It took the people we hired to redo our kitchen nearly two years. I have no doubt that the bathroom would have taken similarly long. We had a similar experience with people hired to replace our windows taking two years before the lawyers got involved. Both of these were on the medium-high prices because we got burned hiring a couple of cheap folks in the past. Joke's on us.
Things they both did:
- Not measure things properly. How on earth a "professional" can be two-four inches off on several measurements I have no idea.
- Not check the order before ordering it (and waiting months for it to be made and come in).
- Not check the order before installing it.
- Conveniently losing digital and physical copies of contracts and communications. Too bad for them we kept the signed originals.
- When I mention that it's clearly not right (prior to install) we get told something along the lines of "that's how they come from the factory, we fix it after installation". After install we get told "of course we can't fix that, you can accept it or wait another 6-8 months for new parts."
- A project manager that never actually supervises anything or shows up and has no problem lying to your face then saying something completely different in email afterwards.
- Contractor blaming manufacturer while manufacturer blames contractor. You have to take a day off work every time they come to inspect things yet again.
That's not even mentioning the constant babysitting that needs to be done (I am no contractor but maybe connect the drain to the sink before it gets turned on?) And all the little things that you end up doing yourself anyway because at this point it's just not worth it anymore like fixing all of the drywall they broke because I can do it in an afternoon and I am tired of talking to them and tired of seeing them and it will take you two weeks to come out anyway.
And we are not being picky here. It's stuff that should have been immediately obvious. Like our kitchen cabinets not having windows (we cut the windows out after install, they said). Or being three different colors (we paint them afterwards, they said). After install I find that both of those are lies and they apparently ordered the wrong cabinets and put in some other customer's cabinets on half my kitchen (one of the cabinets had over a dozen shims to make it fit properly). Three different materials (fiberboard, plywood, and solid wood). I didn't even notice that one until after install.
What about the window that was inches too big, and you didn't bother to check before ripping the old one out? Now I need to have plywood on my window for 8 months while you order a replacement. Good thing I'm not in an HOA or that would have got expensive quick. Maybe caulk the windows too? Just a suggestion but idk you're the professional you probably know better than the manufacturer.
My partner, child, or myself getting cut every time we wipe the windows. I don't care if it's the manufacturers fault come send somebody to sand them down and clip off the sharp bits. It's going to take 8 months for the new ones to come in. We're tired of bleeding every time we clean.
Lastly if you have explosive diahrrea fucking clean the toilet afterwards, especially if it splashes all the way up the lid. You are disgusting and you do shit work. And the worst part is I never even mentioned the diahrrea to them because in the grand scheme of things it was absolutely minor.
Washing dishes in the winter outside with a hose fucking sucks. And washing dishes in the tiny bathroom sink sucks. Washing dishes in a tiny bathroom sink right after someone stunk it up really sucks.
At least if you do it yourself, you can take a long time and do a shot job, and take solace knowing that if you hired someone it would have been just as bad but taken longer and been more expensive.
/rant. Sorry. The last few years have been stressful.
If you actually find someone that isn't bad hold on to them tight. Find an owner/operator who answers his own phone, does his own estimates, and does his own work.