Across the board, there are pros and cons to your job no matter what field you are centered in. In the renovation and home-repair community, building professionals truly pride themselves on being able to go above and beyond their client’s expectations. However, this does not mean that your contractor and his/her team is going to be firing on all cylinders with excitement at every step of the project.
Contractors may smile and carry on with a brave face throughout the renovation process, but there are a few things they may not want to hear.
“I changed my mind & picked out new plumbing fixtures.”
Proficient contractors stress the importance of making all your hardware and plumbing selections early on the process and to be sure about your decision. Some contractors won’t start a project until everything has been selected and confirmed. It’s common practice and will guarantee to keep your project running as smoothly as possible.
Let’s say you come to your contractor in the middle of a project and say, “Oh, by the way, I have changed my mind on the plumbing fixtures for the bathroom.” They might begin to get a bit nervous. Depending on how far along they are on the project and what you’ve now selected, it could be no big deal at all. However, it could also mean doing extra work that was not originally intended, and they may even have to backtrack a little. Bits and pieces of the vanity may have to be recut for the new fixtures.
“Can you meet me at 5 p.m. on Saturday?”
Contractors are known for working long hours to ensure the job is getting done correctly and to be available to you when you need them to be. However, this doesn’t mean they should be at your every beck and call. They need to rest and recharge so they can return and continue doing an outstanding job.
One way to prevent this from happening and to ensure you have your contractor’s undivided attention is to set up scheduled and reoccurring meetings. Communication is paramount in any relationship, but especially with your contractor. Taking time to secure a date to save in your calendars will be to both your benefit. This way, no one has to worry or be put in a last-minute stressful situation during the weekend.
“Could you help me move [insert expensive item here]?”
Asking a contractor and his team to help you move something valuable (either monetarily or emotionally) is putting them in a position where they must take on some liability they could be uncomfortable with. This could be for large pianos, sculptures and paintings, even antique furniture pieces.
It makes sense to ask for their help. I mean, they do have plenty of people to assist, and they’re already in your home. In the end, it’s just not worth the risk to just assume that your contractor and his crew will help you with this. Specialty items or sacred moments have special needs in terms of handling, and your contractor and his crew might not be equipped to help you with that.
Instead of asking for help, rephrase the question and ask, “Do you know anyone I could hire to help me move this item?” This way you are not jumping to conclusions and putting your contractor in an uncomfortable position.