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Choosing the Right Builder for Your Project

Regardless of whether we’re looking for a house extension, or have a more challenging project on the horizon, the meeting of deadlines and assurance of quality means we need to make sure that we’re choosing the right builder for our needs. We’ve probably all heard the horror stories associated with hiring the services of an incapable builder, and the stress it can cause when an inexperienced contractor has promised you one thing, only for you to be met with another. Fortunately, the majority of builders operate in a moral and ethical way, but this doesn’t mean we should choose the first builder that comes along. A little research ensures that you’re not going to be let down when it comes to your building project. Experience is Vital It stands to reason that the longer a company has been operating, the more experience it will have, and this is especially true for the construction industry. They are many facets associated with the world of construction, and while there may be some contractors who are experienced in one field, they may not be as experienced in another. This means that the costs associated with ay building work can pile up, as we’re having to use more than one professional for the work that needs to be undertaken. Using a construction company that has experience will ensure that you’re not only being given access to true professionals, but you will often find that the quotes are more cost-effective, as the work is being carried out by one company as opposed to several. Communication is Key When dancing which construction company is the best fit for you, you will often be able to determine a lot of by the initial contact. Is the company answering your questions? Have they had experience with type of work before? Are they able to complete the work in the allocated time? Although not every construction company will be able to meet your deadlines in every instance, a professional company will ensure that you’re made aware of this, and when you can realistically expect the job to be completed. If a construction company can’t give you the answers you need, then it be ay worthwhile looking elsewhere. Don’t Assume the Cheapest Quote is The Best It’s understandable that we don’t want to spend a small fortune when it comes to building work, but we need to be careful we’re not swayed by the price alone. Although some companies may offer a cheaper price than a more experienced company, you may find that there are some limitations with the service you use. For example, it could mean that inferior products are being used, which means you could end up paying for repairs in the future, or even having to hire the services of another professional to rectify the issue. Check for Reviews and Testimonials A company that has completed successful projects in the past should have little issue in providing you with reviews and testimonials. How these are presented can depend on the company. For example, some may have their testimonials on their website, whereas others may have reviews on Google My Business or Yelp. If a construction company seems a little coy about providing you with past testimonial, it’s advisable to search elsewhere for a professional. Check the Company Is Insured Nobody likes to think about the things that could go wrong when using the services of a construction company, but you need to ensure that you’re checking the credentials of the company you’re planning to use. Although many construction companies can offer customers a reliable service, there can be instances where something could go wrong. If the construction company is insured, then there’s little to worry about. However, if you’ve chosen a contractor who isn’t insured, then anything that goes wrong could be left for you to deal with, and often your own home insurance will not be able to cover such an occurrence. As you can imagine, this can be very costly, as not only will you need to pay to have any damages rectified, but also for the initial work to be carried out again. Ensure a Contract is In Place for Substantial Work There will be times when the work of a builder must go over budget, but a professional will keep you in the loop at all times and let you know what options are available. If you’re looking to have a lot of work carried out, then it can be useful to build up a contract with the construction company so both parties are fully aware of any obligations and costs. If a company is pushing you to hand over money with no clear quotation insight, then you need to refuse until clarity and confirmation have been offered. A professional construction company will have little issue in coming up with a contract that outlines the work that needs to be carried out as well as the cost agreed. Ensure Payment Dates are Agreed Following on from the creation of the contract, there may be phases during the work where payments need to be made. Agreeing with what phase of completed work payment should be made ensures that there are no misunderstandings later on. Although a construction company must understand a customer needs to ensure the capital is available, customers also need to understand that a majority of the money will be spent on materials, so regular payments may be vital for the project to move forward.    

4 tips on how to resolve conflicts with your contractor

In any construction site conflicts will be inevitable. There could be conflicts between you and your contractor or between the contractor and his/her team. It’s therefore a good idea for you to prep on conflict resolution to ensure that when such issues emerge they don’t end up disrupting the work and the timelines therefore causing a delay in the project delivery. In this article we will share with you 4 tips on how to resolve conflicts with your contractor.

Tip 1: Ensure the issue is clearly defined

The very first part of resolving a conflict is being able to clearly define what the issue is. In many occasions, conflicts will usually escalate due to miscommunication between the parties involved in the conflict as they don’t take time to clearly understand what the issue is. It’s therefore very important to for the conflicting parties to lay down the facts so that the matter can be addressed.

Tip 2: Let a neutral party mediate

The only way conflicting parties can be willing to openly resolve their issues, is if the person mediating is neutral and there is no indication that they are likely to take sides. That why it’s very important to bring in a person who is perceived to be neutral by both parties to play the role of mediator. It’s only such a person who will be able to create a conducive environment for the resolution of the conflict because both parties will be willing to open up to them.

