"Nothing beats chatting with neighbors who've had work done... they'll give you the good, bad, and ugly."
Totally agree with this. When I moved into my first place last year, I relied heavily on online reviews to pick a painter. Everything looked great at first glance—clean lines, nice finish—but a few months later, paint started peeling in weird spots. Turns out they skipped primer in some areas to save time (and probably money). Wish I'd talked to neighbors beforehand; later found out they'd had similar issues with the same company. Lesson learned: online reviews can be helpful, but nothing beats real-life experiences from people who've actually lived with the results for a while.
That's frustrating... I've had similar experiences. When we redid our driveway, I went with a contractor recommended by a friend. The job looked amazing initially, but a year later, cracks started popping up everywhere. Turns out the contractor subcontracted to someone else without mentioning it. Makes me wonder—do you all usually ask upfront if contractors handle jobs themselves or subcontract them out? Seems like an important detail that often gets overlooked.
Yeah, I learned this the hard way too. I always ask now if they're subcontracting—it's amazing how many contractors don't mention it unless you specifically bring it up. Honestly, subcontracting isn't always bad; sometimes specialists do a better job. But transparency is key. If they're upfront about it, I'm cool with it... but sneaking it in without mentioning? Big red flag for me. Plus, it helps to know exactly who's accountable if something goes wrong down the line.
