Not only that...some cannot find other contractors to continue because noone want to get into troble with him or the work was so bad it has to be torn down and re-do or he has told everyone that you are the bad guy actually not paying him and want everything cheap cheap cheap and fast fast fast and contractors listen to contractors because they are of the same kind...hahahaha

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Added on June 1, 2012, 3:53 pmContractors are like that:

Stage one. Quotation. everything is possible whatever you want even discount. Very polite, very professional, amicable, call you often and when you call him for appointment, he will be there.

Stage 2: Once you agreed to give him the job. Before you get thing signed, cemnet, brick, wood, etc will be delivered to your house almost immediately. Signing can come later as far as they are concerned. No first payment deposit.

Stage 3. Commence work next day no delay whatsoever. Called you he has completed something and want you to verified if you are happy and if it is according to what you want. Want to make changes, no problem.

Stage 4. Tell you that you have not paid him the deposit, or no, it is he forgot to ask you for the money. You paid, work continue as you would like it to be.

Stage 5. You pay more money according to schedule

Stage 6.Disappered for few days, you called he comes and said need money just to buy material though that stage has not completed because just paid salary to workers, you pay otherwise no material how to continue?

Stage 7. All changes you request needed to be paid and no nego. You paid because you have no choice.

Stage 8. Disappear for days and you call will come next day but only for one day. You are stuck. Your weakness now show, you got no say and this is the time he make his demands. The table turned now against you. You have to pleased him otherwise he will work on other sites and your house has to wait, this include advance payment.

Stage 9: meeting his demand you house will be completed

Stage 10: you have an open house, the person you will not invite is your contractor who did the reno for you!!!!

This post has been edited by stevie8: Jun 1 2012, 03:53 PM

Hahahaha. That is only half of the story. We are all malaysian. We are of the same kind. Why would you want to be so nice to the owner tambah this tambah that without tambah cost? So you see it is dog eats dog world. People give you chance you take advantage, that is malaysian so how. This is call the fengshui wind taking turn to change direction. Feng shui lin lao chin.

At first the fengshui is with the owner. The owner is the king, want this want that for free, complaint about this complaint about that no so nice, not so smooth and the whole thing has to be taken out and re-do, for example. Voice also louder and must obey.

Then the fengshui started to change its direction reaching 50% of the job. Now, the contractor is the king. How could a king accept a new king when the expectation from the begining was so so high and now you have to be a servant!!!????

The moral of the story is Cheap things dont come good. Good things dont come cheap. Be reasonable. Why is china product is so superior in US and Europe like Hier for electronics? Why china products broken in a month in Malaysia? We are asking for too low a price and our importer friends are bringing in cheap dirt cheap products.

Hi Jess,

First, I did not say not paying deposit. Before I could pay materials were delivered as a way to get me more committed than just a signed contract.

2nd, Of course not all contractors are like that but most. I did have a good contractor for my first house but he has since retired.

Last, You must not trust and must check on your contractor and his sub contractors on wet-work especially structural works regardless if you have time or no time and at least you ask how are they going to do it to make sure it is stronger that requirements like beams and pillar, footing and foundation. My contractor, though not a pleasant one, he invited me to inspect the foundation work and beams and pillars before concrete were poured! At first i told him i did not have the time but he insisted I go at crucial time, how big a hole they had dug for the foundation, the footing just before concrete, and he made me count the numbers of rebars and show me its thickness. He even make me claim up to the top of the beams if they had it tied the rebar beam cage properly and with a wielding tool I was told to tell the sub-contractor where else I wanted the rebar to be wield together!

So you see I got a bad attitude contractor when come to finances and negotiation of strength and power but not quality of work.