"Had a bathroom remodel last year where everything passed inspection, yet two months later I found water pooling behind the tiles—total nightmare."
Yikes, been there myself. Had a kitchen reno a couple years back—inspector gave it the thumbs-up, contractor got paid, and then BAM... three weeks later, dishwasher leaked all over my brand-new hardwood floors. Talk about heartbreak. 😅
Honestly, smaller milestone payments saved my sanity on the next project. I broke it down into smaller chunks—demo, plumbing rough-in, electrical, drywall, etc.—and only paid after each step was done and checked out. Sure, inspections aren't bulletproof (clearly!), but at least this way you're not handing over a huge wad of cash upfront. Plus, contractors seem to stay more motivated when there's always another payment just around the corner.
Still, even with smaller payments, nothing beats keeping an eye on things yourself. Learned that lesson the hard way... twice.
As a home inspector, gotta admit inspections aren't foolproof—wish they were! Had my own basement flood after a "perfect" plumbing inspection. Smaller payments help, but honestly, nothing beats regular check-ins yourself... learned that one the soggy way too.
Yeah, inspections are helpful but definitely not bulletproof. I prefer smaller payments myself—keeps contractors motivated—but nothing beats poking around yourself regularly. Caught a slow leak under my sink last month that way... saved me from a soggy surprise!
Smaller payments do sound like a good idea, but how do you decide when to pay? Like after each step or milestone...? I'm still figuring this stuff out myself—caught a few minor issues early too, thankfully. Glad you dodged that leak!
I've done the milestone thing myself, and while it sounds good on paper, I found it can get a little tricky in practice. Like, what exactly counts as a completed milestone? Sometimes contractors see things differently than we do. One time, I agreed to pay after "finishing" the drywall, but turns out their idea of finished didn't include sanding or cleanup—ended up with dust everywhere and an awkward conversation.
Maybe instead of strict milestones, you could consider paying based on inspections or walkthroughs. You know, agree up front that you'll do a quick check together at certain points, and if everything looks good, then you pay. It helps catch misunderstandings early and keeps everyone accountable. Glad you caught those minor issues early though... that's half the battle right there.
