Why communicating with your contractor before and during construction is essential

Communication is one of the most important tools in construction

All types of relationships require communication, and a business relationship between you and your contractor is no different. After you’ve decided to hire your contractor, the relationship doesn’t end there.

Before construction

This is the start of it all. Both you and the contractor should lay out everything before the start of construction: your wants, the budget, time requirements, and the contractor’s duties to accomplish your vision. This is when you should plan everything you can with your contractor so changes during construction are as minimal as possible.

Here’s a few objectives you should discuss with your contractor:

Transparency: Be transparent with what you want and in return, the contractor should be clear in what he or she can bring to the table. You wouldn’t want a contractor that’s all talk but no action.

Communication: Everyone communicates differently. Establish how to communicate with each other. Encourage communication with not only your contractor but his or her team as well. If any problems come up, the team shouldn’t be wary of bringing it up to you and vice versa.

Teamwork: The project between you and your contractor is a collaboration if you think about it. Make sure that you welcome any opinions from your contractor while asserting your own ideas too. 

The “before” conversations should include numerous negotiations and compromises, and it should always end with an agreement. If it doesn’t, that’s a sign that this contractor isn’t the right fit for your project.

During construction

Sometimes the vision you had in mind before construction can get muddled with so many moving parts. If you’re not satisfied with what you’re seeing, don’t be afraid to let the contractor know. It’s a vital part of the communication process. His or her main priority is to cater to your wants. It’s better to let the contractor know during construction instead of after so he or she can correct it before the end product and you can finish your project on time. 

One thing to remind yourself is that communication goes both ways. Ask your contractor to provide daily or weekly reports to see the progress the team made or if he or she can give you feedback on your ideas. As the old saying goes, “communication is key.”