'Hired Them For Floors And Paint, They Tore Out My Kitchen Instead'—People Debate Whether Contractors Made A Mistake Or A Scam

A Reddit user thought they were getting a simple paint job and new flooring. Instead, they walked into a nightmare—a completely gutted kitchen. Now, the internet is debating whether the contractors made an honest mistake or pulled a scam.

A Shocking Surprise

The homeowner shared their story on r/mildlyinfuriating, explaining that they hired a contractor to paint their home and install new floors. During conversations, they also asked about countertop replacements and a potential tornado shelter in the garage. “The next day, I receive a quote for $22,000 to replace all of the cabinets in the kitchen as well as the bathrooms. I wasn't sure why because we had only discussed doing the countertops.”

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They continued, “This was supposed to be the final week on the job. Instead, I get a text saying that they finished the demo on the kitchen.” 

Was It A Miscommunication Or A Scam?

Reddit users quickly jumped into the debate. Some believed the contractor was intentionally trying to squeeze more money out of OP.

“They are trying to extort you,” one user bluntly stated. Another agreed, saying, “I don’t feel like this is a mistake. I feel like this was intentional, forcing the buyer to pay more than they wanted.”

Others thought it could have been an address mix-up or a simple misunderstanding. “Option 3 is that the crew got their signals crossed and ripped out OP’s kitchen one day and repainted someone else’s kitchen the next day,” a commenter suggested.

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Where’s The Contract?

Many Redditors questioned whether OP had a signed contract outlining the work.

“Please tell me you have a written contract and that these people are licensed, bonded, and insured,” one user pleaded. Others were skeptical about OP's lack of response to this key question.

“No clue why I had to scroll so far to see this. OP saw something confusing in the contractor's quote and thought: ‘Ah, whatever, they won't replace the cabinets because we didn't talk about it.' What the f**k?” another wrote.

The Mold Discovery

Some users noticed a silver lining—black mold where the cabinets once stood.

“Dude, there is mold EVERYWHERE where those cabinets were. That HAS to be remediated,” one user pointed out. Another joked, “At least you can tackle the mold issues now.”

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Is The Story Even Real?

Not everyone believed OP's story. Some suggested the before-and-after photos were reversed, and others pointed out inconsistencies in OP's post history.

“Fake. Check OP's post history from 31 days ago with a picture of a burnt pizza on the countertop. Entirely different kitchen. Nice try, though,” one skeptical user wrote.

Regardless of whether the incident was real, fake, or a tragic case of poor communication, most people agreed on one thing: “This isn't mildly infuriating, this is blood-boiling.”

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