Contractors: My One Strike Rule

Posted December 22, 2008 08:47 by Robert

Tags: project management

Well as we sit buried in two feet of snow and wait for some sun so we can set up the forms for the foundation, I thought this was a relevant topic to discuss.

I should start off by saying that I have very little tolerance for people that cannot communicate well, especially when I am paying them to do work. I want someone who does good work, but also keeps me informed and up to date, one without the other doesn’t cut it. I also think first impressions tend to count a lot in the construction business. I basically operate on a one strike rule, if a potential contractor does not  return my initial call, follow up when they said they would or show up for an estimate on time, I move on. My feeling on this has always been that if they act in an unrealizable on uneager manner to earn my business, it can only be worse once they get it. You would also think that in this market, everyone would be very responsive and jumping at potential work, but some people just don’t get customer service.

I am glad that Bill (contractor) has the same philosophy because often as the homeowner, you feel powerless over the subcontractors, whose reliability can set you back in a chain of events. Last week, we were supposed to have a chipper guy come on Thursday to work on the ledge which he said would take a day. He didn’t show at the last minute and said he be there on Tuesday instead. Bill balked at this as he did not have a prior relationship with the person and said to me “how do I know he won’t do the same thing Tuesday.”  So we told him forget it and went another route, but then the snow came on Friday and now that one day has probably set us back a week at a time when we are fighting the weather to get the foundation in.  Anyway, I guess it’s better to be let down once, than twice. 

Just make sure your contractor is not overly loyal to his subs, he should have a good bench and be ready to move on the next person if the first one is not reliable because when you have the trades all lined up back to back, even a small setback can end up costing you a few weeks.  Also, like I said above, in this economy I would not give much thought to giving people a second chance to win your business.

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