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Stay in business long enough and you will run across
a particularly frustrating breed of customer known as The
Changeling. Changelings come in all sizes and shapes and often begin
their sentences with “Well…last night I was thinking…couldn’t we
move this over there and…”
No doubt, you’ve heard something similar before. For many clients,
building a new home is the culmination of years of planning,
dreaming and saving. They want it perfect and they want every new
toy they’ve ever seen on
Bob Villa. These clients do not understand that what appears to be a
very small changes to them, can lead to re-engineering and added
expense.
Luckily, they have you, the contractor to help alleviate the urge to
move walls seventeen feet in the opposite direction and flip the
house 180 degrees on the lot.
The best way to deal with clients is let them know from the
beginning…make as many changes as you want…before construction
begins. That way you can accurately cost out the modifications and
include them in the original contract price.
Your written contract should include a specific section on change
orders. This section should be thoroughly explained to the client
before signing. If, during the construction period, the client wants
modifications performed, write these changes up as a separate change
order, complete with added costs for materials and labor and have
the client sign it. That way there are no unexpected surprises when
the final bill is tallied.
Most people simply cannot afford everything they desire in a new
home. Have the client make a list of must-haves; items which they
absolutely do not want to part with. You as the project leader can
help guide them into easier, less expensive alternatives and help
prevent headaches for you and your crew down the road. Again, do as
much of this on paper beforehand.
Communication is key. For example, a customer may rethink his
request to move a wall if you explain to him or her that by doing
so, an entirely new truss package must be manufactured (and paid
for) on top of a new engineering report issued. Encourage your
client to call you before they purchase that “good deal” at Home
Depot. A client may have found an excellent bargain on a new gas
cook top, but may not realize there is no gas line run to the
kitchen because an electric stove was specified in the plans.
Remember, clients are looking to you not only for a quality product,
but advice and guidance as well. It may be tempting to simply agree
to the extra work, (and if the customer insists, by all means go
ahead) but make sure the customer knows exactly what they’re asking
for.
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Litening Software, 2495 S. Kihei Road Suite 260, Kihei, Maui, HI 96753
- 800-211-4931 |
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