Short answer
Warning signs that a builder or contractor is a bad bet, from cash-only deposits to storm door-knockers, and the steps to take if you already hired one.
Most bad contractor experiences start with a warning sign that was visible before any work began. The trouble is that each one on its own can look like a small thing, and the person in front of you is usually friendly and in a hurry. Below are the signs worth taking seriously, why they matter, and what to do if you have already signed up with someone who is now letting you down.
Money red flags
Cash only, with a large deposit up front
A contractor who wants a big payment in cash before starting is asking you to carry all the risk. If they disappear, there is no bank record and little you can recover. A reasonable deposit covers materials ordered for your job, and later payments follow work you can see. Some US states and Australian states limit how much can be taken as a deposit for home building work, so check the local rules.
A discount for paying cash with no paperwork
An offer to knock something off if you skip the invoice usually means the business is avoiding tax, and it leaves you with no proof of what you paid for. Without an invoice, guarantees and insurance claims become much harder.
Payment to a personal account or a different name
Pay the business named on the quote or contract. If the bank details do not match, or change by email partway through the job, stop and call the contractor on a number you already have. Fake payment requests by email are a known scam.
Paperwork red flags
No written quote
A verbal price is not a quote. If a contractor will not put the scope, price and timing in writing, you have nothing to hold them to. See our guide to getting quotes for what a proper one should include.
A vague scope
"Renovate bathroom" or "fix roof" is not a scope. A good quote lists what is included, what is not, which materials are used and who supplies them. A vague scope is how a low price turns into a long list of extras.
No address, or only a mobile number
If you cannot find a physical address, a registered company or any trace of the business beyond a phone number and a social media page, you will struggle to chase them later.
Will not give insurance or licence details
A legitimate business can show you an insurance certificate and, where the trade or area requires it, a licence number. Reluctance, excuses or a certificate in someone else's name are all reasons to walk away. Our guide on how to vet a builder explains what to check in each country.
Asking you to get the permit
In the US and Canada, the contractor normally pulls the permit in their own name. A contractor who asks you to apply as the homeowner may not hold the licence needed to do so, and you take on responsibility for the work meeting code. In the UK, the equivalent is a builder who says Building Control is not needed for work that clearly involves structural changes, or who is vague about who will apply.
Behaviour red flags
Pressure to decide now
"This price is only good today" or "I can fit you in tomorrow if you sign now" is a sales tactic, not a scheduling fact. A good contractor expects you to compare quotes.
Door-knockers after storms
After hail, high winds or flooding, people often turn up at the door offering to fix roofs and fences, sometimes from out of the area. Some are honest, many are not, and they can be gone before problems show up. Find your own contractor, and be especially careful with anyone offering to deal with your insurer for you. Our guide to hiring a roofer covers storm chasers in more detail.
"I noticed a problem while passing"
Unsolicited visits pointing out urgent damage you had not noticed, often to a roof or driveway, are a common doorstep tactic. Thank them and get an independent opinion.
Leftover materials from another job
A pitch along the lines of "we have materials left over from a job down the road, so we can do yours cheap" is a classic doorstep line. Treat it as a warning sign.
Slow or vague communication before the job
If they miss appointments to quote, take a long time to reply and cannot give straight answers, it rarely improves once they have your deposit.
Cancellation rights if you signed at home
If you agreed a contract at your home rather than at the contractor's premises, you may have a right to cancel within a short period. In the UK, consumers generally have fourteen days to cancel contracts made off-premises, and the trader should tell you about this right in writing. In the US, the federal cooling-off rule gives three business days to cancel many sales made at your home, and some states add their own protections. In Canada and Australia, cancellation rights for door-to-door and unsolicited sales are set by the province or state, so check with the consumer protection body.
What to do if you already hired one
If the job is going wrong, act early and keep everything in writing.
- Stop paying ahead of the work. Do not hand over the next stage payment until the current stage is done. Do not pay extra to "get them back on site" without a written agreement.
- Document everything. Take dated photos of the work, keep messages, receipts and bank records, and write down what was said in phone calls, with dates.
- Put your concerns in writing. Send a clear, polite message or letter listing the problems, what you expect to happen, and a reasonable deadline. Email is fine; keep a copy.
- Check what you paid with. If you paid by credit card, you may be able to dispute the charge or, in the UK, claim from the card provider for some purchases. Ask your bank or card issuer quickly, as there are time limits.
- Use any scheme or association. If the contractor belongs to TrustMark, a trade association such as the Federation of Master Builders, or a platform with a complaints process, use it. In the US and Australia, the licensing regulator may take complaints against licensed contractors.
- Get an independent assessment. Ask another contractor or a surveyor to inspect the work and write down what is wrong and what it would take to fix. This helps with any claim.
- Talk to the permit office or Building Control. If work needed approval and has not been inspected, they can tell you where you stand.
- Consider formal routes. Consumer advice services, such as Citizens Advice in the UK or the consumer protection office in your state or province, can explain options. All four countries have a small claims process for lower-value disputes (in Australia this is often a state or territory tribunal), though limits and procedures vary.
Before you bring in a replacement contractor, settle in writing with the first one that the contract has ended, so there is no dispute later about who was responsible for what.
Short version
- No written quote, no deal
- No large cash deposit before work starts
- Pay the business named on the contract, never a changed account without a phone check
- See insurance and licence details, and check them yourself
- The contractor handles permits and Building Control, not you
- Ignore pressure and doorstep offers, especially after storms