How to Deal with a Slow Contractor

[Anonymous]

We are working on a home remodel and our contractor is really really slow. There will be weeks at a time that there is no one on the job site. Some of this is material back orders, but my impression is that he also just hasn't scheduled subs in advance or has them working other projects while ours sits. He may have overbooked himself with the strong demand. Any suggestions on how to get him to prioritize our project? We have a timeline in the contract that he almost certainly will not meet at this point, but it has no penalties associated with it.

[Anonymous]

Just make sure you don't pay in advance. That will most assuredly result in it not being done.

But, seriously, your contractor can't schedule subs until the contractor knows when your materials will be in. Just because the materials have an anticipated arrival date does not at all mean they will get there by that time.
And subs are backed up too. Penalties won't help unless it's the contractor's fault and if it's a materials problem, the penalties most likely won't apply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just make sure you don't pay in advance. That will most assuredly result in it not being done.

But, seriously, your contractor can't schedule subs until the contractor knows when your materials will be in. Just because the materials have an anticipated arrival date does not at all mean they will get there by that time.
And subs are backed up too. Penalties won't help unless it's the contractor's fault and if it's a materials problem, the penalties most likely won't apply.

Our contract has milestones, so we've paid some amount for the initial deposit and the first milestone he completed, but not the bulk of it. Even when materials have showed up, it often takes a week or two for the sub to actually get out to install. There's at least one task that has no back ordered materials that's been sitting undone for nearly a month.

[Anonymous]

This happened to us. Really nothing that can be done. Subs are booked, you don't want to piss your gc off. Ask about timeline, but...this is the reality of renovating right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just make sure you don't pay in advance. That will most assuredly result in it not being done.

But, seriously, your contractor can't schedule subs until the contractor knows when your materials will be in. Just because the materials have an anticipated arrival date does not at all mean they will get there by that time.
And subs are backed up too. Penalties won't help unless it's the contractor's fault and if it's a materials problem, the penalties most likely won't apply.

Our contract has milestones, so we've paid some amount for the initial deposit and the first milestone he completed, but not the bulk of it. Even when materials have showed up, it often takes a week or two for the sub to actually get out to install. There's at least one task that has no back ordered materials that's been sitting undone for nearly a month.

It might take him a week or two to get the subs out after your materials arrive due to their availability. Your contractor can't pay people to stand around and do nothing. And possibly the materials that are sitting are waiting for a sub that needs to do other work on your project for which the materials aren't present yet. And, there might be inspections that you have to schedule that can take time to get done. You didn't say how complex and large your project is. I'd just talk with the contractor about all of this and try to get a better idea of the timeline so you aren't so frustrated. Other than making sure you don't agree to any advance payments and that you have money you can hold back until all is completed to your satisfaction, I'm not sure what else you can do. It's a very frustrating process.

[Anonymous]

Sorry OP, I know it's frustrating but I don't think there's anything you can do. We are going into week 11 of a "6 week" remodel. It's just the reality of what's happening now. If communication stinks you can fuss about that (they should be telling you what they are waiting for if you ask), but waiting is the reality right now.

[Anonymous]

Happened to me too, OP, and if there are no penalties in the contract, you have zero leverage. I learned that the hard way. My 3-month renovation took 11 months. That was 11 months of paying two mortgages because we were renovating before moving in and selling the old house. Extraordinarily frustrating.

[Anonymous]

I’m going to add to this by saying it’s unfortunately extremely common. GCs will typically hire the cheapest workers so they can get the most amount of profit and those workers aren’t going to go out of their way to make sure something is done quickly. We are a month behind on our project, it’s draining. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Go re-read your contract. Make sure you are going with payments that you agreed to - not what you think you remember. If a payment is when a space is materially complete - do not pay until it is. Money / references is the only leverage you have. You can post on your local list-serve - I am currently having a project done by...... feel free to reach out if you are interested in my experiences.

There is a large builder in VA who is known for this - business initials M.N. They will go MIA - but your contract states you can not post anything on social media.

[Anonymous]

He can’t hold subs without paying them and without knowing exactly when materials are coming in it is hard to schedule them. Then when materials come in he has to wait for sub to finish what they are currently working on.

Or he may be inept, but you would probably have notice that by now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to add to this by saying it’s unfortunately extremely common. GCs will typically hire the cheapest workers so they can get the most amount of profit and those workers aren’t going to go out of their way to make sure something is done quickly. We are a month behind on our project, it’s draining. Hang in there.

Do you run a business ? Doesn’t sound like it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to add to this by saying it’s unfortunately extremely common. GCs will typically hire the cheapest workers so they can get the most amount of profit and those workers aren’t going to go out of their way to make sure something is done quickly. We are a month behind on our project, it’s draining. Hang in there.

Do you run a business ? Doesn’t sound like it.

What contractors run aren’t businesses, they’re rackets.

[Anonymous]

If it's a big job you put in milestones and penalties for missing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just make sure you don't pay in advance. That will most assuredly result in it not being done.

But, seriously, your contractor can't schedule subs until the contractor knows when your materials will be in. Just because the materials have an anticipated arrival date does not at all mean they will get there by that time.
And subs are backed up too. Penalties won't help unless it's the contractor's fault and if it's a materials problem, the penalties most likely won't apply.

Our contract has milestones, so we've paid some amount for the initial deposit and the first milestone he completed, but not the bulk of it. Even when materials have showed up, it often takes a week or two for the sub to actually get out to install. There's at least one task that has no back ordered materials that's been sitting undone for nearly a month.

This is the way it goes, unless you are willing to pay the subs their full rate to sit idle while they wait for your materials. The GC can’t schedule the subs until they know when the materials will be there, and with the current demand and back orders, delivery schedules are a lot less reliable than they used to be. The GCs often don’t know for sure these days when the materials will show up until they actually show up. At that point, it can easily take a week or two to get into the schedule for a good sub.

As for the parts not getting done even though they’re not waiting for materials, if the subs needed for that part will also be needed for other parts where the GC is waiting in something, they may be waiting until all parts of your project are ready for that sub because it’s more cost efficient that way. Bring subs out piecemeal really drives up the cost of a project, so if a particular sub will be doing X and Y for your project, and X is ready to go but Y can’t be done until a different sub comes in to do Z first, the GC generally won’t bring out the sub just for X. They will wait until Z is done and then bring the sub in for X and Y at the same time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m going to add to this by saying it’s unfortunately extremely common. GCs will typically hire the cheapest workers so they can get the most amount of profit and those workers aren’t going to go out of their way to make sure something is done quickly. We are a month behind on our project, it’s draining. Hang in there.

Do you run a business ? Doesn’t sound like it.

What contractors run aren’t businesses, they’re rackets.

I don't think you understand how a capitalist economy works. It's cute when rich folks are happy when the system benefits themselves, but want everyone else to be treated like a 1950s soviet laborer.