How Our DREAM Home Has Turned Into a NIGHTMARE!
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ม.ค. 2023
- A little over a year and a half ago, after being homeless and living out of our Jeep Wrangler for over three years, we finally bought our dream home! It was nearly perfect, with plenty of parking and garage space and a shop to work on all of our off road and race vehicles!
The house itself just needed a little bit of work and remodeling, which we had originally planned to keep our viewers updated on as time went by. But if there is one thing most people can relate to - it is the nightmare of homeownership. And after more than a year and a half…we’re finally ready to catch you guys up on how our home owning journey has gone so far!
To check out more Lite Brite Nation content & merch, click here → linktr.ee/litebritenation - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
It’s stories like this that makes my happy that not only did we build my dads house ourselves. But that everybody in my family inside and outside of immediate are contractors and construction people and we don’t have to deal with worthless contractors
I’ve definitely wished more than once that we had more skill & faith in our own “handy man” capabilities. 😅😅 Although time is another issue for us, unfortunately.
@@LiteBrite 🤣🤣I know what you are going through, l 'm going through the same problem, for 1 year now.
Just got out of an 8,000 sq ft home a couple years ago and couldn’t be happier! The house was only 12 years old, but was one problem after another. It’s not necessarily the $$ to fix/update, etc., it’s finding someone who wants to do the work and can actually complete it!! Best of luck, you guys seem much more patient then I am, fortunately.
I give you guys a lot of credit for sticking with it! That is a lot of work!!! Much respect!
As a fellow Washington county resident I feel your pain, finding somebody good for home repair/improvements is a full time job around here.
I had a friend with a three level house that was about 5,000 square feet on each level. They wanted work done around the property and in the basement level. The contractor who took the job really screwed it up. So she took on the project herself. When it was done it looked like the finest contractor you could ever hire had done the work, and the basement was gorgeous. I hope you finally get someone who has a brain and the skills you are looking for. As you have found out, they are hard to fine.
It will be worth it once the work is done! Wish you all luck!
Looking great guys! Can't wait to see the finished results! Congrats!!
I am an appliance repair technician, I would really recommend avoiding Samsung, LG and GE when purchasing new appliances. Always stick to Bosch for dishwasher, cooktop, oven, range and refrigerator, if you cant find that then just stick to cheaper Whirlpool or Maytag but they wont last as long as Bosch. For washer and dryer stick to Speed Queen (seems like you already have a speed queen dryer) and if you cant find Speed queen then get Bosch. Below as a reply is my full appliance brand list in more detail for major home appliances
Washer & Dryer
_________________________
Avoid Samsung and GE and try to stick to top load instead of front load if possible
Best to buy in this order:
- Speed Queen
- Bosch
- Whirlpool (cheapest you can get) top load
- LG (Lower end unit either front load or top load)
Other brands:
- Maytag (inside it is the same thing as Whirlpool, it is manufactured by Whirlpool but it just looks nicer and has some extra features people rarely use)
- Midea (manufactured by ge) don’t buy
- KitchenAid (inside it is also same thing as Whirlpool but much more expensive and looks nicer)
- Amana (made by whirlpool) good to buy, just won’t have some extra features
Refrigerator
_________________________
Avoid bottom freezer refrigerators, stick to side by side and top freezer. Avoid Samsung, LG, GE, Hisense, Haier, Insignia
Best to buy in this order:
- Sub Zero (very high end and different size than standard refrigerators)
- Bosch
- Whirlpool (cheapest you can get, because it wont last)
- Frigidaire (cheapest you can get, cheapest you can get because it wont last)
Other brands:
- Maytag (inside it is the same thing as Whirlpool, it is manufactured by Whirlpool but it just looks nicer and has some extra features people rarely use)
- Midea (manufactured by ge) don’t buy
- KitchenAid (inside it is also same thing as Whirlpool but much more expensive and looks nicer)
- Amana (made by whirlpool) good to buy, just won’t have some extra features and some parts are a little worse quality than Whirlpool
Dishwasher
_________________________
Avoid Samsung, LG, GE, Hisense, Haier, Insignia
Best to buy in this order:
- Bosch (even if you buy the cheapest one, I think is series 500 it is still the best)
- Whirlpool (cheapest you can get, no fancy features unless you really want them)
- Frigidaire (cheapest you can get, no fancy features unless you really want them)
Other brands:
- Hotpoint is ok to buy, it is manufactured by GE but they are much more simple and inexpensive so often can be a good buy
- Maytag (inside it is the same thing as Whirlpool, it is manufactured by Whirlpool but it just looks nicer and has some extra features people rarely use)
- Midea (manufactured by ge) don’t buy
- KitchenAid (inside it is also same thing as Whirlpool but much more expensive and looks nicer)
- Amana (made by whirlpool) good to buy, just won’t have some extra features and some parts are a little worse quality than Whirlpool
- Miele (great German brand but still would stick to German brand Bosch )
_____________________________
Stove and microwave pretty much just stick to Bosch, Whirlpool, Maytag and Frigidaire. Avoid induction, stick to gas or electric and avoid fancy features like steam in oven and avoid using self clean features in a wall oven as it gets to extreme temperatures and often causes problems with other components due to that extreme temperature
I feel you pain I’m retiring this year from the Army and so glad to be done moving.
