6 Things You Need To Tell Your Home Contractor Beforehand
When working with your home contractor, you should always begin with good lines of communication. More so, this will help to prevent issues before moving forward. In addition, your contractor should extend professional courtesy and allow you to ask questions openly. And they should supply answers that make you feel comfortable with your hiring decision.
Chemistry With Your Home Contractor
Typically, the average home contractor doesn’t communicate with their clients as much they should. And with the home improvement boom during the past year, you would think otherwise. So often hear horror stories about working with a home contractor, which is not encouraging. Tensions can easily rise, and it’s too late as we have already committed to the project by then.
Furthermore, it’s essential to have a certain chemistry with a home contractor and establish it beforehand. So, how do you know if you have the right chemistry, and when do you develop it? Well, you can do so by asking the right questions before you decide to hire them. And this way, you can get a good feel if they are the right person for the job.
Transparency and openness are essential traits when you hire your home contractor. Below, we will take a look at some of the questions and objectives to point out beforehand.
1 – Don’t Contract Out Without Prior Approval
Before you sign your contract with your home contractor, always make sure you set clear goals. More so, especially when contracting the work out to another vendor. Typically, this is most likely to apply to utility work such as plumbing and electricity.
However, it could extend to other things such as door and window installation, cabinetry, masonwork, and window treatments. So whether you remodel your home or build new construction, it’s your right to know what your home contractor does with your property.
However, you deserve to know about it if you pay the contractor for the subcontractor’s time. You may also want separate warranties or other insurance against problems caused by those subcontractors. Often, your contractor will decide to hire one if the work is out of their skillset or too busy. Always make sure you set clear parameters with them beforehand when it comes to this.
2 – How We Will Handle Security?
Of course, you want your home safe and secure, especially during renovations when you are not present. Depending on the type of work your home contractor does, you don’t want vandals or thieves entering your home. More so, your home alarm system might also experience downtime during the construction period.
Your contractor should discuss options with you about securing your property and if there’s an additional cost. Also, make sure you know the timeframes and what measures they will take to secure your home properly. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure your contract clearly states this as well.
Furthermore, you need to know how your contractor trains workers in maintaining security. For instance, when they are leaving for lunch, how will they secure the area? Will they notify you as they come and go from your house? Discussing these things in advance will go a long way toward a more secure process.
3 – Frequent Updates On Progress
With the advent of tech, it’s easy to receive updates from your home contractor. In addition, they can easily text you every few days to let you know how things are going. After all, you’ll want updates to learn about progress or setbacks during the work. If they claim they don’t have time to update you, you might not have the right person for the job.
Make sure you let them know you don’t expect lengthy phone calls. All you want is a quick update to report their progress. Remember, your goal here is not to micromanage them but instead keep track of the project. And you can ask for progress reports after major sections of work and not for minor work completed. Letting your contractor know you want updates on the project is your right. So, don’t feel intimidated or pressured when you ask.
4 – Your Home Contractor Should Send Pictures For Status Updates
Today’s smartphones make it so easy to take pictures. Here are three types of photos you should ask your contractor to send you. The first type is perhaps the most obvious but essential. Have your home contractor text you photos of their completed work every few days. More so, of course, it’s your right to see the renovation steps along the way.
Again, you don’t want to micromanage them, but instead, you want visual updates of major project completions. For example, visuals work best to add drywall, knock down walls, or tear out your kitchen. Next, ask for pictures of supplies to match the receipts they provide you with to see the work yourself.
This way, you can see that they are buying quality products. And they will be less likely to indulge in overspending just because they have you to reimburse them. But, again, this is not about micromanagement. It’s just about a transparent process that keeps you informed about what products they use and how they use them.
5 – Protecting Your Belongings Inside And Outside
Your contractor needs to know that you are serious about protecting your belongings. During the renovation process, it’s easy for your things to go missing or damaged. So you’ll want to have an open conversation with your home contractor to ensure the safety of your belongings.
In addition, there should be serious discussions about where the workers will park. For example, you don’t want your lawn torn up by pickup trucks. Furthermore, you need to know if they will need to drive in the yard. And what type of large machinery they will use.
More importantly, your contractor should have construction crane mats. These mats will protect and provide a road or staging surface. If machinery and trucks stay on the crane mats, the yard won’t experience deep ruts and other damage. After all, it would be best if you protected the outside of your home and the inside.
6 – Alert Me About Slow-Downs And Other Problems
Often a contractor recognizes a problem long before they tell the client. Therefore, it would be best to encourage them from the very beginning to be honest with you. For example, you need to know if supply prices go up or are higher than the estimate. You want to find out ahead of time and not when the project completes.
Of course, you want to know any other unpredictable issues that arise as soon as they surmise them. For example, if they see any slowdowns or delays, tell them to call or text you. If you establish regular communication through texting, you have a good chance your contractor will warn you about problems.
However, it would be best if you established in advance that this would be the case. You want your contractor to understand that you are open to this information. And willing to work with them in whatever way possible. That way, they will share the worst with you, and you’ll always know where your project stands.
Good Communication With Your Home Contractor
Every effort you make to prevent problems will pay off in the long run. By reporting early and often, customers will come to respect you and hopefully recommend you to their friends. Remember, your home contractor wants positive reviews and referrals. And if you set parameters ahead of time, both of you can benefit greatly. Remember, good communication is key when working with your contractor. And with it, you can both work together in harmony.
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