10 Ways for Contractors to Keep Their Current Customers Happy and Keep More Coming!

More and more of us are becoming contractors (over 200,000 according to CSO) and one of the key skills to being successful is knowing how to treat our customers in such a way as they keep giving us repeat work (the easiest sort of work to get).

1. Consistently do a good job. Most businesses will accept that you have a bad day but what matters is what you deliver 95% of the time. Give your best every time and while it may not be said directly to you, it will be seen. Admit when you make a mistake and be willing to take responsibility when something hasn’t gone as planned.


2. Stay out of office politics. Remember one of the reasons you became a contractor was to avoid politics. Well, keep doing that. Don’t get involved in gossiping about other staff members. Remember they work there all the time. You don’t.


3. Keep your skills updated and let your customers know. In the world of IT in particular, you snooze you lose. Let your customers know when you are up to date on new programmes. It will keep them happy and keep work flowing for you!


4. Invoice promptly and be nice to the accounts people. Invoice your customers regularly. One idea is to bring the invoice with you on the day you do the work so the person who is signing off gets it asap. The sooner you invoice your customers the sooner you get paid. And remember your payment can be held up in the accounts department so it pays to be pleasant to them!


5. Form alliances with other contractors. Yes, I know they are supposed to be your competitors but many contractors create informal links with others in the same line of work. If you can’t take on a piece of work, it creates added value for your customer by being able to recommend another contractor. Make sure that the relationship is a reciprocal one.


6. Be generous with your customers. Sometimes customers will ask you to do something that is outside the terms of your agreement with them e.g. answer a query for a customer. It always helps to offer to do this although it’s a good idea to specify a limit on this e.g. if the problem takes longer than 15 minutes to sort, you will bill for the time.


7. Say no sometimes. In the beginning the temptation is to take on as much work as possible, but you need to be careful to schedule in downtime and r & d time so that you can keep your skills up to date. And remember you don’t have to give a reason.


8. Prune out the crap customers. Any contractor will tell you about the horror customers they have. The ones who beat you down on price, then hassle you non-stop and after all that, delay payment. Quite often the contractor had a bad feeling about them but took them on anyhow…and then loses time with good customers because of it. Tell them you are not available or give them the names of other people they can go to. Go with your gut on these people!


9. Make dealing with you a pleasure. Respond quickly to queries whether by phone or by e-mail. Let people know when you will be on holidays.


10. Enjoy being a contractor. Contracting is not for everyone but if you enjoy it, there is a huge freedom and confidence that comes from knowing that you are employed over and over again for the quality of your work.

Anne Walsh is a life coach based in Co. Galway. You receive a free 10 part e-course called “Personal Freedom” when you sign up to her free monthly newsletter: Bring your best self to light at http://www.annewalshcoach.com You can also find many useful time management and stress tools at http://www.annewalshcoach.com/free_downloads.htm She can also be contacted at anne@annewalshcoach.com Comments and opinions always welcome--really! Certified Roofing Contractor How to Fire a Contractor Plumbing Problems Construction Estimating Finding Your Dream Home

Luxury Homes Plans

Commercial construction companies have a general contractor, construction manager and design builder. Luxury house plans combine size and style into a single design. You will recognize something special in these hand-picked home designs. As your budget increases, so do the options, which you will find expressed in each of this quality Home Plans.

Most services of construction companies are tailored to your individual needs which may include design support, preliminary budgeting, resource and logistics planning, scope management, project scheduling, project administration, and supervision.

Everyone needs a dream, and these luxury home Building Plans will let you indulge your dream home fantasies. You will find large estates with separate guest suites, servants' quarters, home entertainment rooms, pool houses, detached garages, and more. Are these luxury dream homes elegant and upscale...

Luxury homes are of unequaled excellence and unsurpassed value.

Most construction firms have Construction consultants, who aim at quality, transparency in dealings and timely completion with focused attention. They are into Home Building, Multi-storied Apartment Construction, Duplex and Luxury Houses and also provide plots of land in different locations.

Construction firms provide Building Plan and also the Housing loan needed for construction. They also arrange Luxury Fitments, Security Fitments, Electrical and Water Connections, Wood Works, etc.

Find able and invaluable partner for the work you plan for your home. Whether you are thinking of a custom luxury home design, a whole house renovation, or a second story addition, or even if you already have Construction Plans, you must find those that are uniquely positioned and qualified to deliver outstanding quality, on-time performance and on-budget completion.

