Chicks in Construction
You plan your renovation with excitement, trust your contractor, and hope for the best...until things start going sideways. That’s when most homeowners realize they didn’t know what they didn’t know.
From permits that were never pulled to “contractors” who ghost after demo day, the construction world can feel like a maze of hidden costs and shady shortcuts. Too many homeowners end up confused, overwhelmed, and out a lot of money.
The Chicks in Construction Podcast is here to change that. Hosted by Mikki Paradis, a licensed general contractor with 20+ years of experience, and Jess Aper, a homeowner turned construction content creator, this show breaks down real renovation horror stories and teaches you how to protect your time, money, and home.
This isn’t just another DIY podcast or contractor interview show. Mikki and Jess pull back the curtain on what really goes wrong in home projects, translating industry talk into plain English and giving you practical steps to avoid common (and costly) mistakes.
After building a multimillion-dollar drywall business and helping countless homeowners recover from construction nightmares, Mikki is on a mission to make sure you go into your next project informed, not blindsided. And Jess brings the perspective of someone who’s been in your shoes and now knows exactly what questions to ask.
Want to renovate smarter and spot red flags before they wreck your project? Hit follow and get ready for real talk, expert advice, and stories that will make you say, “Thank God I listened to this first.”
Submit Your Construction Horror Story: https://chicksinconstruction.com/
Chicks in Construction
The Permit You Didn’t Pull (and Why It Will Cost You)
In today’s episode, Mikki and Jess dig into a renovation horror story submitted by a local North Carolina homeowner—and this one has everything. Think unfinished bonus room turned crooked office, mystery permits, Monday morning sick texts, and drywall work so bad it made the homeowner feel seasick. Yep, it’s that kind of story.
Mikki breaks down what should have happened at every step, from pulling permits to hiring licensed contractors, and shares some hard truths about what happens when you skip the right steps. Jess adds the homeowner perspective (and plenty of eye-rolls) as they unpack red flags, lessons learned, and the real cost of hiring the wrong people.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why pulling permits isn’t optional (even if your GC says it is)
- What a licensed general contractor really means—and how to check
- How cutting corners on HVAC and drywall turned into a months-long disaster
- Red flags to watch for: missed workdays, bad trim, and sketchy subcontractors
- The cost of fixing bad work—and why it’s better to do it right the first time
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Submit your homeowner horror story:
www.chicksinconstruction.com
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