Establishing a productive and successful relationship with your contractor will require a solid set of communication skills. After all, he or she is going to be the one who will help you turn your living space into the one you’ve been dreaming about. Here are some of the best ways to communicate with your contractor:
Be clear. Make sure you are in agreement with your spouse or significant other about any remodeling issues, so that your contractor doesn’t have to run interference between you. If there is a conflicting vision for the master suite, stress levels will be higher than is necessary, and completing the work will become next to impossible.
Schedule talk time. If you have questions about the project or if you want/need daily or weekly updates, set up a specific time to talk with your contractor instead of pulling them away from the job site to do so. When it comes to small details or problems that can be easily resolved, use email to communicate.
Know yourself. Assess yourself honestly and be aware of the kind of client you are likely to be so that when you choose your contractor you can be confident that they can work with you effectively. Be clear with both yourself and your contractor as to whether you are hands-on or hands-off. Are you a bit of a control freak? Be honest about it. Are you extremely concerned about costs, or is your attitude more “the sky is the limit”? Perhaps you are the creative type and truly love coming up with unusual design elements, or maybe you are traditional in your thinking; your contractor will appreciate knowing just how to approach you and your project.
Be flexible. Understand right from the start that remodeling completion dates have a tendency to come and go. Small, unavoidable changes can set the project back easily, and weather can often be an obstacle as well. Treat your start and finish dates as achievable goals, and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Understand your contractor’s environment. A contractor working in an urban area often has different resources than a contractor in a rural area will have. If you are remodeling a cabin in the wilderness, be aware that your contractor very likely will have considerations when obtaining manpower and materials that another one in a city would not. Scheduling inspections may take a bit longer to set up, and travel time may be more extensive for all involved. Lumber may come from 100 miles away, and if your contractor runs short of something, it might take several days to obtain what is needed.
The team at Ascension General Contractors is committed to completing your project in a timely and professional manner.
