Contractors can seem unreliable because most juggle several jobs at once, deal with daily problems outside their control like material delays, subcontractors, and inspections, and communicate less than homeowners expect. The fix is choosing a well-vetted contractor with strong references and setting clear communication expectations up front. Here’s why it happens and how to avoid it.
Anyone who’s ever remodeled their house knows that contractors can be challenging to work with. Certainly, some contractors are good and some contractors are bad but overall building contractors have a reputation for being unreliable. So why are contractors so unreliable?
Most contractors come from a building trades background. Many came through the trades by working in construction, framing, plumbing, etc. Their skills often lie in the craft of the work they do with their hands. As they form their own construction businesses, it takes them time and effort to learn the skills of management, efficiency and customer satisfaction. They may struggle to manage all the moving pieces of running a business until they get good at these skills and will likely seem unreliable to their clients.
Here at GreatBuildz, a free service that connects homeowners in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and Ventura Counties with reliable contractors, we speak to homeowners every day about finding reliable contractors and staying far away from unreliable ones – read on to learn more.
Again, I want to reiterate that there are many terrific contractors out there who would never be called unreliable by one of their clients. They pride themselves in providing excellent work, excellent communication, and excellent reliability. For those contractors that might be seen as unreliable, certain factors play into their issues. Some of the reasons for delays or unreliability might be valid, while others are purely a lack of efficiency and skill on the part of the contractor. Let’s run through some of the reasons contractors are unreliable.
Why are Contractors so Unreliable? Reason #1: They are Overbooked and Understaffed
Contractors’ work often doesn’t come in a steady stream; projects are awarded to them with random timing. So even though they may have a full slate of projects, they may get awarded one or more projects which makes them overbooked. A good contractor will turn down projects that will make them overbooked or be able to scale their staff to meet the demand.
However some contractors will take on additional work for the additional revenue with the explicit knowledge that they will have a challenge fulfilling all of these projects at the same time. Once a contractor is overbooked and they cannot find or hire the staff to fulfill all those projects, their clients will suffer with project delays and challenges communicating with both the contractor and their staff because they’re all overwhelmed. Once that happens clients will certainly find that their contractor is unreliable.
Reason #2: Poor Communication Skills
Most clients expect their contractor will respond to their needs within a reasonable amount of time, say 24 hours. That’s not an unreasonable expectation, especially if one is accustomed to getting high-level customer service. A good contractor will do their best to respond to a customer within a reasonable amount of time, say a day or two at the latest. In some cases, a contractor might struggle to respond to a client right away if they find themselves busy with project-based duties such as supervising staff, buying materials or coordinating subcontractors.
Some contractors are good at multitasking and will respond to client requests while driving from job to job for example. Others just don’t have the organization skills to manage more than a few tasks at one time so they put off responding to clients until they complete all their urgent tasks for the day. If a contractor is not well organized they may well have forgotten that they received a message or e-mail from a client and will therefore completely neglect to respond to that client making them seem utterly unreliable
Reason #3: Inaccurate Time Estimates
Most people have heard of the adage “its better to under promise and over deliver”. But oftentimes a contractor may instead over-promise to a client about the estimate of time required to complete their project. The contractor will promise that the project will be completed in a certain amount of time while knowing full well there might be unforeseen delays. So, when the client experiences significant project delays they feel like their contractor is unreliable.
A good contractor will convey to their client a time estimate that ranges from the best case scenario to a worst-case scenario, explaining that a certain set of unforeseen events might create delays. In this case even though there may be delays, the client will feel like they were educated early in the process of the possible issues that could arise.
Reason #4: Labor Shortage in the Industry
Most people have heard that contractors are extremely busy these days and that there is a shortage of skilled labor in the construction trades. Although this is no excuse for unreliable behavior by a contractor, it can sometimes affect or impact the outcome of a construction project.
A contractor could run into a situation where they started your project with a ten person crew but lost a few during the project because they were hired away by a different company. And it’s no simple task for that contractor to immediately replace those employees with other skilled workers. In a case like this, the contractor could witness delays on your project and seem unreliable even though some of these issues were outside of their full control.
