The Homeowner’s Survival Guide: How to Spot a Bad Contractor Before It’s Too Late | Ahlookin Trinidad & Tobago

The Homeowner’s Survival Guide: How to Spot a Bad Contractor Before It’s Too Late

Everybody knows someone who got burned by a contractor. The job start, the crew vanish, the half finished wall sit for months, and your WhatsApp messages turn blue with no reply.

Good work is out there. So are smooth talkers. Before you hand over a deposit, use these checks to separate the two.

1. No written scope or quote

If the price lives in a voice note or on a scrap of paper, stop. A professional gives a written scope with materials, labour, and payment stages. If it is not in writing, it does not exist.

On Ahlookin: every quote lives in your job thread, so there is a clear record for both sides.

2. The price sounds unreal and there is no breakdown

“Boss, I could do that for half.” Low numbers with no detail often hide cheap materials or expensive surprises later. A fair, itemised quote beats a cheap mystery price.

3. Big deposit with no receipt

Asking for most of the money up front without a proper receipt or invoice is a red flag. Reasonable deposits are tied to materials or a clear first milestone. Always collect a receipt that shows the business name or the contractor’s name and ID.

4. No recent references you can verify

Many excellent pros are offline, and that is fine. What is not fine is a contractor who cannot point you to two recent clients you can call. Ask for names and numbers from the last 12 months and call them. If all you hear is “I will get back to you” for days, walk away.

5. Fixed price without a site visit

Quoting blind invites trouble. A pro wants to see access, slope, drains, power, water, and the real conditions before giving a firm number. If someone prices a complex job sight unseen, expect change orders and stress.

6. Tells you to skip approvals

“We doh need permission. We go deal with inspector after.” That is how you end up paying twice. If the work needs planning, electrical, plumbing, or health approval, a professional will say so and help you do it right.

7. Unwilling to provide basic proof on request

You are not hunting for a stack of certificates. You are checking that the person is who they say they are and that the business is real. Reasonable proofs include any two or three of these:

• Two recent clients you can call, with photos or videos of the finished job
• A receipt or invoice with a business name or the contractor’s name and ID
• A supplier or hardware reference that confirms they buy regularly
• Trade or agency documents if the work requires it, for example a licensed sanitary constructor for certain plumbing jobs or an approved electrical professional for inspection and sign off
• Insurance where relevant, for example public liability or workers coverage on bigger jobs

A Police Certificate of Character is not standard for every job. If your project involves regular access to your home or vulnerable occupants, you can request one respectfully and in advance. A pro will not bristle at a reasonable safety check, but do not treat it like a first date requirement.

For great pros who are offline

Some of the best builders work by reputation, not by Instagram. Here is how to hire them safely:

• Do a short paid test task first and see how they communicate and clean up
• Ask for two recent clients you can call and one supplier who knows them
• Buy big ticket materials yourself and use staged payments tied to progress
• Use a simple one page agreement that lists scope, milestones, and receipts

Bonus: your gut is usually right

If the story keeps changing, if visits keep shifting, if the rush feels pushy, listen to that feeling. It is better to lose a week checking than lose six months fixing.

The bottom line

Good contractors show up, write things down, and do not hide the basics. You do not need a detective kit. You just need a clear scope, a clean paper trail, and people who answer the phone.

Ahlookin was built for exactly that. Verified profiles, quotes in one place, and a record you can trust.

Find verified pros on Ahlookin.com

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