This week’s installment of our “Addition Problem” series is one that everyone experiences at some point or another during their addition project, and that is scheduling. Like permits, the schedule itself isn’t necessarily the problem, but when communication isn’t open between you and your contract, it can lead to issues down the line. And this is what we mean by that:
When you’re ready for your project to finally start (we’ve signed the agreement and our team is starting to mobilize), everybody is excited! But then work doesn’t start right away. In fact, it may even be four to six weeks before it does! Naturally, you start to feel confused, maybe even a little frustrated.
But here’s the deal: between permits and getting the moving pieces in line (such as which personnel and tools need to be at the site and when), it can take a little bit of time to get everything scheduled and in place for us to be able to start the job. It also bears mentioning that generally, we have multiple projects going on and are therefore booked out a fair amount before we are able to work anything new into the schedule. So sometimes it takes us a little bit of time just to figure out a schedule for when we can get to your house without dropping the ball on the other projects we already have going.
Of course, you know and have probably experienced this before: once work has begun, there can also be days mid-project where it feels like nothing is being done. We know that from your perspective, it can be really frustrating when you expect someone to be working on your home a certain day, and they never show. But that doesn’t mean we don’t care about or are abandoning your project. Apart from the scheduling logistics we mentioned above, sometimes there is also work that we need to do behind the scenes that don’t take place at your home, such as:
- Obtaining permits
- Coordinating and working with subcontractors, so we can make sure things like the countertops and cabinetry are exactly how you want them
- Waiting for supplies to come in that are on backorder
- Waiting for weather conditions to be right
While these are just a few examples, there can be any number of reasons why it can seem like your ideal schedule isn’t being realized.
Of course, we always make sure to outline this stuff prior to signing any agreements with our customers, because we want you to understand that while we can’t be at your home every single day, or things may take some time, we are doing our very best to keep the communication lines open and to stay on top of the overall timeline we agreed upon in the contract. This also includes doing our best to communicate when anything happens that may affect the timeline, such as if there is a delay in receiving the supplies needed for your project.
So, what can you do to make sure scheduling doesn’t become a problem with your project?
- First, understand that work is being done, even when it doesn’t look like it.
- Second, understand that sometimes there are delays that are out of our hands, whether it’s because the materials are delayed or the weather prevents work from being done.
- Finally (and most importantly), regularly check in with your contractor about where you are on the timeline. While some of the work may have taken a few extra days here or there, you may be surprised to find that your contractor has worked in some delays and that you’re still on target with the overall timeline.
We can’t stress this enough, but in any addition project, the number one way to solve ANY issue that arises is to communicate with your contractor, and that is no different when it comes to scheduling. At Valiant, it is our goal to make sure you never feel frustrated and you always feel heard. In our opinion, you can never discuss the details or your concerns enough, so make sure you communicate freely and frequently. It’s your home after all!