Kitchen Remodel Contractors: How to Piss Off Your Customers (2024)

We analyzed more than 5000 pieces of customer feedback and here’s what people say. Based on the provided data, the main complaints leading to low scores for remodeling companies are following. Let’s also illustrate the complaints with direct examples from your dataset. We removed the names of the businesses from the data.

You can check out the top of the top companies here.

When you are a contractor, make sure you and your team will avoid these issues. When you are a customer put these things into your contract.

Unresponsiveness/Poor Communication

This includes not returning calls or emails, not showing up for scheduled appointments, lack of updates during the project, and generally poor communication throughout the process.

Company X: Multiple reviewers mention not receiving responses to voicemails or calls, and even when the owner answers, he fails to follow up as promised. This shows a clear pattern of poor communication.

Company X: One reviewer mentions a negative experience due to lack of communication and follow-up regarding measurements and installation.

Company X: A customer made an appointment, confirmed it, and the contractor simply didn’t show up and didn’t communicate.

Incomplete/Unfinished Work

Contractors starting strong and then disappearing, leaving projects unfinished or with incomplete elements after being paid.

Remodeling X: One reviewer mentions issues with the company not finishing repairs on a wall they opened.

Construction X: One reviewer describes the contractor as “awful” and complains about unfinished work despite being paid.

Kitchen and Bath X: A customer complains about missing an upper cabinet and not getting responses to inquiries about it.

Poor Workmanship/Low Quality

Shoddy work, noticeable mistakes, use of cheap materials, damage to existing property during the project, and work not meeting agreed-upon specifications.

Kitchen Renovation X: A reviewer had a bathroom renovation done that only lasted two years due to loose tiles and inability to hold grout, indicating poor workmanship.

Remodeling X: A reviewer describes the workmanship as “amateur at best,” even after the contractor returned for repairs.

Company X: A reviewer notes poor workmanship on a drawer where a screw was too short.

Delays/Scheduling Issues

Projects taking much longer than promised or quoted, repeated rescheduling, and delays with no explanation given.

Kitchen & Bath Remodeling X: One reviewer mentions delays with an island installation, lack of communication, and ignoring of calls and emails.

Renovations X: A customer complains about the project taking much longer than planned.

Dishonesty/Unreliability

Lying about the scope or timeline of the project, changing the agreed price after the contract is signed, not honoring warranties, demanding full payment upfront, and unprofessional or rude behavior.

Custom Resurfacing X: A reviewer mentions being given assurances about a new bathtub fitting perfectly, which turned out to be a lie.

Kitchens, Bathrooms X: A customer describes working with the company as a “complete nightmare,” alleging that subcontractors weren’t paid.

Home Renovations X: Reviews accuse the company of stealing money and failing to pay subcontractors.

Overpricing/Hidden Fees

Excessively high quotes compared to other companies, unexpected or hidden fees added to the final bill, and charging extra for mistakes made by the contractor.

Bath, Kitchen X: A reviewer warns against the company due to high quotes (50-100% higher than others).

Home Improvement X: A reviewer complains about not getting the price expected based on the posted signs and implies hidden fees.

It’s important to note that the majority of reviews for kitchen remodel contractors are positive, with many customers praising the professionalism, communication, quality of work, and timeliness of the contractors. However, the negative reviews highlight important issues that can significantly impact customer satisfaction and should be considered when choosing a remodeling company.