It is extremely frustrating working with companies that do work on houses (landscaping, drywall, framing, etc.). I am currently finishing my own basement and have done most of the work myself. I don't want the whole basement to suck when I am done so I am hiring out for the drywall work. The company that is doing it really is just one guy who has a bunch of drywall guys that he calls on for each project (they're like contractors rather than his employees). This means that he doesn't have as much control over them and their schedule and sometimes there are delays in getting people scheduled to do the work.

The part that is frustrating is that this guy is horrible about communicating what is going on. He gives me vague plans (no doubt because he isn't sure if one of his guys will be able to do it on a specific day), but then he doesn't follow up and confirm once he knows something. I have to call and/or text him to get another answer. And then I have to explicitly say things like "will you give me a call by the end of the day to give me an update?" Then, he usually doesn't call so I have to call him back.

I know this person is a good guy and isn't trying to be a bad communicator. It just seems like, when I have worked with these 1-man operations in the past, I always feel like telling them to please hire a secretary/office manager who can take calls regularly and get back to people.

Ah....I feel better now.

P.S. - This isn't a knock on all construction businesses...just the small outfits that need to communicate better.