Lesson Learned: Why cheap labor is usually anything but cheap

As anyone who has contemplated a construction project since the start of the Pandemic knows, prices are high. Need is high, materials are scarce and the workforce is thin. All of this together results in hefty price tags and long delays for any kind of construction or remodel project in your home. Something we have noticed recently with clients is that, no matter how many times they hear about the climate, they are always in a rush.

While we always try to do the best to get things done quickly for our clients (time is money, after all), we have been burned too many times in the past to rely on cheap, quick labor. What we have found, time and time again, is that cheap labor almost always ends up being anything but cheap.

Take an example from a client who was on a tight budget and timeline. In order to get things done quickly and as inexpensively as possible, we brought in a flooring installer who we have used in the past but know to be on the cheaper side. Each time we have used this team, it has worked out fine, and the results are always satisfactory. However, throw anything overly complicated their way, and you're not going to get the best results.

The original tile was torn up, revealing that the new wood flooring would be going on a higher surface than the existing wood flooring. The transition from the living room to the kitchen would need to be finessed carefully. I had a plan, and conveyed it to the installer, who seemed to understand what I wanted. However, upon arriving at the property, it was clear they did not understand. The transition was messy, and a tripping hazard on top of it. They had already laid a portion of the floor. Starting over would be costly, and on top of that, it became abundantly clear that they were not capable of the type of seamless transition a more experienced, and yes, more expensive, installer would be. We would need to bring in another installer, resulting in even more delays, if we wanted the project completed correctly.

this transition from living room to kitchen is completely unsatisfactory

This was not only a lesson to my client who learned that cheap isn't always best, but also to our team. Even if a client is pressuring us to keep the budget down, we are the experts. We have to be able to communicate to our clients when and where to spend money, the potential consequences for cheap work, and ultimately be firm and confident in the trades people we hire for our projects.

Over the years working in the home improvement industry, we have carefully curated a list of contractors we feel confident about. A significant benefit of hiring an interior designer is benefiting from that expertise.