We bought a house last year and I have been doing the whole remodel. It takes so much time and the mess motivates my wife and I to get it done. Still gonna take 2 years.
Just know, your not the only ones going thru this nightmare right now. We closed on our loan in July of 2021, the house was supposed to built and done by fall of 21. We are still waiting for it to be finished. Apparently contractors only work from 11am to 2pm, if they even show up.
Good lord. 😳😳😳
your pain and agony will all be worth it when the house is finished. it's gonna be beautiful and well worth the wait!
I highly doubt that your "friend" lived in a 15,000 square foot house lol 🤣
Stay strong guys remodeling has always been a nightmare. The progress has been amazing.
I still love the shower and that mirror! You didn’t show the mirror off enough. Last time I was there the spot where Chris’ door was looked sooo terrible. It’s looking a ton betting now, hopefully contractor number 4 can finish things up. He should know you guys would make for a good recommendation.
Great couple, thanks for the wholesome entertainment. God bless!
My wife found her dream home before we got married and we bought it and started remodeling. We changed a lot on the house when the school we lived next to wanted our property. We decided to buy 5 acres and MOVE the house. After staying in an RV for 5 months, we finally moved out of the RV and into house. But we only had 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom. We gutted everything else. I’m in construction and we did everything except the electrical. And that’s where we feel you sister. We got bent over so many times by electricians it was painful. Finally made it our home and we love it. House was built in the 40s 22:42
I wish we lived closer to you guys to help as I am sure any good company would benefit for just doing a good job
house is looking good,,, hope u guys have a good time on ur trip and have some needed time by urselfs, lov ALL -U-ALL, lov the videos as well keep it up!!!!!
You got a pretty rocking deal on that place. It will work out in the end. Keep your faith.
You guys are awesome 🙌🏻 sorry renovations have been such a nightmare
It will be a beautiful Home! All do time not always in our time frame. It took us well over 20 years to do everything Close to what we want. Can't wait to see when it's all done! I would love to have a shop like yours Just don't have the space or the money lol.
You guys have kind of a unique taste in deco. Hopefully you eventually get it the way you want it. Must be frustrating.
57th! Its your fault - I thought y'all were still vacationing. Ah, the Joys of Home Ownership! You have one asset that most don't have: Money! At least some. I spite of it all, y'all have a beautiful home, and when its done to your satisfaction it will be a real gem. Brit, what a wonderful rant! You do that so well. Poor Kevin, just smiling away with all the troubles. Welcome back, and Good Bye again! LiteBriteNationBuildsFrustration!
It's just hard to find good contractors these days! If you can find one don't let them go! Happy Trails to both of you!
Hang in there Brittany. You guy's have a beautiful home. Hugs 🤗
My experience is do what ever you can to be there to oversee the contractor work. I've always been disappointed in the work when I wasn't there to get it corrected in a timely manner before too much was done, or they move on to other commitments.
That's awesome I used to live in Granbury Texas back in the mid 2000s
I know how you guys feel. I bought a house 15 years ago that was built in 1963. I'm still working on it. Although I work full time construction and I am doing all the work myself. But the list is just as big today as it was the day I bought the place. Never ends.
I worked as a sub contractor through the V A and whenever I would bid on jobs the Vets would always tell me that they would set up dates for the Contractors to show up they never would. I love that shower, no problems with drainage 😁. I hope everything works out great for you guys. ❤❤💯🤙
I agree per the shower pan pitch comment, but it's the wrong tile huh...?
