Living Through a Remodel: How to Be a Good Client on Site
By Parham Shariat ·
A remodel is hard on a household. The crew is in your home every day, there is dust and noise, and you still have to live there. A few simple habits from the homeowner make a big difference to how the project goes. Here is what we ask of our clients, and why.
Put your pets away before construction starts
Do not ask the crew to keep a door closed so the dog stays in. It will not work. Doors get opened ten times a day by people carrying material, and a dog that gets out into a work area can be hurt or can hurt someone. It also frustrates the crew, who end up managing your pet instead of doing their job.
Board the pet, send them to a family member, or set up a closed room that the crew never has to enter.
Do not walk barefoot
A home under construction has nails, screws, tile chips, staples and dust. A bare foot on any of those ends a day quickly. Wear closed shoes whenever work is in progress, even at night after the crew has gone, because material is often still on the floor.
Keep children out of the work area
Tools, ladders, open walls and material on the floor are not safe for kids, and a crew that is watching for a child is not focused on the work. Set a clear boundary the children understand, and a way for them to get to the rest of the house without crossing the job.
Do not ask the crew for favors
It may feel friendly to ask a worker to move a piece of furniture, or make a small change while they are there. But employees of a contractor answer to their employer. If you ask for something without telling the project manager, it may not be priced, scheduled or permitted. It can also cause a problem with the people who are supposed to be doing something else.
Any request, however small, goes to the project manager.
Keep everything in writing
Put every instruction, change and approval in an email. Phone calls and conversations on site are easy to misremember, and then no one is sure what was agreed. A short written note takes two minutes and settles most disputes before they start.
Where US Floor Design Center fits
We ask our clients to follow these rules because we have seen what happens when they are not followed, and we explain them before the job starts. Your project manager is your single point of contact. Anything we promise verbally gets written into the notes section of the invoice, and we ask that your requests be sent by email so the record is clear for both sides.
Visit the showroom at 30092 Santa Margarita Parkway, Suite G, in Rancho Santa Margarita, or call 949-589-9226.