It is not an uncommon request for clients to say they have a friend or family member in the trades that they would like to use on their project.  Motivations for this can be different, but most of the time, it is done to save money.  I don’t have a problem with clients asking the…

Construction projects can be an exciting time as well as a stressful time.  To make things as enjoyable as possible, it’s important to have a strong relationship with your builder.  Some people enter the relationship looking at the builder as an adversary and those relationships are doomed to fail from the start.  Rather than an…

There are several common disagreements builders have with their clients (or vice versa) and there are ways to avoid them.  Here are some common examples and solutions. The homeowner may feel that the builder never finished their walkthrough list.  It is imperative for the builder and the client to walk the project together and develop…

If something is damaged during construction, should it be repaired or replaced?  It is understandable to expect every item in a new home or remodeling project to be brand new and unblemished.  This is any builders’ goal, but the reality is that with over 100,000 components going into a new home and dozens if not…

For things to run as smoothly as possible, clients should allow their project manager to do what they were hired to do.  Sweating the small stuff will prove to be counterproductive to the professional relationship and will ultimately hurt the project manager’s ability to execute the job with excellence.  The more time the project manager…

Inquiring about your builder’s warranty service is important to discuss early on and before signing a contract.  In Georgia, by law, they are required to provide a one-year warranty on workmanship and materials.  Some builders offer longer warranties, or longer warranties for certain items.  Some handle the warranty “in house” and others outsource warranty claims…

There are numerous stories of unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of unsuspecting people in the construction industry.  Fortunately, there are some ways to discern which ones are scammers and which are legitimate.  When interviewing contractors, pay attention to the following red flags. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE:  If you receive a quote that is significantly lower…

When undertaking a remodeling project or new home build, choosing your builder is one of the most important decisions you will make.  A well thought out plan and specifications are critical, but without a good builder you can work with, the best plans can go awry quickly.  Here are three important qualities to look for…

Let’s be honest.  Perfection is unattainable.  Homes are built by people.  People are not perfect.  If you are expecting perfection, you will be disappointed every time.  This doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t expect excellence though. Excellence means taking imperfect people and materials and executing a process to a very high level. Excellence is…

There are many thoughts on how many bids one should get for a project.  One prevailing method is to procure three to five bids, toss out the highest and the lowest and go with the middle.  There are a few problems with that method.  One being that the lowest bid may not have a problem…