Getting the Best Work from Your Contractor

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By: Oliver Marks
2Comments

Working with a contractor takes effort and know-how in order to keep your project on time and on budget.

Effort: High 1 hr/day (checking job site)
Investment: Low $0

Be a good customer

One of the best ways to get quality work out of a construction crew is to make them enjoy working for you. That means making decisions quickly and paying on time.

It also means being friendly and accommodating of the workers in your house: designating a bathroom they can use, greeting them by name each morning, and perhaps serving cold lemonade on a hot day. Complimenting their work (as long as you feel it’s worthy of praise) can be a great way to motivate others to do their best.

Oliver Marks

A former carpenter and newspaper reporter, Oliver Marks has been writing about home improvements for 16 years. He’s currently restoring his second fixer-upper with a mix of big hired projects and small do-it-himself jobs.

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Comments

(2)

Preparing your home before contractors arrive says a lot about your standards. Especially the work area, but all parts of your home tell the contractor whether you expect the best -- or maybe not. A jumbled basement or garage, or untidy rooms elsewhere, can become signals that you'll let things slide or just not notice if things are not done properly. The work area, and pathways to and from it for the workers, is especially important. If you leave a $1200 dining room table or priceless piece of art under a lighting fixture that needs replacing, it shows you don't understand the contractor's work flow at all, and it means extra, risky work for them. We contractors live in dread of one little ding on a fine wood table, or an accidental thumb-print on artwork -- either of which could erase the contractor's entire budget for a project and leave them working and delivering materials to you for free. This -- and even the risk of this -- won't make them your fast friend. http://www.PhillyLicensedElectrician.com
Posted by Robert on January 28, 2012

Pennsylvania law for home improvement contracting allows up to 1/3 payment in advance -- on top of the cost for materials delivered on site. This is reasonable. Many projects may take more than one month, leaving the contractor out-of-pocket for materials purchased on 30 day net terms, otherwise.
Posted by Robert on January 28, 2012