Solve Construction Problems Before Job Starts
The key to any successful construction project, is a good
contract. A good contract is going to have as much information about the
project and your responsibilities as possible. Whether you're the
homeowner, subcontractor, project manager or general contractor, make
sure that you have a clear understanding of your responsibilities before
the job actually starts.
It doesn't matter, how big the project is, try to write everything that
you plan on doing as a contractor in to your construction proposal. Make
sure that you go over every single item in detail with the project
manager or owner of the property, before starting the job.
This includes working out a construction schedule that both parties
agree on and schedule your payments accordingly. As a contractor, I can
speak from experience. Most homeowners seem to pay on time and on
schedule, but some larger developers and general contractors will string
you out for months if you let them.
If you've ran into problems in the past, make a note of the problems and
provide the solutions for these problems in your construction contracts
to prevent them from happening again. It wouldn't be a bad idea to
familiarize yourself with other construction company's contracts.
Examining other contracts, will give you clues to problems that they
have had in the past, also. One of the most important things that I can
tell any contractor, homeowner or building professional is that the best
contract doesn't guarantee payment. If you're not comfortable with the
other party that you're going to be dealing with, you should find
someone else to work with.