Unmet expectations, they say, are at the heart of disappointment, and disappointment can lead to broken relationships. This is certainly true in marriages and friendships, but disappointments often come from expectations that were never originally expressed in words. Before I start sounding too much like my therapist, I do have a point in this episode of David C. Smith's Soapbox: Why Contractors Don't Show Up.
Disappointment is one thing, but what about broken faith? Why did the contractor say they would show up and not show up? Also – why do some people not show up at all?
Understand why contractors are not showing up
It can be very irritating when the contractor doesn't show up. However, before you can find a cure, you must understand the underlying condition. In this case, the job itself simply isn't "big enough".
My parents have been looking to remodel their 1950's home. It's not a big deal, but it sure is special to them. They wanted to add a few rooms and change things to make it more functional. These changes will allow my mom to have her own quilting room so she can no longer share my dad's treadmill and Bowflex.
Sounds easy, right?
interviewing contractors for jobs
Like all renovation and remodeling work, you start with an interview with the contractor. Several contractors who came were dismayed at the high bids they could have built a separate structure. Ultimately, my parents turned to the guy who managed their church's $4 million construction project to see if he knew anyone who would take on a project of their size.
To their surprise, he said he would take a look at it for himself and offered to have it done for less than half the price that the others had quoted.
So far, so good
He explained to them that it wasn't that the work itself was expensive, but that the contractors looked at it and decided it wasn't worth their effort. Smaller jobs are often not worth it if you assign a fair price. It's a lot like a gardener being hired to mow a lawn in a new neighborhood when his neighborhood has already mowed dozens of lawns.
In any case, plans have been drawn up, permits issued, and subcontractors hired. Work begins immediately. Our contractor took the lead and finished the grading work so the framers could start working.
That's when it hits the fan.
contractor not showing up
The framer, the electrician, the plumber—indeed, every subcontractor—didn't show up. These guys are doing great work, so what's going on?
As our contractor grew more and more frustrated with every call, every subcontractor told him the same thing: A more lucrative job came up, so they dropped his project.
They did so without notice and apparently without remorse.
How do you get contractors to show up?
The lessons learned here are fourfold:
- While we love having the best, most experienced and highest-level companies work for us, that doesn't apply to smaller jobs. Small jobs are simply not worth the time for many large contractors who often subcontract larger projects for larger companies.
- You can still do great work on smaller projects. It just requires a change in mindset.
- Small contractors who specialize in smaller, more localized jobs in your area will give your work a higher priority.
- These same contracts usually price the work more fairly because they have less overhead and don't try to compensate for redirecting their work from larger jobs to smaller projects.
Now, does this excuse bad behavior? Absolutely not. less than a mile. If you agree to take on a project, you should do it. period. In a world where one's words need to mean something, anyone who breaks their word for convenience and money should be held accountable – discredited. Anyway, this is our opinion.
good news
Things finally worked out. Work resumed, but at the cost of weeks of waiting. Needless to say, my parents and very respected contractors have had a lot of frustration and hate letting clients down – even if it's not his fault.
My parents and grandparents grew up in a world that walks the talk. They taught me the same thing (although I admit I fail at this more often than I care to admit). So, what has happened to our culture over the past few decades that has changed this?
Share this article with your kids. Maybe we can change the future together.
Have you ever had a subcontractor drop your project, or even your project leader? Let us know in the comments below.
Also, tell us how you run your construction business on small projects. Feel free to hop on the soapbox on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels!