Cleanliness

Davie in action

More often than I would like to I encounter Homeowners frustrated with bad work done by contractors whose present themselves as professionals. They usually have a sad demeanor and a lost look. They think something is off, but they can't really put their finger on it. How come we end up with something so different than what we saw on Houzz?

Well, as a tile setter myself let's say it's a tiled shower stall project they had going on and they're suspicions about. Then they call another contractor to check it out and this is where I come in when I get the call.

The urge to make a face is contained by my subpar sense of etiquette as my eyes gaze upon such unbelievable work of art (not). The look of disbelief once on the Homeowner pales in comparison to the look I'm trying to hide. As someone whose they seek a solution/opinion from, I need to be thoughtful and try to alleviate the situation by restraining my impressions to a brief comment and jump to solutions right away. In regards to tiling the problem might aways be worse than it looks. In a bathroom tile installation project for example aesthetics it's only 50%, the other 50% it's its functionality, its ability to make water go down the drain only and preventing moisture from getting inside the walls. 
It seems to me tile setting requires steady hands like no other trade and - here comes the catch - being clean.
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This goes for every trade, really, but if you find yourself in a situation where you suspect something is off, pay attention to Cleanliness! I can't stress this enough. Good professionals will be mindful of your home as a whole, not just the area they're working on. If you want to spare yourself of further problems, don't double down and keep on betting on a loose horse. If you notice the contractor is not clean and organized, take action and cut your losses.