How To Strike Up A Good Relationship With Your Builder

If you’re about to start a big home improvement or renovation project, it’s vital that you strike up a good working relationship with your builder or contractor. But the question is, how do you do that? Let’s take a look.

Know exactly what you want

One of the top reasons for breakdowns in client-builder relationships is misunderstanding. And this can be down to poor planning and communication on the homeowner’s part. 

So, whenever you hire a builder or contractor for a big job, it’s best to have detailed plans in place. That way it’ll be easier to talk through what you want, and your builder will have something clear to work from. This means there’s little chance of confusion over what you want and the level of finish you’re after.

Do make sure your plans are realistic in terms of budget and materials, as needing to make changes after building work has started, can cause conflict.

Pick a builder with the right skills

Picking the right builder is key to achieving a good working relationship. It’s wise to select a builder or contractor with lots of experience in the type of work you want to do. That way you’ll benefit from their specialist knowledge.

The right builder should be able to guide you by spotting potential pitfalls in your plans and suggesting better ways of doing things. Not only can this help you avoid unintended hiccups but it can ensure the whole project runs smoothly.

So, when you search for local builders, check which ones have done similar jobs in the past.

Start with a good foundation

Having building work done is expensive and causes a lot of upheaval to your life, even if you employ a contractor or project manager. So, you really want to take the time to employ someone you have confidence in and find easy to communicate with, right from the start.

If you’re having to chase trades to come around in the first instance and need to pester them for quotes, then this could be an indicator of how you’ll find them to work with. There’s a lot to be said for builders who are easy to contact, turn up to assess the job when they say they will and don’t delay in giving you a detailed quote.

Ask questions

Building a good relationship with your builder does take a bit of time and effort on your part. Being thorough and asking the right questions is all part of the hiring process and is the best way to avoid future disputes.

It’s a good idea to get lots of quotes in and using a website like PriceYourJob, can simplify this process for you. But you do want to compare quotes properly and make sure they include everything you discussed. If one quote looks cheaper than others, check what it includes and ask for more details if you’re unsure of anything.

Once you’re happy with a quote, it’s important to check the credentials of that builder. So, you know you’re putting your trust in the right person. See if they’re a member of a professional association such as the FMB and check testimonials. Ask if you can speak to their customers and potentially see their work in person rather than just relying on photos. Does the quality of this work meet your expectations?

Set some ground rules

After hiring your builder, it’s wise to set some ground rules. Agree on how often you’re going to check in with your builder – some projects benefit from a more hands-on approach but builders don’t like to feel as though someone’s constantly looking over their shoulder. So, discuss boundaries and agree on the level of collaboration you should have.

If you’re living in the house where work is being done, you’ll need to make sure there’s an understanding over working hours to ensure this fits in with your lifestyle. Have a process in place for making sure that water supplies and electricity are on when you need them. Think about practicalities. Are you happy for your builder to be walking through your house? Do you need to think about protecting floors and furniture? What happens with the clean-up at the end of the day? For large projects, these details are important and it’s worthwhile getting them in writing.

Put paperwork in place

If you want to ensure a smooth working relationship, it’s a good idea to draw up a contract. Having the start date, planned working hours and responsibilities down in writing means everyone knows where they stand. For instance, will you be organising other trades such as plumbers and electricians or are you happy to leave this to your builder?

That’s not the only paperwork you should focus on. It’s worth checking your builder is insured too, as this will protect your home from accidental damage and safeguard your investment should they go out of business.

Work as a team

Once your builder starts work, it’s important to keep communicating. Don’t leave all the decisions up to them, as what they think is best might not be what you have in mind. Take the time to check on progress and keep the discussions going, so there are no nasty surprises.

*This is a collaborative post