What a nightmare that would be! Will be nice to get away and forget about it for a while. Enjoy your vacation! 👍
How much of a closet can 100 tiny little half shirts take up🤣🤣🤣😍😍 KEVIN “ dishwasher get a girlfriend” hahahaha lmfao , now that shit was funny 😂😂
You would be VERY surprised! 😁🤣
Hey kids... that was interesting! I'm a 73 yo tile installer / 40+ years exp., & still love it. I've seen worse per upgrading projects & swapping out contractors. "It happens"... The before & after tile areas not surprising. The new goods? Nice! That shower "mud" floor's pitch not too bad, but the wrong tile goods. I mix m'grout w/ grout calk for those wet areas. It stays longer & flexes w/ thermal changes & time. Never polished marble or glossy finishes on wet surfaces! The new wood looks great too! Chris & Beck has real nice digs up there! The kitchen wall cabinets doors...? I would replace w/clear "water-glass" infields post the distressed white finish structures. But hey, that's just me. As always..., be safe out there & I love the whole Lite Brite Nation thing! America First! 🙂🚙
Appreciate Chris. Never take stuff for granted. Chris did a Lot. JMO.
Great video thank you!
25:08. Y’all are so cool.. I remember your first videos . That summer yall was in Gatlinburg TN we was at Ripleys aquarium Gatlinburg Tennessee on vacation ..
Mad ram 11 .. ? I really like the rock bouncer
She didn't say you couldn't eat crackers Kev !!!! LOL That could've turned into a TMI moment !!!! Welcome to the Wonderful world of Home remodeling !!! Another thing once a home is finished it is time to move !!! Simple fact owning a home is a never ending project but with ownership can come a world of great memories and pride !!!
All this is pretty normal, it happens to all of us. It took me about 3 years to have my house ready to move in. That was about 20 years ago but some things are not done since today, a lot of new "nice little catastrophys" happens since than AND since our kids have been born about12 and 10 years ago these two littel monsters did A LOT of (permanent) chaos... so the bad news is: It never really ends! The good news is: You accept more and more things and stop to get angry... 😀
But, location, location, location! I love that area where you live. It is awesome how the Kolob Fingers appear as you drive west of the freeway, and how those red buttes light up at sunset! And, of course, you are close to so much awesome off-roading and amazing country. Best of luck finishing it off the way you want.
Thanks for sharing your life with us. Even though it's been a PIA your end product will be something you're proud of. Keep up the good work!
That's a house for your, it's like where do you stop. There is always something to do. Enjoy yourselves!
❤the cross on the window.
Yeap, home ownership can be great and a royal pain in the butt at the same time. Seeing Peanut Butter at the end reminded us of our dog Tuffy. He loved to be vacuumed. He would follow Christine around the house while she was vacuuming until she vacuumed him.
Other than the issue with contractor #1 and the bad luck with injuries/family problems of the other 2, you're not doing so bad. The place basically looks nice, no walls falling down, no leaks or mold, and everything is pretty new. Yeah, it is a work in progress but look how long it took to get the Step Child where she is today. Wisking you all the best luck with the remaining work. obtw, when it's installed, that faux beam is going to look rad - go Bec!
You’re definitely right!! It’s all coming together! I think I’m just so ready for it to be (mostly) finished after 20+ months. 🥰
Doing well but still down to earth and a great couple with a great channel
Hello:::: Well looks like built big but a little well used. WOW the Master Shower !!!! Love it. The cracks in shower floor will Rot what ever is under it, but you know that. Good luck !
I remember the video you guys did when you were replacing the carpet with flooring. That was a funny video.
I’m pretty impressed you got four to show up at all. Love that shower ladder! It’s super frustrating I’m sure. You’ll get there!
We’re just thankful it’s so close finally!
If I was closer I would of done a shit ton of work for you guys in trade for wheeling lessons. Thank you for your time.
Finding a good contractor is like finding an honest mechanic (you don't need to worry about that), but with the growth in that area and all the new construction the good ones have plenty of work.
