KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR TRADESPEOPLE
One of the most common complaints that most people have about their tradespeople is that they find it difficult to keep track of them while they are carrying out work.
Good tradespeople should always keep you informed of their progress, but if you're struggling to keep track of this there are a few tips to follow that should help.
GETTING THE BASICS FROM YOUR TRADESPEOPLE
Before you sign any contract with a tradesperson there are some very basic pieces of information you should obtain that will help you keep track of them.
Most good tradespeople will have a business card with all their details on it. If you are not offered this, ask for one. The absolute minimum you should expect from your tradesperson with regards to contact details are:
COMPANY NAME
ADDRESS NOT A PO BOX IF POSSIBLE
LANDLINE TELEPHONE NUMBER
MOBILE NUMBER
ORGANISATION OR AUTHORITY NUMBER
If your tradesperson can provide you with all of these, it should be easier to get hold of them when you need to. Only having one form of contact can be difficult, especially if its only a mobile number.
START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON WITH YOUR TRADESPEOPLE
One of the best pieces of advice when it comes to keeping track of your tradesperson is that you should set up regular meetings from the beginning.
If your tradesperson realises that you want to be kept informed about the progress they're making on a regular basis, they will be more likely to keep to a schedule. This is especially effective if you're having a large project carried out.
Ask for progress updates on a daily or weekly basis as is appropriate to your project. Set aside a time each week, making it the same time if possible, and always be there to see how things are progressing.
Outline that you want a written undertaking of progress if you're particularly concerned about the speed at which your tradesperson is working. If you can, provide your tradesperson with a schedule sheet to fill in to give you an indication of what stage your project is at.
Continue these meeting for the entirety of your work as it will show your tradesperson that you're on top of the project and are aware when they're not living up to expectations.
Its always worthwhile giving your tradesperson a little breathing space for unexpected delays, but generally they should be relatively close to this original timeframe.
KEEP A HARD COPY OF DATES AND PROGRESS
Always keep your own hard copy of all progress stages and the dates when you're dealing with a tradesperson for a long time.
You need to always to able to refer back to your hard copy should you need it in future and having it organised at the beginning can be easier. You can use a simple excel worksheet to even just write it down in word or in a notepad.
However you choose to keep track, get dates, progress, any issues and outline what your tradesperson has told you.
This will help you stay focused on the end of your project as well as letting your tradesperson know that you are serious about getting the work down in a timely manner.
We appreciate you taking the time to read our blog post and hope it has provided you with valuable insights for making informed decisions in construction.
Stay tuned for our upcoming posts.
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