- Know what the ground rules are
Communication is the single most important part of a smooth working relationship. Making sure you know what your clients’ expectations are in the daily running of the project is key to avoiding the kinds of hiccups that are so often the instigators of major conflicts. Be sure you know when you can work at their home, what they can expect to be cleaned up at the end of the day, which bathrooms are acceptable for your workers to use, and things that may not be as obvious like where they are keeping their cats or dogs. Being responsible for the loss of a pet, besides being tragic, is a very serious strain on any relationship.
- Itemize your bid
Many customers will ask that you itemize your bid so they can assess the cost of each part of the job. This will help to establish trust that your pricing is fair, because they will know the cost of individual projects, labor, and equipment. In doing so, any changes they may decide to make can be evaluated based on an agreed cost, saving time and rapport with your client in an ongoing relationship.
If they find themselves in a situation where they need to reduce their budget they can more easily assess their options. Perhaps most importantly, an itemized bid can make for useful documentation about the extent of the project, which may help resolve disputes down the line.
- Try to give a fixed price
One added benefit of an itemized bid is that it makes giving a fixed price an easier prospect. Many people who seek contracting work fear being stuck with with a runaway budget, but a fixed price ensures that this will not happen. Having the faith of your clients is an extraordinary advantage from beginning to end. Start off on good footing and reap the rewards for the entire time. This means referrals and repeat clients.
Obviously, there will sometimes be too many unknowns for a price on a particular project. In those cases, try to stamp out as many unknowns as possible. If, for instance, opening a wall or examining a crawl space can provide the information required for more accurate pricing you could broach the topic with your client.
If you are simply unable to remove the unknown, have the pricing reflect only what you anticipate doing. If the project specs don’t cover work which becomes necessary, you can write a change order – a mini-bid for the new work.
These three steps will go a long way to putting your clients at ease if you can introduce them into your initial discussions and do some check ups along the way. CSLS is committed to furthering your career far beyond the acquisition of your license; pick up industry tips like these and so much more from our instructors on your path as a successful contractor.
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