how to speak contractor

When Your Contractor Goes Rogue

This topic comes up fairly frequently in collaborative design projects, what do you do if your contractor just isn’t listening to you? You hear about it most in residential interior design (probably because of HGTV) but its even more common in retail, commercial and hospitality design. 

Like they pretend to hear your concerns and then ignore you.

Your budget is iron clad and they keep moving the needle. The wrong way. 

Or they’re strong- arming you into materials or items you just don’t love. 

Disclaimer: I’m not picking on all contractors and don’t want this blog to come off as shade tossing. I can honestly say that the majority of contractors I’ve worked with over the last 20+ years have been very receptive, very creative and very customer focused. But sometimes…not so much. 

My goal here is to give you a playbook on how to deal with it, keep the project moving in a positive, forward direction AND get the end result you’re looking for. 

In retail interior design—especially for dispensaries—projects are notorious for their complexity. When a contractor loses focus, it can feel like you’re herding cats. Here’s what to do when things go off the rails:

1. Hit Pause 

If you start noticing red flags—like unanswered calls, vague updates, or unexplained delays—hit the brakes. Schedule a meeting with your contractor ASAP. Be firm, but collaborative: “I’m concerned about X, Y, and Z. Let’s revisit the plan to get back on track.” You’ll want clear updates, revised timelines, and accountability. 

2. Bring In a Neutral Pro 

Sometimes, the relationship with your contractor gets so messy or stressful that you need an outsider to step in. A project manager, team member or interior designer can mediate and assess where things went south. They’ll also clarify whether the contractor is actually crickets or if the project hit legitimate snags (e.g., supply chain delays—still a thing in 2024!). They can also see with fresh eyes if your contractor has valid reasons for items they’re pushing or if it’s just a bigger kickback situation. 

3. Cut Ties

This is a last resort. Nobody wants a breakup. But if communication has totally broken down or the work isn’t meeting basic quality standards, it might be time to part ways. Terminating a contractor mid-project isn’t fun, but sometimes it’s the best way to protect your investment. Just make sure you understand your contract’s clauses and have a clear path to finding a replacement. 

How Designers Speak to Contractors: Translating Ideas Into Action

A great contractor isn’t just about their technical skills—it’s about their ability to shift concepts and ideas into a tangible space. A lot of dispensary build out problems stem from misunderstandings. So how do designers speak the language of contractors

1. We get visual 

Saying, “I want this dispensary to feel modern and warm” sounds great to you, but it’s vague to a contractor. Retail interior designers will share mood boards, renderings, Pinterest pins, or even hand-drawn sketches. The more visual cues you provide, the better. “Paint it white” is also a terrible phrase, never leave paint colors up to your contractor without sample approval. Did you know there are over 150,000 shades of white paint alone? 

2. Speak in Deliverables, Not Dreams

Contractors thrive on clear, actionable instructions. Instead of, “Make this wall stand out,” say, “We want LED backlit shelving with matte-black finishes along this wall.” Be specific about materials, timelines, and budget. Put actual dates on items where you can instead of saying “our grand opening is July 7th, get it done before then.” Working a backwards timeline and making sure you include time you need to do walk throughs and fix any small mistakes is so important. I encourage my clients to do walkthrough meetings throughout the construction process to make sure they can address onsite issues and create punch lists as they’re noticed. Inspect and approve incoming materials before they’re installed. This avoids a massive headache at the end of the project when you should be wrapping up. 

3. Speak the language

You don’t need to become a construction expert, but knowing terms like change order, punch list, and scope creep will save you headaches. Here’s the differences-

• Change Order: A formal amendment to the original work plan. Often equals more time and money but not always. Get these in writing ALWAYS. 
• Punch List: A checklist of minor fixes or unfinished details before the project wraps. Get this in writing too. 
• Scope Creep: When the project starts growing beyond the agreed plan (often without adjustments to time or budget). You may have slope creep if the above two lists seem to be growing as well as your deadline. 

Pro tip: When in doubt, ask for clarification, dates and numbers. A good contractor will be happy to go over it with you and make sure everyone is on the same page.