281. How to Handle a Contractor Who Stops Communicating (Without Blowing Up the Project)

You're a few weeks into a project. Things started well. And then the contractor goes quiet.   The texts take days to get a response. The updates get shorter. You show up for a site visit, and no one told you the schedule changed. And you start filling in that silence with stories; he's probably just busy, maybe I'm being too demanding, maybe I should wait a little longer before following up.   Here's the thing: that silence is not neutral. It's telling you something. And the longer you manage around it instead of addressing it directly, the more it costs you — in time, in money, in your client relationship, and in the authority you've worked hard to build.   In this episode, I'm breaking down the four real reasons contractors go quiet, why the responses most of us default to make it worse, and exactly what to say when you have the conversation, so you can reset the dynamic without blowing up the project.   Mentioned in this episode: Join The Designer's Edge waitlist here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers Grab Your Free Script Guide here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/push-back-script-handout Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance   Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.comcontractor-stops-communicating