The builder and client relationship is vital to the success of the build – fact! You as the client need to feel confident in their skills, but you also need to feel valued and respected. That works both ways. You need to be able to talk to each other, listen and work together to ensure that both parties are happy with the outcome and don’t clash along the way.
Show that you are approachable. Make the Friday muffins and bacon sandwiches, take them out a heater when it’s still dark and 2 degrees, but also start from day one showing them that you know your stuff and you know what you want. Do your research, learn the terminology, check the costings, don’t let them think you are naïve to the process (even if you are).
I’d heard from another trader that my builder had said ‘Yeah it’s going well, I like her, she knows what she wants so it makes my job easy’. He knew he could talk things through with me, he knew I would make clear decisions, but he also knew that I had the faith in him to get it done. I wasn’t overbearing and always asked his advice and opinion, but I mainly left him to it to show my trust.
Set clear boundaries with each other. Often decisions need to be made at quite short notice and there are plenty. Your builder needs to respect the fact that you may not always be available and vice versa. I would speak to my builder at the start of each day, if possible, and check in to make sure he knew that if he needed anything from me, it had to be done before I started work or my other commitments. Obviously, things can crop up that are out of their control, but show you are willing and they should then respect your time. Likewise, get an understanding of their working pattern. My builder, or one of his team, was always at our house by seven thirty am, without fail. This then meant that if it quietened down on a Friday afternoon, I wouldn’t demand his time.
Be honest about anything that you aren’t happy with, and quickly. Your builder will move on to their next project and forget about the ins and outs of your build, however you will sit there looking at the socket that’s in the wrong place or the door that is slightly too far to the right and feel frustrated for as long as you live there. Ask nicely and at the start of the day, but ask! Get it moved or changed as soon as you can, whilst they can!
Don’t forget to write a review. They really need it when there is so much competition, and future clients need this reassurance (see previous feature). It cements that the project has ended on a positive and will make them more willing to work with you in the future. Even if there were certain frustrations, write about the positives!
