When we bring someone into our home as a guest, most of us start doing housekeeping and chores to provide a welcoming atmosphere. My wife goes crazy cleaning if I mention that someone is stopping by socially (it’s quite amusing, actually).
When you’re preparing for a new project, there are a few things you can do to ensure the project is smooth, with minimal frustration (a renovation is a frustrating project about 100% of the time.) With a bit of planning and some ground rules, we can make it much more enjoyable for everyone involved. You get the renovation you want, in the time you were promised, for the quote you were given.
The Work Area
First, the area in which your contractor needs to operate, repair, construct, install, load, unload, etc. should be free of obstructions. It provides them the ability to perform their tasks efficiently and keeps them on budget for time and labour. While we’re usually happy to help where needed, you would probably prefer to pay us our contractor rates for the projects we do best, and not for moving furniture.
The Pets
Second, if you have pets, a quick scan and housekeeping of the yard for “landmines” would be truly appreciated. Frequently, homeowners are gracious enough to allow us to keep our work boots on…as we walk in and out of your home – we’re required to wear safety boots while we work, and it’s probably best if we’re not spending your billable time cleaning out the treads.
Many of us love pets, but we understand that not all pets love contractors, so if your fur-child is anxious about meeting new people, it might be best to keep them away for the initial part of the project, until they get used to the people working in your home.
Avoiding Accidents
Third, we do our best to keep your home tidy, and we try not to disrupt your life more than necessary. If we work inside — or outside — it’s a good idea to remove items, such as mirrors, wall hangings, garden decorations, hanging items or other items that could be inadvertently damaged from banging, hammering, walking past with materials, etc., in the area your contractor is working. It’s just for the short duration of the project, but it eliminates the potential of something memorable being damaged.
Respect Work Time
Fourth, we are curious animals by nature, and EVERY contractor loves to interact with the client, but keep in mind, time is money…YOUR money. So if you want to interact with us, apart from the direction of the task at hand, catch us in the pre-work, after-work, or break periods. We don’t mind company while we stuff our faces to regain calories.
Planned Projects are Successful Projects
Fifth, if you have a clear and concise plan of your project or expectations, your project will be a much smoother, timely process. Changing our minds about something is fine. Discuss it with us…we are happy to listen and accommodate you, but keep in mind that changes have the biggest impact on a project’s timeline and budget. Sticking to the plan will save you time and money.
Top-down Leadership
Sixth, if you DO have changes to make, talk to your contractor, not the crew. Although it may seem harmless, details get missed when the crew shares the conversation. Conversely, don’t let a worker make suggestions to your projects. They’re workers, and though they may have a great idea, they may not have the experience or vision to see what the change may do to the rest of the project. If you listen to everyone’s suggestions — whether it’s friends, family, or other tradespeople — changes are inevitable….which leads to a rise in expense, which of course, YOU are going to bear. Stick to the plan. Your contractor has experience and has likely considered most, if not all, of the options for a successful completion…that’s why you called him/her to begin with. That said, if you truly want something changed, talk to us about it so we can factor it in as early as possible.
Following these guidelines helps ensure your project stays on time, on budget, and stress-free for everyone involved.