Distrust and Disrepair
How Homeowners’ Perceptions of Contractors Matter
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21633854 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Natalie Blaustone-Dye (City, Culture, Community, Tulane University), Eileen Tomczuk (City, Culture, Community, Tulane University), Eileen Dolores Tomczuk (Tulane University), Rob Bartram (0000-0002-2318-1882, Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, The University of Chicago, corresponding author), Robin Bartram (Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, The University of Chicago) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 811-828 |
| Publication date | 2025-09-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Housing Policy Debate (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1051-1482 • E-ISSN: 2152-050X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10511482.2025.2486975 |
| OpenAlex | W4409681591 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 25 |
Drawing on qualitative interviews with a racially diverse sample of 46 homeowners in New Orleans and Chicago, we reveal how homeowners’ distrust in contractors shapes the character of home repair experiences. We demonstrate that distrust shapes homeowners’ attitudes toward construction workers, affects how homeowners find contractors, and influences the working relationship between homeowners and contractors. Overall, we argue that homeowners use distrust as a tool to protect their homes—assets with high financial and emotional investment—and hold contractors accountable in an industry they view as poorly regulated or even outright predatory. We recommend financial and policy interventions to improve trust between contractors and homeowners, including home repair resources for homeowners and improved labor rights/regulations in the construction industry. Further research is needed to determine the multitude of ways that distrust impacts homeowners and contractors in the home repair and renovation industry, particularly those from marginalized groups
Business · Distrust · Perception · Political science · Public relations · Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism · Law · Psychology · Marketing
Learning From Strangers
Stacked Decks
Building a Better Chicago
Pragmatic Knowledge Production
The sustainable housing question
I Can’t Afford to Move”
Routine Dilapidation
Housing Improvements, Perceived Housing Quality and Psychosocial Benefits From the Home
Low-income homeowners and the challenges of home maintenance
Housing as a determinant of health equity
The Dignity of Job-Seeking Men
Beyond Mother Nature
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |