Do you enjoy dealing with people that are difficult to work with? Neither does anyone else. This is why this is a very important part of the selection process of your contractor. Be sure to pick a contractor that takes pride in their employees as well as the sub-contractors brought on to partner with them on your project. Everyone on site should have one common goal; delivering you a finished project that you not only love but also built to the highest of industry standards. Be sure to interact with the contractor and get to know them before making your final decision. You should be able to chat with everyone on site and really get to know the crew behind your masterpiece. However, things that should be absolutely avoided are Conversations in Regard to Discrepancies and any Harassment and Bullying.

Engaging with Sub-contractors and Employees:

• Conversations in Regard to Discrepancies: If there seems to be any discrepancies or issues that arise with anything in regard to your project, it is important that you seek clarity from your Project Manager. Speaking with subcontractors may lead to confusion as they may not have information pertaining to the entire project and might provide you with misleading information and nobody wants that. Your Project Manager should be able to seek answers and provide you with accurate information.
• Harassment and Bullying: Verbal, physical or written abuse directed towards either party should absolutely not be tolerated. Shall the case arise where a homeowner makes any employee or sub-contractor feel uncomfortable on the job-site the contractor may have the right to halt work and terminate the construction contract. If this occurs it is usually expected that all work completed will be paid in full along with potential additional costs to cover lost wages. In addition, if an employee for the contractor or any of the sub-contractors make you feel any of the ways noted above you should speak with whoever is in charge and allow them to properly deal with the situation. Not all contractors have a Harassment and Bullying clause in their construction contract but be sure to understand your rights, or establish an agreement if for some reason you feel uncomfortable with people working on your home.
• After Hours Contact: There is a lot of communication back and forth throughout the project. Your contractor should discuss with you what their typical working hours will be. They may have an after hours contact policy or have a specific line to call in case of an emergency.

If you have a specific product or tradesman you wish to have your contract use, stayed tuned for the next post for some tips and information.