In Part I of Communication, I discussed the benefits of a well-drawn plan and set of construction documents, what I like to refer to as your project roadmap. Now that your budget is complete and the start date is set, there is a vital step to take just before the project starts called a preconstruction meeting. This meeting’s sole purpose is to get everyone involved in the project, including the designer and contractor/project manager, around the table to go over everything one more time. I find this incredibly important because often while seeking the right builder, you may have discussed different options or processes. Besides a project walk through, items for discussion and clarification include things like: pets, family schedule, workers schedule, dumpster and portable toilet locations, storage of owner as well as construction items, selections and timing of products needed, and emergency contact information.
It is common during the course of a project for questions to come up — these meetings will help is to reduce anxiety and to establish that work is moving forward as planned. One of the most important things to establish at the preconstruction meeting is when to hold regularly scheduled on-site meetings. Face-to-face meetings are the core of good project management and communication. Having this established keeps the production staff moving without interruption and allows you the chance to have the undivided attention of everyone involved.
The other key component to great communication is email. Together with weekly meetings, email creates an ongoing synergy between you and your contractor. A great deal of business gets done between meetings by sharing documents, photos, and addressing items that won’t hold up the schedule. However, the weekly meeting will be the place where you can put the entire package of information together and make sure everyone is on the same page.
Regular meetings also provides an opportunity to ask questions in advance of the meeting, allowing both parties to get the information needed. A typical weekly meeting could include:
- Reviewing the production schedule,
- Understanding the details on certain products being used behind the walls,
- Finalizing and coordinating the finish products and fixtures,
- Viewing visual information regarding a cabinet or bath layout and,
- Reveling in the joy of watching your home transition into the renovation you dreamed of having.
In our next article we will discuss the items that the homeowner is responsible for, and the value of a project binder to make those finish selections as much fun as they should be.
