“I can’t believe how many people hire somebody because they saw their name on a truck,” says Michael Cacci, owner of Cacci Construction in San Carlos. “I always give a reference sheet to potential clients; they can call and ask about me. I also give them Diamond-Certified pamphlets so they can read the customer comments.”
Ultimately, he says, it’s about establishing and maintaining trust that the contractor will do a quality job.
According to Mr. Cacci, another important element customers don’t typically consider is whether they’re comfortable with the contractor. Not only must the contractor be honest and do good work, but for a remodeling job, they’ll be in the customer’s home on a daily basis for an extended period of time. “That calls for a certain level of trust,” he says. Find out what the contractor’s work hours are and determine if that’s going to be disruptive to your home life. Ask about their onsite work practices. Does the contractor keep a clean worksite? How long have the employees worked for the firm? Does the contractor have a history of working with the subcontractors?
Mr. Cacci also warns about allowances made during bidding. When working with a contractor who has bid allowances, he says, clients must be vigilant about how money is allocated. Again, open communication is the key to trust and, ultimately, an excellent final product.
The contractor must tell the customer what’s happening at every step of a job and be available to answer questions. The best contractors are completely open with their clients, advises Mr. Cacci. Communication isn’t just about trust and honesty. Decisions often have to be made after work has begun, and if the customer doesn’t know the schedule and hasn’t done their research, they won’t be in a position to make those decisions, leading to delays and higher cost.
Establishing trust through due diligence at the beginning of the contracting process and maintaining it through open communication during the construction work makes for a successful contractor-client partnership, says Mr. Cacci.