Buy A New Home Or Remodel

- Let's Discuss The Benefits Of Both!

For most people our first homes are known in the market place as a “starter home”. The home was most likely chosen primarily for financial considerations. It probably lacked some of the features that we would have wanted if our budget had been unlimited at the time. Now that your income has grown, and possibly the size of your family it is time to consider either moving or investing in your current property to add additional features and living space.

Although the decision on whether to stay and remodel or relocate has affected all of us, the decision is usually based on emotion rather than fact or situation. Before you decide on whether to remodel or relocate you should consider the following points:

• Return On Investment: Most of us are concerned that any investment we make, and doing a major remodel to a home is definitely an investment, will eventually provide us with a payback or at worst case we won’t loose any money. In order to determine if an investment in your current property is likely to have a financial benefit it is important to look at the other homes on your street and in your area. If your home is the same size as the majority of other homes, it is most likely that if you add an addition to your home it will become the most expensive home in the neighborhood. From an investment standpoint, one does not want to have the most expensive home in the neighborhood. On the other hand, if your home is currently smaller than the majority of homes, it may be a very smart investment to add an addition to expand the livable floor space. This should have the effect of increasing your home value by more than the investment.
• Architecture: The cost of adding additional floor space is usually determined by the size of the lot and current building codes for that lot. Would adding additional floor space mean adding a second floor or is their room on the lot to add to the main floor level. Don’t forget that by adding to the main floor level you will be eliminating some of the home’s outdoor space. It is also important to realize that with some homes, depending on how the original Foundation was installed, adding a second story may mean adding to the strength of the footings. This alone could mean that the project is not economically feasible. Whether you are considering a second story or an addition on the main level, try to visualize what the finished home will look like. If in your mind you are satisfied that what you want to do will be visually acceptable it is probably time to call in an architect to discuss what can and can’t be done with your property.
• Budget: Although construction costs vary from city to city and state to state you should allow a minimum of $200 per square foot for the addition of basic living space, providing the addition does not include a kitchen or bathroom. Your architect will be able to give you a budgetary number for finished construction cost based on the city and state where you are located. Higher quality finishing materials such as hardwood flooring, and natural stone tiles such as marble or granite can easily double the per square foot cost. Once you have a detailed set of Building Plans, you will be able to obtain firm prices from the contractors in your area. For budgeting purposes, it is always wise to add an extra 10% to the costs, as there are generally changes and modifications during the construction phase.
• Sweat Equity: One major advantage to a remodel rather than a relocation is that a remodel allows you to put some sweat equity into your property. Depending on one’s capabilities, a lot of the remodel work, especially items that are labor intensive, can be accomplished by a reasonably competent homeowner. These include simplistic items such as wallpapering, painting, installing light fixtures, and window coverings. For the more experience home handyman, installing finished flooring, doors and trim can provide cost savings and increased equity. Landscaping and gardening are two other areas that can become family projects and increase the home’s value. However, if you do decide to relocate rather than renovate you may find that you are doing all of the aforementioned items at your new home!
• Inconvenience: Living through a construction project, especially if involves bathrooms and/or kitchens can be a very trying experience. If you haven’t been through a major remodel, it can mean the loss of utilities for periods of time, continuous noise, dust, dirt, and a parade of workman marching through your home. The concept of having peaceful enjoyment of your home is lost completely. Relocation is not necessarily a project without heartache. There is the packing and unpacking phase, new schools, changing utilities, changing all addresses on personal documents, credit cards, and other companies that you do business with. Let us not forget the new neighbors and the loss of the old and our children’s friends and classmates.

Want biased advise on whether you should renovate or relocate, it’s available from most real estate brokers. Remember that a real estate broker makes a living when people buy and sell homes, not when they renovate. They do not receive any benefit from you deciding to stay where you are and to remodel your current property.

As with most home improvement or remodel projects, planning is the key to success!

For additional information on remodeling your home or other home improvement projects, including landscaping and gardening visit Renovation Headquarters.

Luxury Homes

Commercial construction companies have a general contractor, construction manager and design builder. Luxury house plans combine size and style into a single design. You will recognize something special in these hand-picked home designs. As your budget increases, so do the options, which you will find expressed in each of this quality Home Plans.

Most services of construction companies are tailored to your individual needs which may include design support, preliminary budgeting, resource and logistics planning, scope management, project scheduling, project administration, and supervision.

