Adriana Velez of Realtor.com hired the contractor from hell, and things went downhill from there. Her advice to help keep you from meeting the same fate is solid. If your contractor can’t produce their license and tries to discourage you from checking their bcakground, well, you’re most likely better off finding someone else to do the work. And no matter how large or small your project is, always get a contract!
It seemed so simple: All I wanted was to get my co-op apartment painted and prepped to sell—but then I hired the contractor from hell.
My story starts with my hiring a “friend of a friend” who had done minor repairs for me before; I’d figured he’d be fine. Wow, was I wrong—and it turns out I’m hardly alone.
Many homeowners’ renovations go off the rails in far worse ways than mine. And although we learned from our mistakes the hard way, that doesn’t mean you have to. Heed these mistakes, and save yourself a ton of pain and suffering.