Ask a Contractor: How Do You Collaborate with Clients?

It’s time again for our Q&A series with Jason! For our August edition, we asked Jason all about how he collaborates with clients during the remodeling process. Read on below as we cover topics ranging from Jason’s communication mindset to his budgeting process!

How do you handle communication around decision making? What’s your client communication mindset?
I do all of the job site management for every project, so all homeowner communication happens directly through me. My process has changed over the years, of course, for example, phone calls and emails were both replaced by text messages. What’s remained the same is that I try to provide enough pertinent info daily and weekly for clients, that way we don’t drop the ball or misunderstand each other on the big things.

How do you protect your client’s property and respect their space?
First off, I intentionally communicate clearly and early to let homeowners know the timeline of when rooms will be “off limits”. To further define our work site and protect client property, we bag off any areas close to where we’re building. As far as cleanliness goes, we use the Build Clean dust collection system while all work is being done, which helps us catch as much dust as possible and keep the mess under control.

How do you stay on a budget for projects – how do you balance quality products vs. cost consciousness?
To begin, in every case our clients set the budget for their project. However, my job is to help clients’ determine what budget is realistic for their renovation goals. For example, I provide information about the costs of their potential choices and the homeowners then decide what to spend where.

In regards to balancing quality products versus cost consciousness, I follow set standards that remain regardless of any client’s budget. Additionally, I require clients to select most products from a preferred vendor list, which ensures a quality investment with minimal surprises. Of course, there are plenty of cheaper options available online, but if something goes wrong, it’s going to cost you a lot more to correct the problem later. I believe it’s better to purchase a better product in the first place.

Have any more burning remodeling questions for Jason, please give us a call or send an email – we’d be happy to answer!