Ok, you found a contractor that you’re going to hire, good for you.

Oops now he wants money, but for what, he didn’t do anything yet?

As a contractor, I could be starting a big job, say on Monday, well unless I needed to order special stuff I didn’t spend a dime yet. So I always like to get my first payment once I arrive at the homeowner’s house that morning and start working. I expect it then, but not every contractor is like me and that’s OK I guess. But definitely not weeks in advance, no way. Let’s not give him time to spend it before he starts your house.

The first payment can be scary, I mean he didn’t start the job yet right?

Now, what’s the contract say, how much upfront and if you were to fire him once that phase is completed would you be OK with that? Now time for the second payment, what does that cover.

The point here is your payments should match the contract description 100% no excuses. I have worked for some awesome homeowners, really good people, great payers. But if I wasn’t done with any part of what I said was going to be done I wasn’t get paid anymore.

Here’s a real big thing and in all my years, not one homeowner has ever brought it up, EVER. It’s still hard to believe. During the construction inspections by the building, the inspector may be required, if so make sure you get these inspections and that they pass with no exceptions. This way you know that you’re safe with the monies spent so far.

A short story for you. A few years back I was asked to look at an additional job that someone started but got fired on. The homeowner said that the framing passed already. Just by looking at it, I know that there was no way it did. Sure enough, I called the inspector to meet me at the house to go over the job and if he could verify if he passed the framing. Well, needless to say, he was never at this house for an inspection. As it turned out, the person that came for the framing inspection was the so-called contractor brother. Well over fifty thousand dollars later it was a lesson learned.

Remember, your house, your money.