You’ve signed your contract, made your selections, and ready to begin work on your remodel. Right?
But Hold on! There’s one more important step to ensure everything goes smoothly. Before work begins on your project, we like to have a meeting with you, our sales team, and your project manager, and possibly even trade contractors to make sure everyone is on the same page!
These are the top 10 things we recommend discussing with your contractor before work on your home begins:
1. Work Days and Hours
We usually work Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. But we’re flexible to accommodate your schedule. Let’s agree on clear work hours so you know when to expect us in your home.
2. Parking Spots
We need space to park our truck and/or trailer at your home, so we have access to our tools and supplies, but we certainly do not want to inconvenience you or your neighbors over a parking spot. Similarly, it’s good to know when your trash and recycling pick-up takes place to ensure your cans are not blocked and are picked up as scheduled. While this may seem like a silly thing to go over, it is brief and is very helpful for our clients.
3. Entry and Security
How can we access your home? We can use a key box or keep a copy of your key. Also, let us know if you have an alarm system, so we can work out the details. Most alarm companies will allow you to set a temporary code for your contractor that is separate from yours, that way when the job is done the code can be canceled. This is a good time to talk about other security measures as well. For example, when we have work done on our house, we always make sure to communicate fences must stay closed for the safety of our dogs.
4. Best Form of Communication
Make sure you and your contractor have a complete list of phone numbers and email addresses and know who your on-site contact is. Decide on a preferred method of communication and how often you’d like updates. It’s also nice to include an emergency contact, hopefully, no one will ever need it, but it’s smart to include it!
5. Working Zones and Site Protection
A huge reason we have these pre-construction meetings on-site is so we can discuss where site protection will need to go (Zip Walls, temporary walls, tarps, etc.) so that everyone understands where the construction zone will be. This meeting will help you determine what you need to move out of the work area, and what you may need to remove from walls. The latter isn’t always necessary, but if there are large amounts of demolition and framing you will want to ensure any pictures or fragile items are protected from the rattling. We like to find a spot together that will work for you! Usually, a garage, side yard, or deck works great!
6. The Details
At this meeting, we believe it is important to have a detailed schedule for you so you know who will be at your house and when. We would want the same if we were having work done on our house! If you have questions about the schedule, billing, or anything else, this is the perfect time to ask. Remember, we want you to be comfortable and prepared for your renovation before work begins, and any other reputable contractor should want the same!