Too many sub-contractors spoil the job.

We've just had a fence built and its a beauty! So what's the problem? 

Well, its a problem that comes up far too often when tradespeople do work for the general public, whether its painters or window installers or ... fence builders.

The problem is that the Home Owner thinks they are dealing with a fully staffed company. Oh, how deluded we are!

You see, many trade businesses today are just a string of sub-contractors.

I won't bore you with the many 'fence' conversations we had with various people, suffice to say we dealt with an estimator, an owner, an office lady, the old fence removal guys, the new material delivery guys and lastly,  the guy who actually built the fence.

Apart from the Owner EVERY SINGLE PERSON was a new subcontractor who knew nothing about the other parts of the business. 

So when we had questions no one was able to answer them: that was a different department.

And if you thought the Owner (whom we never met or even spoke to on the phone) might be our go-to guy, you'd be wrong!

Turned out he was too busy juggling sub-contractors to talk to his customers. The best he could do was send late and garbled texts. He simply refused to speak to us! It was incredibly frustrating.

I've encountered (read 'bid against') several large painting companies who don't actually do any painting! I've seen coaching videos telling owners to hire only subcontractors then DOUBLE what they pay them, to arrive at the quote.

I guess if you're happy to pay $2000 for $1000 worth of work thats fine but I think its nuts!

I encourage all home owners to ask 'Estimators' if sub-contractors are doing their work then ask themselves "Why not just hire my own subby?"