The Contractor's Corner

You hear it all the time.  Veteran this, veteran that.  Veteran owned.  Oh, I just want to help out the veteran owned business.  I get it.  Hell, I too am a veteran.  However, the term veteran does not define a person.  There are good veterans and there are shitty veterans.  So don’t just go by the title of veteran.  I have been screwed over royally by several veterans.  Just keep in mind that people are people and a title doesn’t define someone’s personality, integrity, or c

Be careful when doing work for friends and neighbors. This can get ugly really quick and can cost you some relationships.  Imagine doing a job for a neighbor and they get all pissed with you.  Ultimately you finish the work.  Then you have to chase down your money.  Now they won’t speak to you because of some stupid silly BS that occurred during the job.  So, day after day you get that cold icy stare from once was a friendly daily greeting from thy neighbor.  It’s childish bu

Make sure you have language in your estimates regarding hidden damages.  Sometimes you open up a wall and find mold, or termite damages.  You need to stop work immediately. You should provide the customer with a new estimate to repair the unseen damages. Now, if it’s mold, you really need to get the customer to hire a company that deals with mold remediation.  Once that is resolved and the customer is given a certificate of completion, you can resume your work.    You will co

Now don’t get me wrong.  I love animals.  I have two dogs of my own.  You are going to see some crazy shit.  I have a pet own owner that had a dog as big as a small horse. Then there is the pet owner that has like 12 dogs.  Those aren’t really big issues. The real issues are the smells and the feces.  You will meet homeowners that let their pets pee and poop in the house.   You also have the pet owner that doesn’t clean the dog’s poop in the back yard.  Therefore, you have no

Every now and then you will come across the smoker.  You can’t even breath when you enter the house.  I had a customer with an insurance claim for water damage.  Part of the repair process in included drywall work and paint.  However, the walls were so yellow from years of cigarette smoke.  During the walk through I noticed ash trays everywhere and lots of bottles of pills too.  I had to excuse myself to step outside to get some fresh air.    You have to find a way to be poli

I don’t know where to start here.  I have been in thousands of homes over the past five years and there are four that quickly come to mind.  I am talking about filth beyond filth.  We are talking about filth that is not fit for human occupancy.  I am talking about homes that are so filthy that you need a containment suit so that you don’t get sick.    I recall pulling up to a large two-story home in wonderful neighborhood.  The customer opens the door and I take a step inside