Just as you’ve become accustomed to the noise and disruption of remodeling, the real nightmare begins.

You return home from work to silence. It’s quiet because the contractor has vanished, never to be seen again.

This can happen for a variety of reasons – a dispute between a contractor and consumer or legal, financial or management problems with the contractor. Other disputes arise from consumer’s unrealistic expectations.

Regardless the reason, you’re left with an uncompleted project. Perhaps the roof is exposed to the elements or your only bathroom is torn apart.

How can you make the best of this situation and move on?

Look for Safety Problems

Start by examining the work site. Look for any safety problems or obvious building code violations. Cover any exposed roofs, floors or doorways. Make a list of issues to address immediately.

Then take an inventory of what has been completed and what remains to be done. Take notes or pictures as needed. (You may need these for legal purposes later.) You’ll have to interview contractors again to get estimates on the cost to complete the project.

Be aware that many contractors will not take on such projects. They may be leery of stepping into a hornet’s nest. Try to counter this by discussing the job at hand and leaving out any emotional issues regarding the first contractor.

While you may be anxious to find another contractor, don’t rush into another  situation. Check references and realize that a reputable contractor will have other jobs in progress. It may take a few weeks until he can schedule your project.

The new contractor also will have questions about where the first contractor left off. Were the materials installed correctly? Does the work satisfy building code requirements?

Pricing

The new contractor likely will want to charge by the “time and materials” methods, which means by using an hourly rate plus the cost of materials. It also may be difficult for him to provide an estimate until the work is underway.

Protect yourself by:

• getting a contract in writing, with as many specifics as possible
• setting periodic meetings to review the progress
• paying only after each stage of the work is completed, unless you are paying for specialty materials or products

Above all, be patient. Hopefully the project will end on a happy note.