Totally agree with you there—patterns are way more telling than one-off incidents. I've learned the hard way that lateness often signals deeper issues, like poor time management or juggling too many jobs at once. Had a painter once who was consistently late, always had a new excuse—flat tire, sick dog, you name it. Turned out he was just stretched too thin and cutting corners to catch up. I'd definitely pay attention to reviews mentioning similar problems repeatedly, especially if they're recent. If it's a network recommended by someone I trust, I'd still ask around locally or check neighborhood groups online to see if anyone else has experience with them. Better safe than sorry when it comes to home projects...
Yeah, lateness can definitely be a red flag, but I've also seen cases where it wasn't necessarily a deeper issue—just poor communication or maybe a lack of professionalism. Had an electrician once who was always late, but once he arrived, his work was impeccable. He just had zero concept of scheduling, lol.
But you're right, patterns matter. Especially with something as big as roofing, I'd wonder: How long has this network been around? Are they local or more national? And do they have any sort of quality control or vetting process for their contractors? Even if someone I trust recommends them, I'd still probably dig around online to see if their reputation holds up. Reviews can be tricky though...sometimes one bad experience can overshadow dozens of good ones. Still, if I saw multiple recent complaints about the same issue—like delays or sloppy work—that'd definitely make me pause.
Yeah, lateness alone wouldn't necessarily scare me off either. Had a plumber once who was always running behind schedule—drove me nuts—but the guy knew his stuff and saved me from a flooded basement more than once, lol. Still, roofing's a whole different ballgame...you don't wanna gamble with leaks or shoddy workmanship. I'd definitely check if they're local or national, how long they've been around, and if there are multiple red flags popping up online. Better safe than sorry with something that big.
"Still, roofing's a whole different ballgame...you don't wanna gamble with leaks or shoddy workmanship."
Yeah, exactly. But say you find mostly positive reviews online—how much weight would you put on a handful of negative ones mentioning communication issues or delays? Would that be a dealbreaker for you?
I wouldn't stress too much about a few negative comments on delays or communication—honestly, that's like 90% of contractors out there. When we did our kitchen, the guy was impossible to reach but the work was solid...so I'd say trust your gut and maybe stock up on patience, lol.
