How to Build a Successful Contractor Relationship
As an interior designer, having a great relationship with a general contractor has many benefits.
I’ve heard (and personally experienced) horror stories about contractors and designers butting heads for the duration of a project. That isn’t good for anyone and usually results in many nights of lost sleep. Today, we are going to talk about how to find, establish and maintain a great relationship with your contractor. One that is built on trust, mutual respect, and excellent communication.
Every project is going to have its road bumps. When you have a great relationship with your contractor with open, honest dialogue those moments will feel more like speed bumps than potholes that give you a flat tire. The result is smoother projects and happier clients.
When do you call in a General Contractor to a project?
At KBID, we sometimes have cosmetic projects where we directly coordinate with our painter, wallpaper hanger, millworker, and electrician. Sometimes the client already has a builder they are working with. But any project that requires demo and construction triggers a call to our contractor.
How to Find a Great Contractor
There are several ways to go about finding a contractor then qualifying them to be a trusted partner in business.
Drive - Yes, literally get in your car and drive around in the neighborhoods where you want to be working. Often, you will find yard signs for construction companies already working in that area. This demonstrates that they likely work at the caliber you would expect and they also likely have relationships in the area as well.
Internet Research - Read through reviews on Google and Houzz. Pay attention to the quality of the reviewer as well as their overall rating.
Referrals - Ask friends, family, and neighbors who they have worked with and about their experience. Word of mouth referrals a great way to start a relationship.
How to Establish Your Relationship
Start Small - Whenever possible, test a smaller project with your new contractor to get a sense of how well you work together. No matter how lovely a person seems, it’s not until you get into the actual work that you’ll know if you really jive. My favorite contractors are the ones I tested and hired for work in my own home first.
Ask for their ideas - Your contractor should feel welcome to bring their ideas to the table. Often they can help improve designs because of their experience. If they don’t feel like their voice matters, you may miss opportunities for better results.
Hold their hand (but not forever) - If you are the type of designer that feels more comfortable when you are very hands-on while you’re establishing trust, let them know that. Simply communicate that you will be more involved while you’re still getting to know each other. Be careful not to suffocate them by being overbearing or unnecessarily difficult. Give them a chance to earn your trust then be prepared to back off.
How to Maintain a Great Relationship
I asked 2 of my favorite contractors what they felt makes a great Designer-Contractor relationship. Here’s what they want designers to know.
Details Matter - The more details you provide in your specs and drawings the better. Projects move more quickly and you will have fewer phone calls with questions to interrupt your day. What’s the grout color? Type of schluter? What is the edge profile for the counter, etc? Include these details early on for a smoother project.
Keep a Direct Line of Communication - If you need to point something out to your contractor, start with direct communication with him/her without involving the client. Often your contractor will already be aware of and working on solutions. Involving the client unnecessarily could lead to added confusion and unnecessary worry from a homeowner who doesn’t understand the process.
Walkthroughs are Super Important - There are 2 meetings that are required for any project involving a contractor. #1 - The initial walkthrough and #2 the Pre-construction walk.
The initial walk establishes the goals of the project, the budget, and introduces the client. Often the contractor can provide valuable information and great ideas at this stage.
After the design presentation, a second pre-construction walk will give your contractor the opportunity to finalize the details, timeline, and budget for approval. Don’t dismiss the importance of these meetings if you want a smoother project. You may need more at various points in the project depending on the complexity, but these are the absolute minimum you should expect.
Ultimately, building a great contractor relationship takes time. When you take the time to nurture that relationship, you can build a dream team that will save you time, have smoother projects and your clients will be happier.
