Our client is in the midst of a kitchen remodel and need some outside help. A good amount of the demolition has been done and they have the design and cabinets already. They need help with wood work, drywall, molding and painting. They also need a porch and balcony built.
We’re taking the job but were curious how other folks feel about picking up a job that has been half completed. Any tips?
The positive aspect of this is you have the design already, assuming you have a blueprint with that design. That leaves everyone on the same page with a finished product. Usually entering into a project where someone else had their hands in could potentially mean there are a lot of things that need to be corrected. Sometimes taking a step back is frustrating due to a lot the corrections that need to be made because some “contractors” have a lack of skill sets or foresight to negotiate any obstacles or compensations which sometimes we need to adjust for. Doing this the correct way and giving the homeowner/client the end result they desire, makes us part magician. People save their whole lives for their dream project and put trust into a contractor to oversee and complete what they are looking for. The first thing I always do is encourage a homeowner/client is to research my company. I provide my HIC registration certificates and insurance documents to them. This way they have the ability in their hands to verify any information they may need to so they can feel more comfortable with my background. Building a relationship with a client, you want them to feel comfortable that they made the right decision by choosing you, as their contractor. Allowing you in their private home.
Short answer, Don’t mind one bit. Only possible problem is your service cost may be more than what the prime contractor has bid and won the “remodeler” the job. Make sure you will not be stuck holding the short straw when the project is completed.
I have done several which involve other GC’s and can only say that we have all butted heads! Reason being, other GC’s want the whole job and think “they are the better company”. Only recommendation is if they are still working on the job, put in scope of work a detailed scope stating what you job is and what is excluded. If you are taking over someone Else’s job, make should you state that there will be unknowns discovered because you did not start the job! (and account for it).
Be very weary of coming into a project after it has already been started by another contractor. There’s usually always a reason the original contractor is no longer a part of the project but the multitude of reasons can almost always result in difficulties for you. In some instances the original contractor has simply walked away; this could be a warning flag in that it could have resulted from having difficulty in getting payments or simply just a difficult client with unrealistic expectations. If the client dismissed the contractor this could also be due to a plethora of problems that may result in additional difficulties for you in completing the job. Nevertheless our company finds ourselves in this situation frequently wherein we have been called in to fix mistakes made by the original contractor. This usually works to our benefit as we can create a long-term relationship with a client in building greater trust than one that hired us from the beginning; in these instances we’re the “super hero” that came and saved the day and are no more likely to get a good reference from that client. Regardless, you should always determine what the exact reasoning for the original contractor no longer being involved was and let that shape your decision as to whether or not to get involved half-way in.
I will never take over a project. A lot of times that will create more problems than it will be worth.
