Contractors - Woe or Yay
Many times I have heard horror stories about contractors from friends - and that was before we embarked on our renovation in early 2013. Probably 8 out of 10 contractors are terrible according to friends - which led me to ask our contractor P why they suffer a bad repute and he explained some "contractors" are purely sales men - they are hired to get the jobs in and they get a high commission and many perks. However after they signed on the jobs, they move on and don't really care about the renovation process or after service. Real contractors are the ones who get their hands dirty and work closely with the clients and their various trusted partners from the carpenter and electrician to the plumber and tilers.
Anyway here are some steps to looking and working with a great contractor based on my experience:
1) Ask for 3 quotes from recommended sources and compare prices based on a common brief. I started with a carte of requirements and briefed the 3 contractors who are recommended by trusted friends and family. One didn't give us a quote (busy). Another asked us for our budget (which was $50k) and said it is not possible and said it'd cost $70k and didn't bother to provide a detailed quotation! P's quote was $50k – even though he didn't know our budget, so naturally he was the Chosen One.
2) Know what you want and communicate it clearly to the contractor from the start. Agree on the list of tasks for the renovation and the handover timeline (especially if you are in a hurry to move in). Also since you are the ID, you have to come up with a mood board with pictures to articulate what you want and he can advise you if it is possible. Surf the internet for pictures - it's easy!
3) Sign on the agreement and payment terms. It is usually in 3 instalments but all my friends' no.1 golden rule is - DO NOT Pay them in full until you are 100% satisfied with the renovation. They say usually they will disappear after getting the money but P didn't - and sent his right hand man XL to help me with putting up accessories and fixing the pipes :)
4) Don't be BFFs with them but maintain a professional, friendly and open relationship. Don't be mean - that doesn't get things done. From the start, I told him upfront I trust him to do a good job since he was recommended by my sister and he probably feels the pressure and delivered haha. It's a give and take relationship.
5) Act swiftly if you don’t like how certain ways turn out, so this way the contractor can correct things easily without further hindrance to the project. You have to pay a little more to rectify certain things that weren't in the original list, but consider the fact that you will have to look at it for a loooooong time, it's worth it! For example, I have designed the balcony tiles in a certain design and I hated the corner tiles that stick out (my fault) so I told P to remove them and smooth out the concrete at additional cost of $300. Always ask for the costs of rectifying things and weigh your decisions.
6) Be the manager and be on top of things from day one, no matter how good the contractor can be. They can't guess what you want so you need to check on the progress often, especially when major things are done like flooring or carpentry. I wasn't there everyday but he actually what'sapp me pictures so I can see the progress.
7) Work on a reasonable deadline so he can deliver quality work. I wasn't in a rush so I gave him 8 weeks. We also worked on a schedule to track progress and along the way he reminded me when to buy the tiles, lights, switches, taps, toilets stuff etc. This way you can source ahead and buy your stuff in time for each step! If you are a swift decision maker, things get done quickly.
8) Be open to changes as your vision
will change along the way because you might not see the whole picture from the start (unless you hire an interior designer). It’s fun yet a bit
stressful along the way! But it’s a fluid process and just communicate with
your contractor and partner/spouse/family involved in the decision-making.
9) Decide on the decision maker - to avoid arguments and hasten the renovation. I know it's tough if both partners are equally opinionated or passionate about the project but you have to work out a compromise based on your tastes and budget. In our case, L trusted me to be the visionary and left me to my devices and be the main liaison with the contractor since I can banter in Mandarin and Hokkien. I do consult him on the major stuff like tile designs, lights and paint colours so he feel involved!
Anyway before you know it, the home is ready! Good luck!
