No, you did not over react. YOU are the one paying the bills...it's your call who works in your house. I DO hope the contractor is going to pay for the damage? He should.

I don't think you overreacated. You have a right to expect the subcontractors show up in a timely manner, are careful around your possessions, and clean up their mess. Just make sure to document the damages. Do not let your husband sand out the soapstone until you have photographed the scratches. If you do have to go to small claims court, the only thing a judge cares about is documentation. Keep track of when this guy is at your house(date and time) and also the damage that occured that day along with the photos. Also, do not pay until you are satisfied. If your gc is paying the sub, hold out on your gc and he can hold out on the sub to cover any damages. If you have taken out a permit make sure the inspector looks at the rough in very carefully. Good Luck.

You definitely did not overreact. My one regret was not insisting our GC get another plumber when the plumber started disrespecting our property.

One of the things we ended up doing was withholding payment for parts of the job until damages were fixed. It helped speed up the process of rectifying things and in the interim let us hold money to have the problem fixed if the GC didn't make it right to our satisfaction.

BTW--our "biggie" was when the floor guys poured polyurethane in my brand new silgranit sink and left a poly soaked sheet sitting in the sink overnight. As if that weren't bad enough, they took sandpaper to the sink to try to remove the stain. The kitchen was already completed by the KD (granite and all) and it had been closed off from the rooms where the hardwood floors were going in, but they tore down the plastic sheets and went in anyway. Had the granite cracked when the sink was replaced it would have been a very expensive OOPS, but fortunately the sink was replaced without harming the granite.

No---you are NOT overreacting. It's your house. Just make sure you hold the GC responsible for the actions of his/her subs and hold money until it's fixed to your satisfaction.

No you are not over reacting, to them, it's just a job, but to you it's an expensive venture and your home. I wouldn't want that #@*P!!* back in my house either!

How much damage should I expect and tolerate from the contractor and the subs?

None. End of story.

We always lay cardboard on the countertops after they are installed. That way the damage is hidden from the homeowner's prying eyes until the last day. (ducks...)
Casey

We are living on site during this renovation (let me tell you this is no picnic) so I probably see more than the average client. I look under the cardboard.... and in the cabinets.... and in the closets....

I guess I am just a GC's nightmare......

If your GC is using an unlicensed plumber, I would be worried about more than the plumbing. You might want to look into your state licensing laws.

Consider hiring an independent inspector to look at all the work.

You are right to nitpick and complain about damage. If your GC knows you're observant, he should communicate clearly with the subs about the need to be careful. If they can't be careful, they should be fired. You should tolerate nothing but good work.

We had to fire the painters on our job after a series of careless disrespectful mishaps that my DH characterized accurately as "sloppiness bordering on contempt." Since Day 1 we've taken pictures and emailed, sometimes daily, our construction manager about problems and pushed for solutions. The workmen probably consider us the clients from hell; I consider them professionals hired to do a responsible job and am holding them to that standard.

I didn't read anyone else's responses since I got so ticked off just by the what you described. but you should EXPECT NO DAMAGE. NONE. PERIOD.

Over react! You under reacted!!! I would have gotten rid of him the second, and I mean second, I realized his work was crap. And you're soooo right. What's behind the walls. And your "POOR foreman".... what!!!! I would have kicked him in the butt after I threw the plumber out on his.

I'm a single woman. I've redone 2 kitchens and 1 bathroom myself. Dealing with Mr. Know It Alls I don't take anyones s - - t. I tell them from the get go: Do a good job, on time, within budget or else you WILL deal with me.

This infuriates me because what you're foreman told you is partly true about people not wanting to finish someone else's job but also not true... it is a slow economy. There are people who would welcome the work AND do a good job.

If I were you, and I'm not, I'd talk to the "poor foreman" and say this: YOU hired this plumber. HE damaged my expensive belongings. YOU will be financially responsible for fixing EVERYTHING TO MY SATISFACTION OR YOU WILL NOT BE PAID. END OF STORY.

You sound like me, Im not very confrontational. It would have to be pretty bad, like you have described, to take action. I would be very upset and definitely put my foot down at this point though.