That's the headline of Deborah Derrickson Kossmann's new Modern Love piece in the NY Times. And while the author doesn't really suggest it, we think a contractor prenup might be a good idea. Check out the piece -- it's both hilarious and a cautionary tale. A true home renovation contractor-from-hell story that may cause folks who are contemplating buying that great old house (a mess, but fantastic "bone structure") to reconsider the hideous (but new!) McMansion down the street.

The author is genuinely funny; you'll no doubt both laugh and shake your head in common understanding. Are contractors born utterly unreliable, non-responsive and lying sacks of cement, or is it their environment (e.g., too much lead dust, asbestos, etc.) that causes them to become that way? Who knows. But the less you expect, the less you'll be disappointed or, in the context of Ms. Kossmann's story, heart broken.