Originally Posted by JARblue

That's pretty unacceptable. But having dealt with plenty of contractors like this one, it is in your best interest, assuming you are having them complete the work, to not be argumentative or accusatory when discussing the problems you have with their work. Try not to be passive aggressive, either; contractors get defensive very easily when you start questioning their work. But definitely don't be afraid to point out anything you aren't happy with. It really is all about the approach. Some guys want to be the smartest guy in the room, so I let them think I don't have a clue even though I know exactly what they should have done to get it right the first time - but other guys don't even want to talk with you if they think you're too stupid to know what's going on (these guys are often more reasonable in their discussions and will actually listen to you if you know what you're talking about).

The last thing you want is a pissed off contractor finishing up your renovations...

A couple of other notes, a lot of contractors want payment in full before they're done with the work - it allows them to leave the job a lot easier. You should always have a retainer (10-20% of the total is good in most cases but more is not uncommon) that is not paid until the end of the job. If they say they need more than 50% (20-30% is more likely the actual amount) for materials, call bull$hit unless you are getting major equipment like water heaters, condensing unit, furnace, or extremely expensive finishes.