I live in the Phoenix Arizona area and like you have had all kinds of sketchy contractors, it took us four years to get our work done and a dozen contractors all for the same job of landscaping in our back yard. Contractors have gotten really bad, it’s like they don’t want to work. Some show up for a day or two and then just never come back. Others you make appointments with and they never show, others just do shitty work and want to be payed for it and then you have to try to find someone else to redo what they screwed up. It’s awful and I’m glad we are done with it. Thanks for the update on your house, I feel for you and know what your talking about because I went through the same shit. Love you guys!
It seems like a lot of people can relate to this sort of stuff, unfortunately. Hopefully it gets better soon! 😅
Living your best lives!
We did a remodel while planning a wedding. Talk about stress. The house was broken into mid remodel all my and brother in law tools were stolen. If you can make it through a remodel you can do anything. 😅
Good luck Welcom to the area and the Usual Problems Of home ownership and the Contractor isues of the area I made a alot fixing Mistakes But Now I can no longer do it, 4 wheeling Accident and other fast living Caught up situation. Again, There are Some great contractors out there. Keep at it you will find your One Go to.
Speed Queen washer in the laundry room. Nice!
We’ll replace the dryer soon with one as well! ☺️
Major rework inside the house. Easily see the months of work required. Custom home level of remodeling. Very impressive‼️
You should drop by Panama City Beach for Florida Jeep Jam may 15-20th
it takes time renovating but it will look amazing when its done
I understand where you guys are coming from, me and my dad live in Virginia Beach in a homeowners association and they are making us move are fence in 5ft, as it backs up to the road, we have lived here for the past 23 years, we moved here in May of 2000 and I was just learning how to walk, although I hate the homeowners association we have such awesome neighbors that are like family to us, and it would be very hard to move.
Glad you finally found a good contractor!!! Hold on to him and treat him well because craftsmanship and pride of work is virtually impossible to find today. Everyone is the best, does perfect work and has 20-years of experience, until they start and you discover that they are clueless, uninsured and 15 outstanding court judgments for crap work in the past! Looking good tho!
the house look awesome from the outside i feel sorry for you to had to face so many issues but it got great potential
Decades ago, we would put an ad in the paper looking for a construction company to take on projects like this. Allow them to bid the job and let them manage the many contractors and the headaches of labor issues. Most of the little contractors have small jobs in mind and they fail to bring enough help to get a project done.
Welcome to Utah , its like that here your lucky to get a call back !!!
Good luck and God bless.
I like that barn door and the cedar wall
I work for a roofing contractor and we show up when we say we will. It’s sad that is the standard to beat, but that’s one of the largest reasons we get the jobs.
I have been working on my house up here in SL County and still working for my clients the last 6 years. My wife is always asking when I am getting our projects done for our own house🤣
Just saw stepchild definitely a dream jeep someday mine will be similar
That's why I do all my work by myself. This way, if it fk up, there's no one to blame but me. And I don't fk up. I do it once because I don't like doing it twice. The popcorn wall has to go bye-bye if it is me. I love your shiplap.. that's what I want to do..
Wecolme to home ownership lol. Sometimes it sucks and had many advantages as well. I love the map idea, awesome.
Don't feel bad. When my wife and I bought our house 8 years. We went thru 3 contractors before we got it finally done the proper way.
I miss the car horn "bleep". Also, I snorted with laughter when Kevin instinctively covered his mouth and "the goods" while be vacuumed.
I had issues with contractors who would come out to give me a bid but never talk to me again. They would rather do big jobs for the City or County. My little residential job was too small. It was so frustrating.
Your house is very nice. I know you may not like little details but do projects one at a time. Do them room by room rather than texturing the walls in the whole house. I know you think it saves headaches by doing it as a big project, but little projects get done. Big projects prolong the headaches.
Thanks for showing around and telling us about the problems you've had. It's not the typical subject matter but it was interesting none the less. Kevin, don't eat in bed dude. 😆
Sorry, guys! My wife and I are dealing with some deferred maintenance problems on our home that we bought less than two years ago. Good luck with your situation!!
My dream house is small, sustainable, with LOTS OF LAND! I would hate to clean that size house haha but congratulations!
