Communication is the key to solving surprises, and a healthy sense of humor goes a long way too. Curve balls are the rule, not the exception, so allow in your budget for the unexpected. The biggest mistake people make is stretching themselves to thin financially, so when the surprise happens they are immediately put in a bind. This puts pressure on the client and the contractor.
Expect them and rely on your team to advise you how best to move forward when they happen.
Unforeseen conditions, subcontractors not having adequate financial resources to complete a project, lack of document coordination, or program requirements changing based upon various business and political issues are going to occur on projects. The best way to improve your odds for success when dealing with these types of challenges is to adequately plan during the pre construction phase of a project. By performing on-site investigations, laser scanning existing buildings, site logistic planning, excavating test pits, etc. most potential unforeseen conditions may be identified prior to the start of construction and those types of problems are solved before being encountered in the field. By pre qualifying potential subcontractors and suppliers and determining their true financial capacity, a construction manager is better prepared to work with an undercapitalized vendor by utilizing joint checks or paying more often than monthly. A contractor who serves as the consolidator and coordinator of the building information model, and who performs a detailed constructability review of the design documents, is able to solve problems digitally and not wait for document coordination issues to be solved on the construction site. In depth pre construction services such as estimating, value analysis, constructability review, building information modeling, design assist, materials and methods selection, site logistics planning, safety planning, and total project scheduling may be able to mitigate many project challenges and allow the general contractor to more easily deal with curve balls during construction.
Curveballs, or change orders, are a fact of life in residential remodeling⌠again, the best way to deal with them is to make sure the clients know that they donât appear out of thin air, and that there is a reason why they could not be anticipated. Again, itâs about educating the clients before the project starts, so that they have a basic understanding of the process.
Communication solves all
Easy - you face them directly and promptly; itâs the best approach. But, with experience, comes the knowledge of what to look for when taking first steps towards beginning a project; i.e., initial walk-through and estimate creation, in order to avoid âcurveballsâ. For example, a homeowner recently asked DDT Home Transformations to remodel their kitchen, which included replacing cabinets (Kemper), replacing floors (hardwood oak), installing backsplash, installing appliances, replacing coutertop (quartz) and installing new trim, painting and installing new recessed lighting with dining room light fixture. During the project, we ran into small items, which were taken care of immediately, but overall, the project was smooth from beginning to end because we prepared ourselves by reviewing the project thoroughly prior to beginning any construction. In other words, being prepared is key to great projects; thatâs why DDT Home Transformations always expects great projects because we always prepare.
Deal with each as they come
The best thing is to understand that anything have solution, do not stress talk with your contractor and listen to the options for solution, may take more time and money sometime but itâs construction and sometime we have unforeseen issues.
Curve balls are going to happen because there is no remodeling project that is the same. When problems arise that werenât initially planned for, we will sit down with you and give our professional recommendations and then create a plan to move forward that works for all parties involved.
Answer from an architect: making a new space is always a creative process and the key to success is to have professionals who do not believe in âfudgingâ issues or skirting around problems but rather take them as an opportunity to make the project even better. Here is a link to an article I wrote about this very thing:
I give the customer options.
Almost any remodel will encounter curveballs, thatâs the love/hate relationship of the field. As contractors, we often know these curveballs will arise, but thankfully, we generally can solve them (physically). What is equally, if not more important, is forewarning the client of possible issues and then keep them in the loop during the entire project. If something comes up, the contractor should know a few options on what to do, and they should present them to the client. Making clear expectations and satisfying a clientâs need, want, or desire is a contractors end goal, but that must also fit the contractors time and expenses for the project. If something arises that was not initially accounted for, the contractor should discuss this and work with the client to achieve a solution that best fits both parties. Overall, contractor communication with the client is key for curveballs.
Always expect to add 15-20% to any estimate you get because an estimate is based off of an assumption of the job going perfectly, which it never does.
Our engineering team meticuously designs the best possible plans for the project. We take everything into account to avoid any surprises later.
Unfortunately, remodeling does present many curveballs in the form of unseen damage once walls & etc are removed, accidents (though, not common), and of course mother nature. An easygoing attitude and understanding on both the contractors and homeowners part can be a huge help in getting out of those inconvenient little holes and moving things along. We completely understand how difficult it can be living in a home that is being torn to bits and put back together, and how disruptive this can be to your everyday life, but the homeowners who have a hard time adjusting and take out their frustrations on the contractors add an element of stress and tension to the entire job site, making it very negative, and this can influence the pace of the project. An open line of communication is an absolute must!
Take a deep breath, remind yourself and your client that youâre both on the same team, and deal with it. Curve balls arenât ever invited, but nobody should sign up to be a contractor if they arenât prepared for a little stress and thinking on their fee
Be open and forthcoming with the client. There is always a reasonable and affordable solution when it comes to âcurve ballsâ or unforeseen conditions. Both the client and the contractor have to work together as a team to come up with the best solution.
Most projects have a few âunseenâ or âunexpectedâ issues that come up. The best thing to do is to be upfront and transparent as the issue unfolds. This is another reason to use an experienced contractor that has dealt with quite a number of these types of issues. There are new ones everyday, but if you will just deal with them as they arise, you can usually minimize the impact they may have on the schedule and the budget.
Expect curve balls, they are part of construction plain and simple. Make sure your contractor has apprised you of any potential pitfalls and has a back up plan if they arrive. Ask the question " What are potential issues that may or may not arise in this project and what are our solutions to those"? If you donât have 10 to 20% more funds than the estimate you probably want to wait until you do. Never start a project with zero funds for variance.
Having knowledgeable staff helps with curve balls.