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 spends answering questions about the small stuff, the less time he or she has to concentrate on executing the project in the most efficient and effective way possible.
Once construction begins, it is a guarantee that there are going to be problems. To be completely honest, there are going to be lots of problems. Some big and some small, but mostly or completely all small in the big picture. The good news for the client is that these problems are the project manager’s concern and headache to deal with.
If the client is worrying themselves (and their project manager) about why a subcontractor showed up two hours late, or questions why a stud has a knot hole in it, or notices some saw dust piled up in the corner of a room, they are causing themselves and their project manager unnecessary stress and that can deflate anyone’s balloon and ultimately cause delays.
That is not to say that the client should not let their project manager know if things are truly a concern. Any good project manager is going to want to provide a pleasurable experience. However, it is probably fair to say that clients who view every little thing as a big deal and worry themselves and their project manager about it, are never going to be satisfied.
That’s not to say to never raise concerns. If there is a big problem, bring it to your project manager’s attention immediately. Just try to keep it in perspective of what is a big problem versus a minor annoyance, problem, or question. I even encourage clients to bring up the minor annoyances as well, so that the project manager is aware, but try to keep those items to a weekly meeting, email, or phone call, to not be causing constant disruption. Do yourself a favor and don’t sweat the small stuff. Relax and let your project manager do that. After all, that’s a big part of the reason they were hired in the first place.