How bad did I get ripped off by my handyman?

And extreme home make over. I wouldn't want to live in a house that was built in a week

 

Fast. Cheap. Quality . pick 2

 

I like the this old house show. I think those guys are pretty good. They really make it look easy.

 

that's because Norm and Tommy are actually carpenters and not hack homeowner flippers

 

We had a project were after I had tiled the men's and women's room the owners son decided he could tile the rest of the building to "help us out" . it did not help my electrician slipped on an unset hallway and walked off for a few days. The son also trimmed everything with home depot door trim packs, used it for crown, floor etc.. He bought the precut packs, also had to check his saw the cuts were so bad I thought his blade was backwards.
They spent more on those trim packs than I would have charged to trim it. ( the packs were precut lengths not even tall enough for commercial doors)

 

Conversely, it is hard to begin to understand (and appreciate) the decisions and challenges a contractor faces unless you do dive in once in a while and grapple with it yourself. This actually helps me ask better questions, understand the answers and limitations and expectations, and really helps ferret out those who are skilled tradespeople who can communicate their trade and talk about details versus those who are hacks.

Of course, one must know one's limitations. Most people don't even know how to drive a car.

 

My wife loves those flipping house shows and most of them, with the guys who have no clue what they're doing, end with me yelling at the TV

 

My license means I'm a legal business in the eyes of the state. My insurance means if you have water pipe through a stud without a nail plate and I put a nail in it and it floods your house its taken care off. Proper permits allow me to put a Lien on your house /business when you decide you can't afford the work you contracted me for. It also allows you to work with a bank to get a loan for your planned project. And means you don't get screwed by the local government for an unapproved project. Somewhere with the permits are inspections to make sure its safe and correct but I've seen a lot of approved stickers on things that shouldn't be.
That's what all that bs paperwork is for.

 

These..

People forget that most/all of TV, somehow or other, is entertainment.

I've done quite a few jobs at my house..flooring, windows, rehabbed 2 rooms after ripping them to the studs. However, I have friends in the trades who have helped me with a lot of it or advised me how to do it. My wife worked in the trade for a bit when she was younger so she could learn.

In general I know the most important thing of houses, cars, whatever..if you're not confident, don't do it. Ask for help or hire someone.

 

Well getting back to the question of the topic, from the pix it appears the contractor did competent work for a fair price.
In my experience of hiring others for my home I have found that the percentage of bad to good contractors is 85% bad and 15% good, with that in mind I no longer take the chance. I have hired out for the simple reason of time I do not have to do the job; I.e. a retaining wall at base of driveway 20,000 Bucks and it is failing.
Painters who got paint all over our skylights and all over the stained trim inside which I made... Never again!
There are good, competent contractors out there, no doubt. To hope that I hired one... No, I am done with that.