I had a crazy realization the other day. No one has ever gotten pissed off at a contractor for finishing a project too soon.

The Ta Da Shot

How important is it for the client to know when the remodeling is going to be done?  I would say VERY! important. What does “DONE” mean anyway?

I despise getting negative feedback on how long any particular remodeling project might, or did take. Essentially, nothing takes the excitement and pleasure out of a creative project’s completion than unhappy clients. (Which I take personally)

Inexperienced remodeling clients only have what I tell them to base their expectations. Traditionally new clients enter into the process with unrealistic expectations. Rapid completion notions are prevalent because of DIY TV shows that use time lapse photography.

Quoting a realistic timeline comes from experience and focusing on all the little things that add time to a project. To be brutally honest, I have always just put my head down and done the work not paying much attention to how long I quoted. When were done, we say TA DA! we’re done! Yes, just like kids doing gymnastics.

I have never felt much pressure to complete by a certain moment in time. I keep the clients abreast of progress and rarely reflect upon the projected completion date. Most understood, however those days are long gone. The pressure is on to be on time. My Project Manager, Ron is now focused on getting  projects done On Time & On Budget.

As a salesman it is in my best interest to quote a short time. As a client, it is important to know when the project will be done. As a business, Levco had better get those two dates close to each other.

Nearing the finish line

“Done” to me has always meant:

substantial completion & entering the punch list phase. Unfortunately, “done” to my clients means “When do I get to relax?” and there are no more contractors calling to say “hey can I get over there to fix a (fill in the blank). No wonder we have problems. Realizing this false dichotomy has made all the difference. To use a racing analogy…The finish line has just moved.

Rather than being a happy joyous occasion to look forward to, project completion has turned into a bogged down, paperwork filled, nightmare of phone calls, visits, and notes that just won’t end. I am going to fix all that, if it is the last thing I do.

As a contractor my clients must understand that when the vendor tells us “the windows will be in in 2 weeks”, what we need to hear is “the absolute soonest the windows will arrive is in 2 weeks”, & there is a possibility that the windows will be late, or wrong, or they may never show up. Fortunately I deal with reputable suppliers, but let’s face it, there are delays for so many reasons they are too long to list.

Punch List

The Punch List Phase is the key to part of this solution. The Punch List is all the “Stupid Little Things” that need to be addressed before the client feels obligated to make the final payment. Many of these S.L.T. can be taken care of while the project is ongoing or as soon as they are noticed. My goal in the coming months is to understand and explain our new way of doing business.

Like my dear friend Howard Olivier says, “numbers that you watch consistently are the numbers which improve”. I believe this to be true. Therefore I am confident that I will create a world class system for my clients.

My multi-pronged approach to a solution involves:

1. Quoting a window of time for completion that is realistic. ( just like pizza delivery at Flying Pie) (DONE)
2. Clarifying what completion means to all parties.( DONE)
3. Incorporating a Client Portal for my web site that improves communication and schedule adjustments and keeps everything in one place. ( DONE)
4. Using time management tools to express scheduling graphically.(DONE)
5. Providing Weekly Project Updates. (DONE)

Slow Down

THINGS THAT DELAY THE PROCESS

Scheduling, I own and operate a small general contracting company and I am at the mercy of my subcontractors.

Things need time to dry and set up.

Clients schedules are a factor because they often are living in the home during the project

The weather is often a factor

Lead times for ordered items can cause delays. Let’s face it, inventories are low at showrooms specialty items are occasionally weeks away.

Speed Up

THINGS THAT SPEED THE PROCESS

Regular communication during the project

Regularly referring to the DOW

Having great subs that do it right the first time.

Not making Change Orders or saying “While you’re at it…”

Understanding that different phases take different amount of time, i.e,. drying time

Having the DOW written clearly.

Having access and having questions answered quickly with a phone call or e-mail.

What does being a client advocate mean to me. It is more than just words… It involves taking decisive action sometimes.

The Depot

The design phase was done and the components were selected in a small bathroom project. The construction phase was in full swing. In an effort to save a few bucks the clients selected a mid priced bathtub from Home Depot. They left the store feeling good about being frugal.

One of my favorite rants is “Like Pizzas, all (fill in the blank) are not alike.” The bathtub came in a box that I recall feeling light but it had a nice picture of a good looking tub. In questioning the plumber after the install, he said “I thought it was flimsy but didn’t want to say anything because the owner had selected it.”

Fortunately, I stopped in at the job site for something and was pleased to see the progress and leaned up against the tub. Although it looked like a tub and acted like a tub it was the flimsiest plastic thing I had ever seen or felt. I thought to myself, in whose best interest is it to leave this tub in place. NO ONE is the correct answer. I immediately told the owners that if we allow this thing to stay it would not last and cost lots of money to replace in the future. Luckily I was able to round up an acrylic one right away so we are in the process of scheduling the replacement early next week.

The Owner is not the expert in our field, they had no idea what they were getting into. Had we built the tub into the tile wall before we brought it to their attention (or worse they brought it to our attention),  I would have felt horrible. The momentary embarrassment the client may feel and the awkwardness of the conversation is nothing compared to the potential upside of being a true client advocate. Sure, it could have gone the other way. My client may have insisted upon leaving the tub but at least they would have been made aware of the situation and made an informed decision.

