The best way to have a great relationship with your contractor is to be clear, respectful, and organized: communicate expectations up front, make timely decisions and payments, stay out of their way on-site, and address concerns calmly and early. A good working relationship leads to better results. Here’s how and why to get your contractor to love working with you, and how to vet the right one.
A contractor completes your home projects, but how well do you know them? Do you get the same contractor for similar projects or just whoever is available? Having a regular contractor helps you in many ways. It’s even better if your contractor doesn’t just like you but LOVES you.
Here’s what you can do to form a great relationship with your contractor and why you should do it.
Here at GreatBuildz, a free service that connects homeowners in Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura, or San Diego with reliable residential contractors, we speak to homeowners about developing contractor relationships – here’s everything you need to know about getting your contractor to love working with you.
Getting Your Contractor to Love Working for You
Here are seven ways you can improve your relationship with your contractor.
1. Pay Quickly
Contractors rely on the funds from their clients to pay their bills and it’s stressful when someone delays payment past the agreed-upon date. While many contractors require an upfront deposit, delivering your final payment as quickly as possible is an excellent way to get on good terms with the person you hire.
Always pay your contractor as soon as reasonably possible. You don’t have to give everything up front but providing a prompt payment after their services helps them know you are a reliable client and will make them want to help you again.
Hot Take: You could even sweeten the deal by adding a tip to your payment to let your contractor know just how much you appreciate them.
2. Offer Refreshments
Most contractors book work in the spring and summer. It’s when most homeowners want to do projects and can provide a clear and dry environment for outside work. However, it can also make for some pretty hot days on the job.
Offering beverages to your contractor and their team can show how much you appreciate the work you do. It will also keep them happier and healthier while at your home. If you have them do a job on a colder day, trade cold water and Gatorade for hot coffee, tea, or hot cocoa.
Regardless of the weather, you can go the extra mile by offering snacks, such as chips, granola bars, and pre-cut fruits and vegetables.
3. Have Solid Communication
Communication is key to the success of any home project and it is an important part of achieving your dream result. However, it can be easy to forget to reciprocate the good communication you expect from your contractor.
Lay out a clear and concise contract with them ahead of time so you both know what to expect of one another. During the project, communicate any needed changes ahead of time as soon as you know about them. Consult with your contractor if you want to change a part of the project and see if they are able to accommodate the change.
The goal of a contracted project is for you to feel satisfied but provide a similar feeling to your contractor by making the experience as clear and organized as possible. If you show that you feel comfortable enough to have open communication with them, they are likely to reciprocate by being open, honest, and respectful when communicating with you.
Related: 30 Things You Should Discuss With Your Contractor
4. Acknowledge Good Work
Everyone likes to feel appreciated. Yes, a contractor is doing their job by completing your project, but they might not know whether you are truly happy with the end result. Complimenting their work shows just how valuable they are to you.
They are sure to hear about all the issues about their work, any mistakes they made, any imperfections of their finished product…but how often do you think contractors are praised for the great quality work they do?
Tell them what you like about the job or professionalism and how you appreciate their work on the project. You don’t want to sound patronizing, but complimenting their work could make them remember you when you make future requests.
5. Be Flexible and Understanding
When you hire a contractor, you should have an agreement on what will get done and when. However, unexpected things happen. Weather, personal events, and other conflicts can cause delays to your project. You should expect this to happen at least once or twice during your project.
Oftentimes, your contractor actually has nothing to do with a delay or increased cost in your project…but they know they are likely the first ones to be blamed.
Showing compassion and understanding when things come up goes a long way in earning a contractor’s love. Know that you might need to adjust your plans once or twice for the project. That flexibility shows that you respect the contractor’s safety, experience, and well-being.
6. Keep to the Plan
While it is important to stay a little flexible during the project, you should try to keep things on your end as consistent with the original plan as possible.
Making constant changes to your desired end result or availability can make things harder on your contractor and their team. You don’t want to come across as a difficult client. Having a plan and knowing your schedule before the project begins can help you avoid those problems.
7. Engage but Trust
The last way to get a contractor to love you is to engage with them throughout the project. However, you also want to leave them to work without hovering around.
It’s important to speak with your contractor and work to understand what they tell you about your project’s details. Make yourself available to them throughout their time at your home but step aside and trust them to correctly do the work.
When you achieve that balance, your contractor will feel like you trust them as the professional, but they can also ask questions when needed.
Related: Tips on How to Find a Home Improvement Contractor Near Me
Benefits of a Contractor Who Loves You
If you can get your contractor to love you, there are several potential benefits to having such a strong working relationship.
1. You Become a Priority
When you have a good relationship with your contractor, your projects might start to take priority over other clients. You’ll feel more comfortable asking them for advice about projects both small and large and they will appreciate your business and camaraderie.
2. You Might Get a Discount
When your contractor loves you, they might give you a break on some of the costs. Becoming friends with your contractor often means providing them with business more frequently. As a reliable customer, they might be able to score you a discount every now and then.
3. You Could Make a Friend
You let a contractor into your home and often end up talking about designs and hobbies that your home reflects. Over time, this could develop into a friendship. Being friends with your contractor can make future experiences more enjoyable for both of you. Trust me – everyone wants to have a contractor as a friend. They are often fun to be around, creative, and….. can be very helpful.
4. They Might Put a Good Word In for You
Your contractor won’t specialize in everything your home needs but they might be able to connect you with other professionals who can. Contractors know each other and are often willing to pass along job needs from reputable clients.
Getting Your Contractor to LOVE You
Having a positive relationship with your contractor is a great way to get projects done with the perks that can come with having a friend in the business. They help take care of your home, so you want to show them your appreciation.
For help finding general contractors you know you can trust to do a fantastic job, contact GreatBuildz by calling (818.317.3567) or submitting the form below. We’ll connect you with one of our pre-vetted professionals perfect for your project, where you’ll be able to apply these tips for your contractor to love working with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I build a good relationship with my contractor?
Communicate clearly and respectfully, agree on expectations and scope up front, make decisions and payments on time, and give the crew room to work. Raise concerns calmly and early rather than letting them build up. A cooperative, organized homeowner tends to get better attention and results.
Should I pay my contractor early to keep them happy?
No. Tie payments to completed milestones, not paid ahead of the work, and never pay a large deposit up front. In California, the down payment is limited to 10 percent or $1,000. A good contractor values reliability and clear communication far more than early payment.
How do I keep a remodel on good terms?
Set clear expectations in writing, communicate through one main point of contact, make timely decisions, and respect the crew’s time and space. Handle disagreements privately and calmly, referring to the contract. Mutual respect and clear communication keep the project positive and on track.
Author:
Rose Morrison is a home & construction writer from Pittsburgh, PA. She’s the managing editor of Renovated, a web magazine for the real estate industry.
She’s most interested in sharing home projects and inspiration for the most novice of DIY-ers, values she developed growing up in a family of contractors.
