There are a surprising number of similarities between life-partner relationships and contractor-client relationships. Both require good communication and problem-solving skills, and both can go off-track if not tended closely. When you add to the mix the fact that you work with both your life partner and your contractor at the same time, things can really get hairy. Read on for some tips on how to keep the love in this union and maintain a “dreamy” relationship with your design-build contractor.
Stick to the Business at Hand – Do your best to leave your relationship problems at the door when attending design meetings, and avoid triangulating your relationship with the construction project, designer or carpenters. We have had many customers who call us when, A) they haven’t talked to each other about their expectations for a project before they called us, or B) they are in danger of separation and should really be talking to a therapist.
Also, know when you need to get a babysitter so planning meetings will be distraction-free.
Understand Your Budget – Have a reasonable sense of what things cost and have your budget for the project at the ready. For planning purposes, take a look at some of the sources our customers use to pay for their design/build remodeling projects:
Home refinancing to access their older home’s equity
Home sale for folks who are downsizing/empty nesters
Home construction loans
Bonuses
Credit cards
Be Decisive – Do your homework and make decisions so your project can be built without delays.
Build Trust – Put some faith in your designers and production team. Trust can be supported in many ways, such as weekly meetings, daily check-ins, e-mails and phone calls.
Stay Timely – A design project requires focus and momentum, so you don’t want to schedule vacations during the design phase of your project. After all, a well-planned project means you can go on vacation during production, when it’s noisy and dusty! Likewise, try not to miss pre-scheduled meetings except in the case of an emergency. Make it a priority to stick to the list of objectives that you’ve outlined with your designer so the project stays on schedule. And don’t expect to call a contractor in your seventh month of pregnancy to say you need your project done right away because the baby is due shortly.
Focus on the Details – Keep your attention on the details being designed for you. In this way, phrases such as, “It isn’t what I imagined”, “I didn’t know” and “I’m not happy” are avoided.