7 Ways to Get the Best Work from Your Contractor

Written by Posted On Wednesday, 14 June 2017 09:48

In a perfect world your contractor will understand what you want done, have an accurate budget set, and get all the work completed right the first time. However, in reality most projects don't go this smoothly, whether it's setbacks from weather or you find that the work you wanted done wasn't what you imagined.

Here are 7 ways to help ensure your contractor gets the project finished right the first time.

1. Keep a Work Journal to Track Project Progress

Even if you have an extensive project detail sheet and contract lined up you should also keep a work journal. In this journal you should record progress with dates, save photos of progress, make notes of questions you may have or changes you are considering, keep track of materials purchased and expenses, and any important information given by the contractor. This work journal can be a notebook or be done in the Notes section of your phone.

Speaking of your phone, it is a great idea to take pictures of progress. This will help you see how much work is being done over time and these pictures will automatically have timestamps/dates. This can come in handy if you and your contractor come to a disagreement about what work has/hasn't been done or if you find that their crew is leaving work early.

2. Maintain Consistent and Clear Communication

One of the biggest ways to get the best work possible from your contractor is to be sure you are both on the same page at all times. Don't just hire a contractor, sign a contract and leave it at that. Go over the contract and projects details together, and be sure they understand what you want done. Show pictures or other examples if possible. Whether your want to have a industrial design kichen, an eco-friendly interior wall panel or a mid century modern siding installed, communication will always be the key to getting what you want. This is why communication with your contractor, architect and other members of the building team during the planning phase is very important. Talk to the contractor daily, ideally in the morning before the day's work begins. Also make sure the contractor has your phone number in the event they need to contact you, and vice versa. If your contractor is using a project manager for most of the work at your home you will want to keep regular communication with this person as well.

3. Don't Ignore Your Contractor's Advice

The saying that the customer is always right isn't true. While you should be firm with what you want done on your home you also should listen to advice offered by your contractor. Part of the hiring process is making sure you trust your contractor's knowledge and expertise. If you're new to the area it is important to take their experience into consideration as well. Even if you have your heart set on a specific house siding design or type of roof shingles, your contractor may know what will last longer for your house.

4. Be a Pleasant Customer to Work For

People that feel appreciated do better work, and this is absolutely true when it comes to construction crews. There are plenty of little things you can do to boost morale and show your contractor that you are a nice customer to work for. Some examples of nice things to do is to make sure you have a bathroom that crew members can use, providing cool drinks on hot days, offering fans to help the crew keep cool on interior projects, and greeting crew members by name.

5. Don't Throw Extra Projects in Without Discussing First

Don't be the type of customer that starts throwing in little side projects that delve outside of the agreed upon contract. A common pet peeve of contractors are customers that try to expand projects without considering how this affects their work crew's schedule. For example, say they're installing a house deck and you decide you want to extend it to a pool deck, bring it up to your contractor but understand that they may not be able to work on the side project until a later date. Work with their schedule and understand side projects may need to be postponed.

6. Be Flexible with Allowances but Be Smart with Payment

You should try to get the budget as precise as possible, but occasionally allowances for increased prices on certain materials or extra time on a project need to be made. Be flexible so you don't force your contractor to purchase lower quality supplies but you should also be smart with your money. A good contractor will have enough credit to purchase majority of materials beforehand and shouldn't charge more than 10% upfront.  

7. Check on Progress Daily but Don't Get in the Way

Many customers end up getting in the way of their contractor, which can slow down project completion. It comes down to trust again. For example, if you vetted different qualified contractors to install exterior house trim or soffit to your house, you should trust that the one you hired is doing a good work. It is important to check on progress daily, but preferably after the crew is done for the day. Don't stand outside watching them or get underfoot thinking you are helping.More often than not a reputable contractor will do whatever possible to ensure their customer projects are done right the first time. Keeping these 7 tips in mind will help streamline the process for both you and the crew you hired.

 

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Matt Lee

Matt Lee is an SEO and content marketing specialist serving building material manufacturers. He’s the founder of digital marketing agency, Lead Generation Experts, and Local SEO Course, Rise Up Local, that teaches business owners how to rank higher and get more leads through search engines.

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