Feel your pain!…We had 1 more than u so far.One did our main roof,2nd tore down then rebuilt Florida room/2 season room addition& it’s metal roof.He had another job he had to do & said he’d come back.3rd took our hinged barn like garage doors off so he could reslab the garage floor,then rehung them crooked(how when the hardware holes were still there.then #4 started the doing windows & never showed back up finally #5 did that work but never came back to rebuild cement slab porch w/stairs & finish the free stack stone retaining wall he started. F it at this point We’re mentally done. All we wanted was a finished home so we can adopt a German Shepherd rescue. Good luck fingers crossed for you 🤞🏻
It sounds like you guys had more than your share of mishaps and unlucky contracts and purchases, but it also sounds like you guys are winning and getting closer to the light at the end of the tunnel. It's really crazy to have to live in a construction site for a year. But then again it sounds like you guys were well prepared for it after living on the road, and in some ways your continued travel is a nice break from the work. A lot of contracters today have a "good enough" attitude and for a surprising amount of people, they get away with that lower standard. But you definitely have a nice house, and you were getting minimum wage apartment complex maintenance guy quality work with contracter number 1. I am not even in the business and have done far better work under less suitable conditions. I like the Ikea closet. It doesn't look cheap, it looks nice and functional. Personally I like Ikea stuff. The shower grade can be fixed, it's puzzling why they did that. Were they too lazy to bring up two more buckets of mix? Something went wrong there, and they decided to just hide it and do it that way. Even at an angle, grout shouldn't fail like that, so not sure what happened there, but I'm betting the foundation underneath that area is flexible and not well footed and supported. You might need to dig all that out and start over with somebody who knows how to prep a material floor. Or, just caulk the heck out of the cracks with a good flexible adhesive caulk, use your wooden stand, and call it good enough for now. I like it. It's better than MY shower. But yeah, that is disappointing. It's easier to do stuff right the first time than try to fix it later, and cheaper too. But you definitely need to caulk and grout the cracks and gaps before you get corruption underneath those areas. Databyter
It’s just how it is now days. Since Covid. There is no employees to do the work. And there is so much work they can pick and choose the work they do.
I love the flooring! Do you mind sharing who makes it & what type it is?
Bedrosian Tile & Stone is where we got it! It’s the Madera SPC vinyl in Silver Oak! ❤️
Is this a Lite Brite Cribbs episode? LOL. Hope so....
Cool content. Live your Dream!!!!
Brittany’s crazy came out on camera. That ikea in SLC is pretty cool.
No idea if you guys will actually ever read this but if so I’d love to hear where you got the tile on the walls in your master bathroom shower bc I’m fixing to remodel my bathroom and love that tile.
House is looking great! Mine had been horrible to remodel so I feel your pain.. ONE MAJOR question. PLEASE tell me how you are able to view bed camera while driving? I’ve been trying to get that on my F-250 and haven’t been able to figure it out. Or even a view of the hitch while driving.
The F450 just has a camera button that allows you to toggle between the different cameras (even while moving)
It's weird that ikea wouldn't deliver some things. My grandparents just got closet stuff for their new addition from them, and ikea delivered it all. I know they had 4 shelving system things to put in that ranged from 8 to 11 feet. Up until a couple weeks ago I didn't even know ikea delivered because we were planning on using my truck to take them to my grandparents place.
Ya.....My sister bought a "new" place(built in 1999) a couple months ago....and it's hard to find somebody to show up. The quotes are also ridiculously high. Finding good help is hard but once you do make sure you latch onto them 👍
I work at Sony as a lighting technician. Whenever I see Sony I get excited lol
Wicked bummer going through so many contractors . Need to find a TH-camr that is a contractor, could have done a whole build series on the house , yard and shop !
Too bad my buddy Zach isn’t close to y’all… he’s building out my camper, but I’ve seen his work on home remodels and he does really good stuff. Good luck!
It’s almost HAMMERTIME! 🐴🐴🥌
I've built two houses over the past 25 years. Each was a learning experience. Luckily I have friends that are in the building trades, so if there was a task I didn't know how to do, they did and it cost me a meal and some beer, or trade in labor.
First house was 1800 sq/ft, 3 bedroom, 2-1/2 baths. All in for materials, permits and labor I had to use due to licensing was under $80k. Hardwood floors, ceramic floor tiles and tub surround. Mid priced appliances with gas forced air heating and AC.
Second house was 2200 sq/ft, 4 bedroom, 3 bath. Budget was $125k. Spent too much on the kitchen between cabinets, appliances and quartz counter tops.
My builds have all been homes I planned on living in for a life time, but demographics change, government uses eminent domain to steal land you thought was in the middle of no where. No way would I purchase in a HOA.
