In Croatia, home renovations are often accompanied by negative experiences – from contractors who take an advance payment and disappear, to poorly executed work that only becomes evident after several months.
Because of this, many people approach renovation projects with distrust, even though renovation is often necessary.
Below, we outline the most common scams and mistakes in apartment and house renovations, along with practical advice on how to avoid them before they turn into serious problems.
Advance Payments Before Work Begins – What Is Reasonable and What Is Risky
Paying an advance before renovation work begins is not a mistake and has become standard practice today. This practice developed as a result of poor experiences contractors faced in the past, when a large number of completed works remained unpaid, leading to the closure of many companies.
The problem does not lie in the advance payment itself, but in situations where it is not clearly defined.
A reasonable advance payment should be:
- linked to a written offer or contract,
- clearly defined by amount or percentage,
- tied to a specific phase of the renovation works.
The riskiest situations arise when a large amount is requested upfront without a contract, defined deadlines, or a clear payment structure.
More detailed guidance on how to properly agree on advance payments, what constitutes a reasonable amount, and how both parties can protect themselves will be covered in a separate article dedicated to advance payments in renovations.
Renovation Without a Contract – “We Agreed Verbally”
One of the most common mistakes in home renovation projects is carrying out work without a written contract.
This often stems from a desire to speed up the process or avoid additional paperwork. However, the absence of a contract is precisely what most often leads to misunderstandings and problems during the renovation.
Without a contract, it is unclear:
- what exactly is included in the scope of work,
- what the execution deadlines are,
- how delays, work interruptions, or poor workmanship are handled.
In such situations, both parties remain unprotected, and resolving potential disputes becomes significantly more difficult.
A written contract does not imply distrust. On the contrary, it establishes a clear framework for cooperation that protects both the investor and the contractor.
When obligations, deadlines, and payment methods are defined in advance, the likelihood of misunderstandings and issues during renovation is greatly reduced.
Poor Workmanship and Hidden Issues
One of the biggest problems in renovations is poor workmanship that is not immediately visible. On the surface, a space may appear tidy and newly renovated, but real problems often emerge only after a certain period of use.
These issues rarely occur by chance. They are most often the result of an unclear scope of work or the absence of defined quality standards.
This is precisely why a written contract is important not only for deadlines and pricing, but also for quality assurance. By defining the type and scope of work and materials, the risk of improvisation and superficial solutions is significantly reduced.
When a contractor’s obligations are clearly stipulated, the quality of workmanship no longer depends on goodwill but becomes a contractual obligation, providing the investor with greater security and long-term value.
Hidden Costs
Hidden costs are one of the most common sources of dissatisfaction in renovation projects. The initial price may seem acceptable, but additional items often arise during the works that were not clearly defined in advance, significantly increasing the final cost.
Such situations most commonly occur when:
- the cost estimate contains vague descriptions,
- not all agreed or expected works are included,
- the offer lacks sufficient detail.
It is especially important to clarify the concept of extra works (out-of-scope works).
Extra works arise exclusively when:
- the investor subsequently requests additional works, or
- it was known in advance that certain works were not included in the original contract.
Every extra work item must be:
- clearly defined,
- agreed upon in advance,
- confirmed by the investor, either verbally or in writing.
Changes during renovation are sometimes unavoidable, but they should be the exception, not the rule.
A high-quality renovation is not based on improvisation, but on transparent agreements, clear documentation, and mutual trust. This approach is the best protection against unpleasant surprises and long-term problems.