How to Deal with Your Construction Contractor During a Renovation Project?

When it comes remodeling, you as a property owner will need to actively manage the entire process – even if you have hired a construction contractor to take care of the work. Lose your focus or get apathetic and you might have to pay for it – literally.

However, with the following tips, you can stay ahead of the game and maintain strong communications with your construction contractor.

1. Avoid Allowances

An allowance is basically a line term in the construction contractor’s bid for something that is yet to be decided. For instance, if you have not decided the sanitation hardware for your kitchen, the contractor will place an allowance number in the budget as a placeholder.

However, with such a wide array of price points for these products, the construction contractor’s estimate may be far lower than what you might end up spending.

Try eliminating allowances by figuring out all of your product and material selections prior to the contractor giving you a detailed bid for the job. Otherwise, do sufficient shopping to give the construction contractor a precise approximate price for the material that you are considering.

2. Establish Good Communication

Here’s what you can do to improve the communication ties with the contractor that will make all your dealings easier and faster:

• • Being on site and speaking with your construction contractor each morning before the work commences.
  • Having your contractor’s phone number and the permission to text or call anytime
  • Speaking with the job foreman each day at a predetermined time.
  • Meeting the project once a day. This is a chance for you to assess performance reports and see what work is scheduled over the upcoming days – and to ask any questions or concerns that you may have.

3. Record All Changes In A Written Form

You may come across unexpected structural problems, or you may decide to add extra work as the project grows. Any good construction will be able to handle these changes – but make sure that they bid them in writing first.

State in your written contract that you wish to change orders in writing for anything that is going to contribute to the bottom line of the job. That means the contractor must sign the change order prior to the completion of the work.

4. Thoroughly Check The Contractor’s Work

Be thorough about monitoring your contractor’s work. A great time to check is when the crew has left for the day. Jot down notes in your journal and inquire about anything that was bothering you during your regular check. You can:

• Compare model numbers on fixtures and appliances against your invoices, receipts, and the contractor’s bid to make sure that the correct product was delivered.
• Check the locations of door and window openings against the blueprints.

Call us today at 646.455.3321 to talk to us about your project!