Using a high end long established builder doesn't insure a good outcome. See too many builders go toes up. Get to know someone in the back office of a local lumber yard and pick their brain for who they would use and who pays their bills on time. Anyone with suspect payment history, stay away from. The same goes for the local plumbing supply and electrical supply house.
Who cares about all your cars, check out your garage. That place is the bomb. I need a place like that!
I would recommend not putting shiplap. It can hold moisture in the cracks and behind causing mold and smell. Really good ventilation can help.
Luckily, moisture doesn’t really exist in our high desert climate. 😅😅
Sorry I was fighting off a 3 year old when I was writing this! I was specifically talking about the bathroom! The steamy showers can become an issue. It’s not a always an issue but we did have to remodel our bathroom because of this issue.
That drain slant in the shower is way too much, But, a glossy finished tile on the floor of a shower is going to be slippery when soap/shampoo gets on it. As for contractors, I had the same issues about 9 months ago, the first 2 never found the time to even give me an estimate, and pretty much just ghosted me, and the 3rd one came out and we agreed on the cost, which was I bought all the materials and would pay them so much per 8-hr day. I was just having a spare bedroom and bathroom completely remodeled and have the bathroom wall moved over 2 ft. And after everything was done and all drywall was hung, so just mudding and sanding the drywall was all that needed finished before painting, on the 4th day of those 2 guys, mudding and sanding a 14 x 14ft bedroom (just the walls) and the bathroom drywall was like 10 x 12ft area with the finished shower covering most of one wall, and I was like, don't come back! I will finish it myself. After the tear-out was complete, it had already taken then a week just to put up a 16ft wall and hang the drywall. So I already knew they were milking me because I've been around this stuff for years. They spent a week doing what should have taken them a day, 2 days max, and then spent 4 more days mudding and sanding and still needed at least one more day, when that should have been a 2-day job at the most. I was so over the BS! The look on their faces when I said, Don't come back, I will finish it myself! Was priceless! lol. It's just hard to find good workers these days. And I ended up having to fix all kinds of things like places where the drywall tape was coming off in many areas after they mudded it. It was just bad. Oh well, it's just water under the bridge. lol
I have the same problem with my rental houses I own, contractors don’t want to come out I guess because they want bigger projects I don’t know but we have them ghost us all the time as well.
Seems definitely like a common problem nowadays
WOW. THAT level of low craftmansship is unbelievable! Is that really that common with contractors in the USA?
Life is rough sometimes looks good though. Did you ever thing of sanding the old floors and re staining? Just a thought I’ve done it a few times and seemed to do the trick. Nice video and looking good!
Unfortunately the old floors were just a cheap vinyl, not actually wood
Please can I ask Chris and Jeep Questions on a 2018 Wangler 4Door . Thanks and very nice Home
My wife and I worked a couple of years ago with a "reputable" contractor in our area of Georgia who was doing a whole house renovation for us. What we learned was he rarely came to the job site, and instead liked to go fishing. He typically left the job site in charge of his #2 guy who had the mindset that close enough is good enough. Whenever we'd point out mistakes or things that were not completed to our expectations they'd get mad and tell us they were the experts. Toward the end of the project, I told the contractor I didn't want his #2 guy to return to the job site due to consistent problems with his work. Mind you, this was all going on with my wife overseeing the project while living in an RV out back. Ultimately the project was completed mostly to our standards, but we still question how much of our money actually went into the finished product and how much just went into the pockets of the contractor and the employees. We learned contactors need to be under constant scrutiny to make sure they doing quality work and aren't hiding mistakes. You have to let them know you're paying attention and will call them out if you notice something isn't right. Good luck completing your renovation.
Oh the joys of homeownership. It seems like it’s always a pain to find and keep a contractor. Hopefully #4 is the charm?… Liking the improvement though and wishing y’all the best with the next projects.
P.S. I like the RV slots in the back. I can charge my Rivian at one of those spots. 😁
Kevin, it never stays on just your side
So, in some places in the US, there is an appraisal scam. If they charge to come look, and also if they want upfront payment before they even show up on the first day. You might be getting scammed. A way to save yourself from scammers, is to tell them to make a list of materials they need to do the job. You order it and pay for it. They just show up and do the work. You only pay them hourly for the work. You also work out an expectation aka markers they need to meet. If the work is really intensive, have phases inspected by a private inspector. You can actually save a lot of money and headache this way.