Reason #5: Financial Struggles and Cash Flow Issues
A lot of contractors are not experts in financial management and are just small entrepreneurs trying to run a business. They deal with large amounts of money coming in and out of their business and are sometimes challenged to stay above water. They’re trying to collect payments from their clients while at the same time paying for materials and staff as well as subcontractor expenses necessary to complete a project.
If they’re not good at balancing the timing of their revenues and expenses, they can find themselves in a situation where they’re running out of money for a temporary amount of time. If that occurs, they may have to delay purchasing materials or paying their staff or subcontractors to show up at your project, making them look unreliable to their clients.
Reason #6: Dependency on Subcontractors
A majority of contractors employ other subcontractors to help them with their various projects; these subcontractors might include trades like roofing, plumbing, electrical insulation, etc. Each of the subcontractor companies is run by an owner that has their own projects and priorities.
In many cases, your contractor may request a subcontractor show up to work on your project next week, but the subcontractor may say they are all booked up with work for the next two weeks. Their not being able to service your contractor will create delays at your project. And of course, in this case, your contractor seems unreliable to their client.
A good contractor does their best to schedule their workers, including their subcontractors, far enough out in advance so that they have no excuse to not service their project on time.
Reason #7: Inconsistent Quality of Work
At the outset of a project, a client certainly expects their contractor will produce a quality work product. And most contractors certainly plan to deliver a final product that their client is happy with, knowing they are unlikely to get fully paid otherwise.
However, some contractors will still choose to cut corners to save costs or time. They may choose to skimp on materials or use unskilled labor to do work that requires a high level of experience. For example, they may use a handyman to do plumbing or tile work, which will invariably end with poor work quality. This will certainly make someone feel like their contractor is unreliable.
Reason #8: Unforeseen Challenges
Every home and every project is different and unique. Most homes that undergo a remodel are far from new. And, older homes come with issues and surprises that are difficult to envision at the beginning of a project. So, during a project, a contractor is likely to encounter issues inside the walls, under the home or in the attic.
These issues or surprises will invariably arise in a majority of projects, and the client will certainly be unhappy about the added costs or delays that arise as a result. The client will often wonder why their contractor didn’t foresee these issues. In some cases, the contractor should have planned for something while in other cases, it is nearly impossible to plan for such a surprise. The more and more bad surprises accrue during a project, the more likely a customer may feel their contractor is unreliable.
Reason #9: Regulatory and Permit Delays
Most major construction projects require contractors to pull a city permit before commencing the work. City permits require that during the duration of the project, a city inspector comes to the job site on multiple occasions to inspect the work that the contractor has performed. These inspections are generally scheduled into the project timeline but in certain instances can cause delays.
For example, if a contractor is doing sub-par work, the inspector will not approve the work that they see at the job site and require the contractor to make corrections to their work. And if a contractor is consistently failing their inspections and having to make corrections, this could cause a significant delay to the project timeline and this contractor will seem unreliable to their clients.
While dealing with unreliable contractors can be frustrating, homeowners can take proactive steps to minimize the risk. Start by doing thorough research, checking reviews, asking for references, and verify licensing. Look for contractors with a proven track record of good communication and professionalism. It’s also wise to get everything in writing, from project timelines to payment schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are contractors so unreliable?
Most contractors run several projects at once and face daily disruptions they can’t fully control, like material delays, subcontractor scheduling, weather, and inspections. Poor communication makes it feel worse than it is. Choosing a well-vetted contractor and setting clear expectations up front prevents most of the frustration.
How do I find a reliable contractor?
Check references and ask past clients whether the contractor finished on schedule and communicated well. Confirm the license and insurance, look at recent reviews, and notice how responsive they are before you hire, since that usually predicts how they’ll behave during the job.
What should I do if my contractor stops responding?
Send one clear follow-up through their preferred contact method and give a reasonable window to reply. If you still hear nothing after a week or two, it may be time to line up other options. Setting communication expectations in the contract helps prevent this.
And if you want to make the process even easier, you can contact GreatBuildz who can match you with great contractors who have already been thoroughly screened and vetted.
Just reach out to us to be personally matched with three of our trusted, pre-vetted contractors in the Bay Area and Southern California areas. Contact GreatBuildz today at 818.317.3567 or visit our website for more information.
