Hiring Skilled Trades and Contract Workers
Bringing in Trades: Building Your Reno Team
At one point or another, everyone gets their chance to experience a renovation, remodelling or rebuilding of a home. Maybe you’ve hired a contractor once before or maybe you have knack for management. Either way, you have decided to be your own contractor. Managing the project yourself is going to take a lot of time and energy but it is very rewarding and cost-efficient. If you are new to being your own contractor, you’ve probably yet to acquire a collection of trusted skilled trades people.
When you’re working on a project like renovating a home, inviting new skilled trades workers into the mix can be risky. These strangers can ultimately make or break your project. A few delays or shoddy job could have you months behind your completion date. However, being your own contractor can raise the odds of getting what you want. That means that choosing the right trades workers is going to be the key to your project’s success. Your objective is to find contacts that will understand your needs and execute their job within your time frame.
The Hiring Process
The first thing about hiring for your project is deciding which skilled trades you want to involve. We’re living in the age of technology, and that has it’s pros and cons. The internet can provide you with unlimited skilled trades companies and individuals to compare. However, the internet can be distorting, and you never really know what you’re going to get. That’s why word-of-mouth remains the best way to find quality skilled trades workers. Being sure about the reliability and trustworthiness of the people you take on, from the get-go, is going to be advantageous to your project in the long-run. There is less chance of a dead phone line or shoddy job done if you use a recommendation from someone you trust.
Think of people you know that have recently completed a project, or who know others that have. Reach out to them, get a contact and make the connection. Alternatively, you could post on social media asking for recommendations. Having a suggestion to start with is better than poking blindly in the haystack that is the internet. You never know, you might receive a recommendation by someone over Facebook that ends up saving your project! However, in general you should always err on the side of caution when working with any new person. Just because someone did a great job for your friend doesn’t necessarily mean your project will get the same treatment, here’s why.
Dealing with Schedules
If there’s one thing you should know about working with skilled trades people is that they have a tendency to be unreliable. But maybe it’s just a matter of perspective. There’s two sides to every story. On one hand, it’s easy to become obsessed with a project you’re managing. Time is money; so when you go into a contract with someone you expect them to perform the work that they committed to, in the time-frame you agreed upon.
On the other hand…it’s the way of the game. It’s important to remember that though they may be part of your team, these skilled trades workers are running their own business and dealing with other customers. Just as one is expected to tip servers, it is customary to give a grace period for delayed trades work. Keep your expectations low, and you’ll have an easier time keeping your cool. Try working potential delays into your time-frame, and you’ll have a chance at staying a ahead of the game!
Designer vs. Architect
So we’ve talked about skilled trades workers, but what if you have a big project that involves architects and designers? There’s a lot of debate about the necessity of having both, so let’s hash it out. We all know that designers and Architects are trained to do different things, but their results can have a surprising amount of overlap.
Architects are good if you are knocking down walls or making any other kind of structural or mechanical change to your property. Like designers, they help you turn your ideas into reality. However, hiring a knowledgeable designer could be more cost-efficient. They could do the work and get an architect to sign off on the final plans. Of course, both designers and architects have chosen their respective careers for a reason- they specialize in certain things that the other does not.
Whether you hire an architect, a designer or both depends on the scope, complexity and goals of your project. Hiring one could save you some money, but hiring two could achieve memorable results. After all, two heads are better than one! In fact, studies have shown that team-work can increase production, decrease costs and help meet deadlines. So if you find that your professionals get a kick out of bouncing ideas off each other, try getting them to collaborate! As always, monetary incentives are the best way to initiate this and see the best results.
At the end of the day, it comes down to networking and finding contacts that you can trust. There are a lot of moving pieces in any kind of construction project, so remember to expect delays and be patient. However, this doesn’t mean you should be open to end endless timeline. Time is money, so do everything in your power to help the project stay on track. Be in touch with your contacts so that you stay on their radar and anticipate delays by planning your project with a little wiggle room.
Share , Like & Engage On Social Media: