How to Hire and Work with Your Contractor

ByElle Murphy

You must first hire a contractor when doing a new home project, buying home design plans, or changing materials for a renovation. DIY is great for small projects like painting, but for much more than that, you will need a licensed professional to hire, trust and do the work for you. This relationship is crucial to the success of your project, so choose wisely. 

HOW TO HIRE:

  1. Researching who is in your area can help see who is working on a project similar to your scope. For example, if you are building a new construction house, you want to see those job signs on similar-looking houses in scale and quality to what you hope to develop. Job signs are builders’ best advertising form because they actively show what they can do. 
  2. Interview the contractors once in their office to see how they work and run their schedules. Then, to ensure the contractor is right for your project, have a second interview on the site. The job site better is clean, as any trash or disorganization is a clear indicator that the construction site is disorganized.
  3. Call a minimum of three references of old clients. Be aware that the previous client is within five years, as the contractor will not give you anyone who says something negative. Ask them about the timeline, budget, communication skills, and craftsmanship.

HOW TO WORK WITH YOUR CONTRACTOR:

  1. Have an honest conversation about when and how it is appropriate to communicate. For example, speaking on the weekends is stepping over the line because we all need time to reset and refill. Texts and calls on the weekends and evenings might be convenient, but remember, this is their business, and they have a personal life too. 
  2. You might be sitting at your desk all day doing email, but that is not the reality of a contractor. They might email early in the morning or late at night. Typically, contractors are much better at text or phone calls; it’s the reality of the job. But visiting the job site is another way to talk with the builder and see their progress. 
  3. Schedule a weekly meeting either on zoom/facetime or in person. If you are not living in the area, trust goes a long way, and if you can let go and let your builder get things done in a time-efficient manner, that is a gift to everyone. 
  4. If the project is over budget, the job site is messy, and the timeline keeps extending, tightening the reigns. We suggest holding weekly meetings to keep contractors on track and clients aware of what needs to be done that week. Many moving parts on a job site are outside your control, so ensure you know what is happening without over-managing them. There is a fine line between managing expectations and managing another company; you don’t want the client constantly pushing unreasonable expectations onto a contractor. If you hire well, you need to trust them. Clients who do not hire well struggle to communicate with the contractor. Remember, the rude clients get very little from being rude and only find themselves more frustrated. 

Start with hiring well. Feel good about your decision. Communicate clearly and efficiently, then let go a bit and trust. This formula will serve you well for the project’s duration.