Tip 3: Only focus on the facts

During conflict resolution, you must ensure that people’s opinions are kept out of the discussion and it’s only the facts about the conflict that are discussed. This is because in many cases, conflicts tend to escalate because the conflicting parties put more focus on airing out their opinions as opposed to focusing on the facts.

Tip 4: Listen listen listen

During conflict resolution, the best way to ensure a win-win solution is by ensuring that the parties involved in the conflict feel as though they are being listened to. If they get the feeling that the mediator or the other party is not listening then they are likely to shut down and this is a sure guarantee that the conflict will not be resolved. The beauty about listening is that the parties may even discover that there’s no real reason why they should have been in conflict in the first place. If you put the above tips into your own context anytime you find yourself in a conflict situation with your contractor, you will realize that any emerging issues will always get sorted out very quickly.

Things to Consider Before Starting Home Improvements

When looking to spruce up the home, it stands to reason that we want to get started sooner rather than later. However, starting a project without preparing beforehand could mean that we face a series of dead ends when it comes to advancing a project. Different considerations will need to be made depending on the size of the project but considering the following factors will ensure that your home improvements are carried out in the right way. Will Home Improvement Hinder the Value? While certain elements of home improvement can be straightforward, we also need to ensure that we’re ensuring that bigger projects aren’t going to reduce the value of the property. An example of this can be the planning of an extension. It would be easy to assume that this would be a good way of raising the value of the property, but in some instances, it could be detrimental. This is especially true if the result simply looks bolted on. If you’re hiring the service of a professional, then it would be advisable to ensure that the work carried out will fit in the aesthetics of the property. A professional will only be too happy to offer some pointers if you’re unsure of what kind of aesthetic to choose. ` Know Your Budget Small renovations can soon lead into bigger things, which is fine if you have the budget in place. However, not having control of your budget could mean that you end up spending more than what’s available, and there a series of projects that remain unfinished as a result. Knowing how much you have to spend before beginning ay renovations ensures that you’re able to make informed decision as you go, rather than leaving it to chance. It also allows you an opportunity to get a better idea of what each aspect of home improvement will cost. Will You Require Permits? If you’re looking to carry out the home improvements yourself, then you will be required to check what permits are required. However, if you’re employing the services of a professional, then its often the case the permits will be taken care off. However, you shouldn’t simply assume this, and double check just to be on the safe side. It’s better to check beforehand than have to deal with the ramifications afterwards. How Will You Deal with Waste? Dealing with waste is important when it comes to home renovations, as is how its disposed of. Not adhering to the rules in either instance could result in a fine in the worst-case scenario. As such, it is of the utmost importance that you only use a professional service in relation to waste disposal. Regardless of whether you use a skip hire company in Falkirk and Stirling, or use a refuse collection service in London, you need to ensure the service you use has right credentials in place. Will There Be in Contracts in Place? Many can shrug off the importance of contracts, feeling that an oral contract is good enough. However, contracts give both parties a clear indication of what’s expected, and what work will be carried out for the fee paid. This is especially true if there are several contractors carrying out different tasks. Ensuring you have contracts in place ensures that you’re fully aware of where your money is going, and what to expect and the end of it all. Should you find that there are things that haven’t been completed as per the contract, you then have something to fall back on should you have to start legal proceedings. Make Sure There is Adequate Access for Contractors It may seem like an obvious thing to consider, but it’s easy to forget about the finer details when you are concentrating on the bigger ones. However, failing to ensure there is adequate access to the property could mean that the project comes to a grinding halt. If you’re unsure of whether this is adequate access, then it may be worth touching base with potential contractors first and advising them of your current situation. A professional will be experienced in what works best and will be able to advise as to whether your current layout poses a problem or not. Keep Neighbours Informed Getting planning permission when it's needed is essential, but even when its granted, we should be courteous and inform neighbours of any planned works. This ensures that you’re not met with a barrage of complaints. It also ensures that contractors are subjected to their frustrations, which could mean they have to keep halting work. It’s better to deal with any objections beforehand, rather than assume that the neighbours will be fine with work being carried out. Will Home Improvements Affect Your Everyday Life? Although we may have made allowances in relation to neighbours, costs and choosing the right contractors, but what about our own affairs. IN some instances, home improvements could have an impact on your everyday life, and there may be times when you must seek out other accommodation in the short-term. Factoring this beforehand means that you’re able to make plans for accommodation elsewhere should the work being carried out have an impact on your everyday life. Overall Many of us will have a plethora of ideas when it comes to home improvement, but it’s important that we approach projects in the right way. Taking the time to work out a budget and find out the finer details will save a lot of time later on and will ensure that there are no interruptions to the project being carried out.