Lost $280 on a bad tile job because I didn't check references

I hired a guy off Craigslist to retile my bathroom floor... he quoted me $400 cash. I paid him $280 upfront for materials and he showed up late two days in a row. On the third day he just stopped answering my calls and I never saw him again. The tile store said he bought $150 worth of stuff and pocketed the rest. Has anyone else gotten burned by a contractor who took a deposit and ghosted?

2 comments

2 Comments

masondixon24d agoMost Upvoted

$280 down the drain and you didn't even get a half decent pile of tile out of it. I had a plumber pull the same trick on me a few years back, took a $350 deposit and vanished after leaving his tools in my garage for a week. Cash jobs are always a gamble, but the biggest red flag is when they want more than half upfront. Next time, offer to buy the materials yourself and meet them at the store, that way they can't pocket the difference. Or just stick with thumbtack or angie's list where there's at least some paper trail. Craigslist guys are a total mixed bag, some are great but the bad ones know they can disappear with no consequences.

wesleyburns24d ago

Man I feel your pain @masondixon, the last time I tried hiring a handyman off Craigslist he showed up in slippers and asked if he could borrow my phone charger for his vape. Never saw the $200 deposit again either but at least I got a funny story out of it. Buying the materials yourself is actually smart though, kind of like how I buy my own ingredients when my wife asks me to cook dinner - at least you know what you're actually paying for. These guys know the system and they're counting on people being too nice to chase down $280.