| Your carpenters are on site, ready to put up some | | | | along smoothly. |
| pine trim. But the customer, red-faced, says he is | | | | If the owner and the contractor are both mutually |
| certain that he requested stain-grade oak. Meanwhile, | | | | respectful, troubles can be worked out successfully. |
| you are paying the carpenters an hourly wage for | | | | Fill in your customer regularly; be up front when |
| standing around. Now what? Change orders like this | | | | things go wrong. Customers are often not involved in |
| are distressing, but common. Can this sort of conflict | | | | the day-to-day workings and so, often feel they are |
| be avoided? | | | | in the dark. Be ready with solution options, too, when |
| This is just one example of a small detail that can | | | | presenting problems; an owner may be grateful for |
| become a big, ugly problem if all of your | | | | your resourcefulness. And relax. Explain to the owner |
| communication blueprints are not smoothly in place | | | | that glitches are always a part of the building process. |
| before you start a job. In the construction business, | | | | But keep in mind that your calm, confident demeanor |
| there are several vital principals you should practice | | | | will tell your customer far more than your words. |
| that pave the way to positive results for both your | | | | Every wise contractor realizes the business name is |
| company and your customer. | | | | on the line with each job; a bad experience with an |
| Document Communication | | | | owner can damage your reputation while a good |
| Two-way communication throughout the whole | | | | experience will increase future business opportunities. |
| building process cannot be stressed enough. From | | | | Enlist Quality Labor |
| your initial bid on, cover details. You know the | | | | When a contractor submits a bid on a construction |
| questions to ask that your customer may not think | | | | project, it is implied that the contractor will furnish |
| to consider. After you learn what your customer's | | | | the tools, materials and labor documented in the bid |
| preferences are, take the time to write them down | | | | and that the quality of the workmanship will be equal |
| in detail so that the completed bid reflects a project | | | | to or greater than current industry standards. |
| that closely resembles the image in your customer's | | | | What isn't stated is that not everyone will go about |
| mind. | | | | meeting those standards the same way; a |
| One of the most important aspects of construction | | | | construction crew is made up of people with varying |
| communication comes in the form of change orders; | | | | degrees of raw talent and developed skill. Skill level |
| every project has at least a few. For the protection | | | | aside, not everyone will tackle a job the same way |
| and well-being of both you and your customer, every | | | | you do. Are you comfortable with a carpenter who |
| proposed change to the project should be agreed | | | | uses an unusual, but suitable, framing technique? |
| upon, detailed, price estimated, printed then signed | | | | Consider carefully who you ask to be a part of your |
| by both parties immediately. | | | | company. How does each craftsman feel about |
| Although this is inconvenient, investing time to | | | | workmanship? What can they bring to your team? |
| document that you and your customer are both on | | | | An experienced subcontractor will have greater skill |
| the same page will save you a great deal of | | | | dealing with issues and decision making, whatever the |
| headaches, and often money, in the long run. A | | | | weather. Newcomers to the construction business |
| convenient way to manage frequent change orders | | | | can be teachable and, let's face it, less expensive. |
| would be to purchase a laptop computer and | | | | Consider employing a healthy mix of both. |
| portable, battery-operated mini-printer that can be | | | | Summary |
| stored in your truck when you are on site. Your | | | | The owner wants the job done as quickly and as |
| customers will be impressed with your thoroughness. | | | | well as possible, under budget. You want to use the |
| Think like Your Customer | | | | tools of your trade to create a building and a profit. |
| Shipping errors, bad weather and sub-contractor | | | | Meet in the middle; step out of your contractor |
| schedule glitches happen. At times, owners may | | | | shoes now and then to see the project from your |
| believe that everything is wrong with their project. | | | | customer's perspective and communicate on that |
| Because the construction process is new to them, | | | | level. When you make your customer happy, you |
| many may assume that others' projects always tick | | | | reap the rewards. |