- Make sure you have a good, written contract that you both understand. A good, legal contract does not need to be confusing and complicated. In fact, it should be simple and clearly state the details of the project.
- Discuss as many of the details as you can before the work begins. Have as many decisions made and ideas nailed down as possible on the front end of the project. This allows both the homeowner and contractor to be aiming at the same target.
- Bring up issues and concerns as they arise. As a contractor, few things are as frustrating as getting to the end of a project believing that everything has been done satisfactorily, only to be met with a list of things that could/should have been corrected along the way.
- Compliment your contractor along the way. Knowing that the client is pleased with how things are going takes a lot of stress out of the project and is very encouraging to the contractor - increasing the quality of the work.
- Give your contractor the benefit of the doubt. If an issue should arise once the project is completed, don't assume that the contractor simply cut a corner and was trying to take advantage of you. Rather, kindly bring the issue to his/her attention with the assumption that it was not intentional. Most contractors are not trying to scam their clients or cut corners - most of us want our work to last and would gladly welcome the opportunity to correct issues whether they were directly our fault or not.
Having these expectations in place will help to set up good communication between you and your contractor - allowing your project to go smoothly and with less stress.
What are some tips you would give to us contractors for better communication with you, our clients?
