Make it Smooth Sailing with Your Sacramento Contractor

Smooth Sailing with Your Sacramento Contractor

Make it Smooth Sailing with Your Sacramento Contractor
Setting the Ground Rules

Spring is on the horizon, the time when many Sacramento homeowners begin to think about new renovation and remodel projects. If you’re planning to hire professionals to do the work, one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing a contractor. Whether the work will take a few days or several months, the best way to keep the project sailing smoothly is to set clear expectations with the contractor from the beginning.

Start with a list of questions such as the ones below. And take advantage of your contractor’s experience – ask what arrangements have worked well or caused issues on other jobs.

1. Who will be in charge on the site? The contractor who negotiated the job is often not on site every day.

2. How often will you communicate with the contractor or site manager? It’s advisable to meet at the site daily to go over the goals for the day’s work and get an update of work completed or problems encountered.

3. What are the earliest and latest appropriate hours for working?

4. Which entrances should workers use themselves and to bring in materials?

5. Will you give keys to someone on the crew or will you be there to open and close the house each day?

6. Where will tools and materials be stored on the job site?

7. Which bathrooms on the job site may workers use? Are there any areas of the property that are off-limits to the crew?

8. Where may workers park? Consider your neighbors’ needs if trucks and cars will be parked on your street for many days.

9. Where is smoking allowed?

10. Who should communicate with neighbors if a situation arises when you are not present?

11. Are there any times that you will require quiet in the house (as during an infant’s naptime)?

12. If you are living in the house during the work, how will critical areas, like the bathroom and kitchen, be handled in order to minimize time they will be unusable?

13. To what level will the job site be cleaned up at the end of each day and for the weekends?

14. How will you handle the payments and scheduling for “change orders,” the virtually inevitable changes made to the initial plan as the job progresses?

15. Even with the most careful planning, problems with the job can arise. How will you resolve issues with your contractor?

Once you have established the ground rules your contractor is then responsible for communicating them to any worker who will come onto your property. It is also helpful to post a list of these rules in an easily accessible area so that everyone can see them. With a clearly communicated and written plan for everyone to follow, you can avoid what often become stressful and expensive disagreements. And you might even enjoy watching the transformation of your home into your new dream.