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A large part of success in working with your contractor is choosing the right one. Just because a contractor offers a good price and builds good homes doesn't mean she is right for your project.
To keep everything working effectively with your contractor, you need to be proactive. Make sure you're clear and decisive about what you want and, more importantly, what you don't want. Ambiguity can cause mistakes and delays. If you aren't sure of what you're saying, then ask more questions or do some research. Your contractor will also appreciate clarity in your conversations. The last thing she wants is to fix a misunderstanding.
 | Impatience is your enemy. A custom home project is organic in nature and doesn't move in a precise fashion. For example, you may think the framing should be finished in three weeks, but a number of delays, such as the weather, scheduling errors, or labor shortages, can make it take four weeks. Relax. Take a deep breath. The project will develop its own rhythm and eventually it will be completed. Although you do need to be working to keep your house on schedule, you don't want to be constantly rushing everything. Contractors and subcontractors (subs) are human and will work poorly in a high-pressure environment. Settle in for the long haul and have faith in the professionals you hired. |
A meeting a day keeps the anger away
Hands down, the surest way to keep a custom home project progressing is with steady, effective communication. Err on the side of more communication rather than less. Everyday something new is happening on your project, so the easiest way to keep everyone informed is to have a meeting before the work starts.
Yes, just about everyone thinks meetings are boring and having one every day sounds like a huge waste of time. It doesn't have to be. Think of a meeting as two-way communication that can happen by phone, e-mail, or in person and that only lasts a few minutes. This daily update needs to address the following five basic issues:
- What is happening on the project today?
- What problems or issues, if any, are occurring on the project?
- What, if anything, do you (the contractor) need from me (the owner)?
If everything is running smoothly, you and your contractor can proceed assured. If you and your contractor notice certain issues, you can be confident in having a time everyday to discuss and resolve them. Having this regular meeting time saves panic calls and work stoppage while you're busy earning money. If you and the contractor both use e-mail, you can swap the answers to the questions the night before and agree to talk only if there are any problems.
 | For good communication, both sides have to be proactive. Be clear and honest on all your issues. Remember that fear goes both ways. If you're dissatisfied or confused, bring it up. How does your contractor know that something on your end is a problem unless you speak up about it? Mind-reading isn't part of the contract. |
Maintaining a productive work environment
Before you're ready to start work on your new home, you and your contractor need to have a preconstruction meeting to set reasonable expectations on both sides for a productive work environment. This meeting is your chance — and the contractor's — to remove miscommunication before it happens. It also lets everybody know what the hot spots are that can cause problems later.
Use this list to figure out what you and your contractor need to discuss and agree upon:
- What are acceptable communication times?
- What is reasonable contact during work hours?
- How often will we address the accounting?
- Will the property be fenced off and locked?
- What is a reasonable level of cleanliness on the site?
- Will smoking be allowed on the site?
- What potential noise restrictions may be an issue?
- What will be the working hours on the site?
- Will workers be restricted from removing shirts?
- What bathroom accommodations will be set up for the workers?
- Will workers be aware of using foul language?
These issues commonly impact the working environment of a construction job site. Make sure you address them with your contractor.
 | Before you and your contractor set agreements on these issues, talk to the neighbors and solicit their input and approval because they'll be impacted by some of the decisions even more than you. Also check to see if any local government restrictions apply. Taking these proactive steps can help you develop better relationships with your neighbors and make for a much more pleasant move-in process. |
Change orders — Dealing with indecision
If one phrase causes a contractor to wake up screaming in the middle of the night, it's the dreaded change order. A change order is needed when you decide to do something different than you agreed upon in the plans or contract. You're entitled to make any changes you want. After all, you're going to live in this home. However, change orders can create problems and delays not to mention added costs.
Try to keep change orders to a minimum if possible. Doing so can be difficult because your house will look different as you build it. For example, a room may seem too small or a window may need to be farther over to catch the sun. Minor change orders, such as moving a small wall or adding a door, may not cause too much trouble, but major change orders, such as adding a room or changing a structural wall, could send you back to the planning department and cause weeks of delays.
| Plan thoroughly and use a change order as a last resort. If you do need to make a change, tackle it early and immediately. Indecision and constant change can disturb any project's rhythm. A long delay can upset every sub's schedule. Furthermore, the contractor usually isn't willing to absorb the costs involved in change orders and may even charge a premium as spelled out in the contract. Don't let the pace of the project lose any momentum if possible in order to keep extra costs to a minimum. |
Maintaining a good relationship with your contractor
| The partnership between you and your contractor will be the key to the success or failure of your custom home project. You'll probably share more issues, problems, and emotions in one year than most couples deal with in a lifetime. |
Remember these five keys to maintaining an excellent working relationship with your contractor:
- Do your homework first, and then trust the contractor to do his job.
- Detail every decision and ask every question before you start. Imagine you're going out of town for the entire project and the contractor could only work from written instructions.
- Let the contractor know your fears before you start so he can address them.
- Ask that the contractor not start the project until he can commit to working continuously through to the end.
- Think of your contractor as being on your side, and he most likely will act like it.
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