Everyone needs a dream, and these luxury home Building Plans will let you indulge your dream home fantasies. You will find large estates with separate guest suites, servants' quarters, home entertainment rooms, pool houses, detached garages, and more. Are these luxury dream homes elegant and upscale...

Luxury homes are of unequaled excellence and unsurpassed value.

Most construction firms have Construction consultants, who aim at quality, transparency in dealings and timely completion with focused attention. They are into Home Building, Multi-storied Apartment Construction, Duplex and Luxury Houses and also provide plots of land in different locations.

Construction firms provide Building Plan and also the Housing loan needed for construction. They also arrange Luxury Fitments, Security Fitments, Electrical and Water Connections, Wood Works, etc.

Find able and invaluable partner for the work you plan for your home. Whether you are thinking of a custom luxury home design, a whole house renovation, or a second story addition, or even if you already have construction plans, you must find those that are uniquely positioned and qualified to deliver outstanding quality, on-time performance and on-budget completion.

Developing a Garage Addition Building Plan and Estimating Garage Addition Costs

The decision to add on a garage addition to a home is one of the best home improvement projects a homeowner can make. A garage addition provides great utility and can significantly increase the value of a home. Prior to actually breaking ground, however, a garage addition plan and garage addition costs estimates should be developed.

A garage addition plan starts with making initial sketches of the garage addition concept and evaluating how it will tie in with the existing home structure. Though most homeowners prefer a large garage, it is very important during this phase to consider proportions between the existing home and the new garage addition. To aesthetically look appealing from the road the garage addition length should not exceed two-thirds the length of the existing home. Otherwise the garage addition could overwhelm the existing home structure. The depth or width of the garage addition is less critical from an aesthetic standpoint, as it is usually less visible from the road.

Once the initial sketches have been completed, detailed garage addition Building Plans should be generated. Depending on the complexity of the garage addition either the homeowner or an architect can develop the actual garage addition Building Plans. In either case, the plans will need to include scaled drawings with dimensions, and cross-sectional construction views with constructional materials specified. The cross-sectional views should include from the concrete footings all the way to the peak of the roof. Each new transition from the footings up should be carefully drawn. Examples include: the footing/Foundation transition, the Foundation/sill plate transition, and the wall/roof rafter transition. The plans should also include a comprehensive bill of materials for the project. In addition, all property lines and appropriate setbacks should be clearly shown in the drawings.

Estimating the garage addition costs depends on who is building the addition. If the homeowner plans on acting as his or her own general contractor and performing some of the work (e.g. the framing) then costs will need to be calculated starting with the bill of materials generated during the planning phase. With a comprehensive bill of materials a homeowner can provide much of the list to any home improvement store where they can fill out the pricing information for the specific items for the project. For specialty items such as garage doors, garage door openers, and in some cases lighting and plumbing fixtures (if required for the garage addition) the homeowner may need to contact specialty stores for pricing. The subcontractors may also be able to provide some unit pricing (e.g. garage doors).

If the homeowner is acting as his or her own general contractor and will require subcontractors, then it is important that they identify early the subcontractors and review with them the plans and development schedule. Each subcontractor should provide a firm fixed estimate for the particular job based on the plans and bill of materials. In addition their bid should also include start/complete dates for the particular job.

With garage addition plans and costs estimates in place the homeowner can then proceed with pulling permits and developing a fairly accurate building schedule.

Once permits have been approved, construction of the garage addition can begin. It is important to note, however, that even with the best plans in place things happen and schedules slip. To mitigate schedule slips a homeowner acting as his or her own general contractor should factor in some buffer to the schedule and always be looking ahead several weeks during the entire project. They should regularly check with suppliers to ensure building material will arrive when required and should occasionally check with subcontractors to ensure that their schedules are still in line with your garage addition project.

With these simple planning, budgeting and scheduling issues addressed prior to the start of the project, building a garage addition can be a positive experience both pre and post construction phase.

For more information on building a garage addition see the Garage Addition Bid Sheet from HomeAdditionPlus.com. The Garage Addition Bid Sheet includes an extensive questionnaire (Request for Quote) that a homeowner can provide to prospective general contractors and subcontractors for bidding the garage addition. In addition, the Garage Addition Bid sheet also includes estimated costs and time intervals for constructing a garage addition as well as a list of key home material manufacturers. Finally, the Garage Addition Bid Sheet includes an extensive set of helpful tips and advice on making sure the garage addition is built properly and on time and budget.

Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more home improvement information visit http://www.homeadditionplus.com and http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com.