Communicating With Your Remodeler

Effective communication is absolutely essential for a home renovation to be successful. When you have an open line of communication, expectations are more easily managed while potential conflicts can be avoided altogether. We touched on this topic recently on our blog, in our discussion of how to pick a remodeler, in which we explored ways homeowners can go about finding a professional contractor they can trust. In that blog we quoted GHBA Remodelers Council Board President Gonzalo Garcia, who advised us that communication between a homeowner and a contractor must be a two-way street from the beginning. Homeowners should not only come prepared with questions to ask a prospective contractor, Garcia told us, they should be prepared to answer questions about everything from their current use of space, to budgets, to the final vision for their renovation.

Garcia also urges contractors to communicate what the remodeling process will be like for the homeowner who lives in what will essentially be a construction zone. “I ask if they’ve made a priority list of what they want the project to accomplish—the more clear thought [a homeowner] puts in, the more satisfied they will be when I finish,” he explained. “I try to ask questions to prepare [homeowners] for what it will be like at home during the remodel. The more I can make them understand that a remodel causes some upheaval, the better in the long run. It forces them to consider all the possibilities.”

To get a remodel off on the right foot, create a plan for communication that you can follow from the start. Discuss everyone’s roles—the homeowner(s), contractor(s), architect, etc.—and decide the types of communication that work best for everyone; email versus text message versus telephone call. Next, discuss issues of availability, and frequency—are nights and weekends off-limits, or reserved for emergency-only situations? How often, at a minimum, should everyone communicate—daily, or several times a week? Understanding and respecting boundaries is important, and an early discussion of these issues can stop a problem before it starts.

Having a clear line of communication, an organized remodeling timeline, and a baseline for expectations for all parties will pave the way for a smooth home renovation project. Stop in and communicate with us at Cabinets & Designs today!