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Toby Merill
Walk on Wood, McHenry, Ill.
For me the quick warning sign on the phone is when the first thing they ask is, “What is the cost per square foot?” That’s the very first question, not what projects you do or where you have worked. Like everyone, we’re in a pretty price-conscious market. If they are just price shopping, I will never win. There are probably more than 2,000 companies in the Chicagoland area, and I’m probably in the top 10 percent pricewise. If I can save myself the trip out for what I know will be a wasted trip, I will. I try not to be arrogant about it—I’ll even recommend different companies that I know are less expensive but do decent work.
Joe Rocco
Artistic Floors by Design, Parker, Colo.
A huge red flag for me is when you ask people directly, “What are your expectations?” and they just don’t know. They’re either not being honest or they just have no idea—so what’s the goal in that case? Are you working on a budget? Are you looking for wow factor? Are you looking for low maintenance? Changing the whole look of your house or just looking to refresh? Some people just don’t seem to have any idea of why they are actually calling you. If you don’t know what expectations are, then how can you know what will make them happy?
Mike Dittmer
Michael Dittmer Wood Floors, Putnam, Ill.
After more than 30 years of customer service, my largest red flag is when the husband is in charge. I really keep an eye on those projects. I remember a job we did with a dark stained floor; the husband called two weeks later and said they were not dark enough. The husband, wife and I met, and he said he wanted them as dark as their local Ralph Lauren store. The wife was livid and said they would need the cleaning lady twice a week. He said OK, and we resanded and restained it. When you walked on the finished floor with socks, you could literally see the sock prints on the floor. They were beautiful to look at, but not practical for a family.
Jason Elquest
Blackhawk Floors Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz.
When the way they talk is industry-like but not industry correct—they don’t understand “acclimation” at all, but they know the term from doing Internet research. Then they start telling you about their last contractor, and how, “I’m already dealing with the granite guy, we’re suing him.” Then they show you the granite work … and you think it looks pretty good. All these things start adding up. Then they ask you for a cash discount. That’s a huge red flag for me. I’m doing everything above-board, and when they start fixating on cost they neglect the quality—champagne taste with a beer budget.