We need a better way

Our article about getting paid is among the most commented on pieces we’ve ever done, and it’s never really slowed down over the years. Clearly, this is a hot topic among contractors.

Just over a month since we last visited this issue, Chris has piped in with his two cents:

I think we need a better way to hire/pay for trades services. Too many contractors do not finish the job and leave the homeowner on the hook after they’ve already been paid, leaving the homeowner in a choice between lengthy small claims court battle or hiring another tradesman to finish the job. With no accountability for these actions, it’s becoming commonplace.

He raises an interesting point. Contractor Nation, does anyone have any ideas about how hiring and paying trades could be improved to avoid — or at least minimize — this issue? Is there a better way?