covers the rest of the pre-hire checks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my contractor did poor quality work?

Get an independent opinion in writing first, from a home inspector or retired contractor, so you have evidence rather than an opinion. Then sit down with the contractor in person with a specific written list and say plainly what you want corrected. If that does not resolve it, send a warning letter, and if that fails you can file a free complaint with the Contractors State License Board, claim against their $25,000 license bond, or file in small claims court.

Poor workmanship: what are my rights?

Your contract sets the baseline, and beyond it contractors are expected to work to a reasonable standard of care for their trade. You can generally withhold payment for defective or incomplete work while still paying for work done properly. You can file a free CSLB complaint, use CSLB arbitration for disputes up to $25,000, claim against the contractor’s $25,000 license bond, or sue for up to $12,500 in small claims court.

What are examples of poor workmanship?

Common ones include tile edges sitting higher than the tiles beside them, tiles that sound hollow when tapped, grout lines that visibly vary in width, drywall seams showing after paint, cabinet runs that are not level, doors that do not latch, paint over unprepared surfaces, windows installed without proper flashing, and a finished floor left substantially higher than the floor it meets.

How do I know if it is poor workmanship or just my house?

Older homes settle, so ceilings go out of square, floors slope, and walls bow. Level cabinets against an unlevel ceiling produce a gap that looks like bad work but is not. If you are unsure, hire a retired contractor or home inspector for a small fee. They can give you an unbiased opinion and usually a short written report you can show your contractor.

How do I tell a contractor I am unhappy with the work?

Do it in person with the owner, bring a written list with photos, and describe the defects measurably rather than calling the work unacceptable. Say specifically what you want to happen: corrected, replaced, or credited. Offering to accept an independent inspector’s verdict either way is hard to refuse and shows you are being reasonable. Follow up with a short email summarising what was agreed.

Should I sue a contractor for bad work?

Usually not as a first step. A lawsuit stops your project until it resolves, the costs are high, and the odds of a strong outcome are low. Try the conversation, an independent inspection, and a warning letter first. If those fail, CSLB arbitration and small claims court are far cheaper routes, and a CSLB complaint costs nothing.

What is a contractor license bond?

Every licensed California contractor is required to carry a $25,000 license bond. It works like an insurance policy that pays homeowners harmed by the contractor’s violations, including work left unfinished or clearly sub-standard. Claims get reported and make the contractor’s next bond renewal more expensive, which is why contractors take them seriously.

The Full Bad Contractor Series

• Part 1 – Signs of a Bad Contractor
• Part 2 – Dealing With Contractor Delays
• Part 3 – Contractor’s Poor Workmanship (this guide)
• 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 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