Cracked Bathtub

I have nothing against The Depot, to be fair, this quality of tub is unfortunately seen in modular homes. My feeling is that it was totally out of character in this application. In my opinion, a shampoo bottle falling would crack this tub. In followup questioning, the display was 7′ up in the air and from that distance it looked like a typical bathtub that you would see in any home.

Did it hold up the project? yes for a little bit. Did it avoid a huge problem in the future YES. This was an Owner Furnished item. There was no warranty on my part other than for the installation so why should I care? Because that is who we are. I define integrity as ” once you know the right thing to do… that is what you do.”

My dream is that with my team at Levco we would have caught this prior to installation and we are working towards that but for now I am especially proud that we were acting as the experts in our field and behaving like true professionals. I often say that we are always on the lookout for examples of “showing that we care”, well this is as bold and obvious as it gets.

Perhaps I am especially sensitive to this issue because I am working on a project where both a tub and the shower are fractured in a modular home. Talk about inconvenience, we will be fixing them one at a time.

This story is especially apropos because many of my remodeling clients are looking for ways to stretch the budget. When I was looking for the replacement tub I asked my sales person at Ferguson, sell me a tub that you would not be embarrassed to sell or soak in yourself. Time will tell, but I believe this story will have a happy ending.

Incidentally, in a post script, The Depot took the tub back no questions asked.

Cost vs Value

The most important thing to a client I hear about these days  is the  balancing act between Cost & Value. Making the decision to spend thousands of dollars in an effort to improve ones home is not to be taken lightly.

Warren Buffett, one of the richest men in the world says “Cost is what  you pay, value is what you get.” This rings true to me.

I also like the Aldo Gucci quote, “The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory.”

Another fond saying that I believe I coined is, “All pizzas are not alike.” Meaning the just because a thing is called a pizza doesn’t mean they have much in common, examples in the automotive industry include the Yugo and a Lambo. are they both cars?…yup.

I recently bought a cheap package if bacon, after getting it home thinking I got a great price / value. When I opened the package I realized quickly it was a poor value because the fat to meat ratio was 4:1. Had I spent the money on the brand I usually get, I would have been happier overall because although it cost a little more, the value was exponentially more too at a 2:1 ratio. I can think of many similar examples when it comes to buying tools that look great and cost less but in the end wear out or brake quickly.

Another way I look at discovering what is best for you is to find the overlap of needs, wants or desires, and budget. Sometimes cheap price is the point, this is true when you can’t tell the difference between two items. People don’t care about the quality of Frozen Orange juice. I say this because folks will buy the cheaper one every time, even if it is a one cent difference. Lets say you prefer Diet Coke and you are at a sporting event and you’re thirsty $2.50 OK the most important thing was name brand and the concession folks know that.

Howard Olivier my best friend since nursery school and business partner Flying Pie Pizza, says, ” what is the “It” we are talking about?” because we most likely are thinking about a different “it” low price?, name brand?, great service?, fun experience? the point is, you must be very specific when you are making big purchasing decisions.

This is why I insist upon differentiating Levco from the handyman profession and my professional remodeling competitors. One way to do that is by creating a clear description of work with as detailed a document.  The goal is to have “the exact same understanding” of what will be done and what components will be included. We also publish a document called  Welcome to the wonderful world of  remodeling” it spells out those unspoken things like how to reach us after hours, what our hours are and many of the other variable that have frustrated clients for years. here is a link to the industry standard on Cost Vs Value from remodeling magazine

I remember hearing about a sign in a print shop that said “Cheap, Fast, and Great”  pick any two. Here is a cool illustration I found of the saying. (it helps to think of the upper part as high priority and the lower border as low priority)

Priority Triangle

Ultimately each consumer makes a  decision on so many variable that it is hard  to know what influenced them in fact, industries are built upon helping companies understand why people buy a particular product.

At Levco remodeling is our passion, We pride ourselves on the notion that once found, the balance between quality speed and cost can be met with integrity, trust, and value. We specialize in remodeling residential properties, providing excellent quality workmanship and superior service, We work smart with our clients and revel in creating cleaver solutions to solve all sorts of home problems. We operate with a  lean team of great subcontractors and a project manager. Are we a good fit for everyone?… Nope, and that is why there are so many remodelers in Boise Idaho.

Window Treatments & Shades

As a professional remodeling contractor, I am spring loaded to listen carefully to my clients. In a recent conversation with a client, it occurred to us that the true TOTAL cost of a remodeling project is not always expressed in the design or remodeling agreement. Budgets are tight and clients are looking to the contractor for guidance on budgets and what is and is not included in the agreement can make or break a pocketbook. I suppose the largest thing despite a fairly detailed description of work, are the other little things that are not addressed. When the contractor is done and the keys are handed over to the client so to speak, there may be a myriad of “stupid little things” that still need to be done and paid for. Landscaping, sprinkler system repairs,  and window treatments are just a few of the bigger ticket items.

Sprinklers & Landscaping

Sure the home is done and all of the punch list is complete but the small things can add up. I have no interest in  surprising my clients when they should be totally happy with bad news. As I see it, my job is to guide folks through the remodeling process as the expert. It is in this role as tour guide that I am always adding items to my detailed description of work even if they are not needed, so everyone gets to see that we at least addressed the issues before the decision to proceed is made. This is yet another reason to have an experienced professional remodeler handle your project. Having an extremely detailed Description of Work (usually done during the Design Phase) prior to getting bids on the project will help to avoid this conundrum and help ensure that the client is pleasantly surprised in the end rather than disappointed.