diff --git a/eth_vertigo/cli/main.py b/eth_vertigo/cli/main.py
index a0f8e8d..cb7b56d 100644
--- a/eth_vertigo/cli/main.py
+++ b/eth_vertigo/cli/main.py
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ def run(
             click.echo("[-] We couldn't get valid results by running the tests.\n Aborting")
             return
 
-        click.echo("[+] The project is valid")
+        click.echo(f"[+] The project is valid (took {round(campaign.base_run_time, 2)} seconds)")
         click.echo("[*] Storing compilation results")
         campaign.store_compilation_results()
         click.echo("[*] Running analysis on {} mutants".format(len(campaign.mutations)))
diff --git a/eth_vertigo/interfaces/common/tester.py b/eth_vertigo/interfaces/common/tester.py
index 8f303b7..46c2d9a 100644
--- a/eth_vertigo/interfaces/common/tester.py
+++ b/eth_vertigo/interfaces/common/tester.py
@@ -106,11 +106,15 @@ def run_tests(
 
         if mutation:
             apply_mutation(mutation, temp_dir)
+
+        # only force recompilation when validating the project to get a baseline
+        force_recompile = False if mutation else True
+
         try:
             if original_bytecode is not None and original_bytecode != {}:
                 if self.compiler.check_bytecodes(temp_dir, original_bytecode):
                     raise EquivalentMutant
-            test_command = self.build_test_command(network)
+            test_command = self.build_test_command(network, force_recompile=force_recompile)
             result = self.run_test_command(test_command, temp_dir, timeout=timeout)
         finally:
             rm_temp_directory(temp_dir)
@@ -122,21 +126,20 @@ def instrument_configuration(self, directory, keep_test_names):
         pass
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def build_test_command(self, network: str):
+    def build_test_command(self, network: str, force_recompile: bool = False):
         pass
 
     @staticmethod
     def run_test_command(
             command: str,
             working_directory: str,
-            timeout=None
+            timeout: int = 600
     ) -> Union[Dict[str, TestResult], None]:
         with TemporaryFile() as stdin, TemporaryFile() as stdout:
             stdin.seek(0)
             proc = Popen(command, stdin=stdin, stdout=stdout, stderr=stdout, cwd=working_directory)
             try:
-                #TODO: timeout defaults to zero for some reason
-                proc.wait(timeout=1000000)
+                proc.wait(timeout=timeout)
             except TimeoutExpired:
                 proc.kill()
                 raise TimedOut
diff --git a/eth_vertigo/interfaces/foundry/tester.py b/eth_vertigo/interfaces/foundry/tester.py
index e6d20b5..11cd7a1 100644
--- a/eth_vertigo/interfaces/foundry/tester.py
+++ b/eth_vertigo/interfaces/foundry/tester.py
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@ def instrument_configuration(self, directory, keep_test_names: Optional[List[str
         if keep_test_names:
             _set_include_tests(self.directory, keep_test_names)
 
-    def build_test_command(self, network: Optional[str]) -> List[str]:
+    def build_test_command(self, network: Optional[str], force_recompile: bool = False) -> List[str]:
         result = self.foundry_command + ['test', '--json']
         # if network:
         #     result.extend(['--network', network])
+        if force_recompile:
+            result.append('--force')
         return result
diff --git a/eth_vertigo/interfaces/hardhat/tester.py b/eth_vertigo/interfaces/hardhat/tester.py
index 8150805..28ca73e 100644
--- a/eth_vertigo/interfaces/hardhat/tester.py
+++ b/eth_vertigo/interfaces/hardhat/tester.py
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@ def instrument_configuration(self, directory, keep_test_names: Optional[List[str
         if keep_test_names:
             _set_include_tests(self.directory, keep_test_names)
 
-    def build_test_command(self, network: Optional[str]) -> List[str]:
+    def build_test_command(self, network: Optional[str], force_recompile: bool = False) -> List[str]:
+        # todo - support `force_recompile`
         result = self.hardhat_command + ['test']
         # if network:
         #     result.extend(['--network', network])
diff --git a/eth_vertigo/interfaces/truffle/tester.py b/eth_vertigo/interfaces/truffle/tester.py
index 22254cb..e8ecc76 100644
--- a/eth_vertigo/interfaces/truffle/tester.py
+++ b/eth_vertigo/interfaces/truffle/tester.py
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ def instrument_configuration(self, working_directory, keep_test_names: Optional[
         if keep_test_names:
             _set_include_tests(working_directory, keep_test_names)
 
-    def build_test_command(self, network: Optional[str]) -> List[str]:
+    def build_test_command(self, network: Optional[str], force_recompile: bool = False) -> List[str]:
+        # todo - support `force_recompile`
         result = [self.truffle_location, 'test']
         if network:
             result.extend(['--network', network])