In the last article we talked about Budget as a primary factor in choosing a contractor for your bathroom renovation. This article deals with an equally important consideration:
2. Personality
This factor becomes more and more important as the size and scope of your job gets larger. However even for a bathroom renovation it's important to consider your "rapport" with the prospective contractor. Let's say you've found a contractor whose numbers work perfectly for you on paper, but who doesn't agree with your design choices...or what if the contractor is designing and building your new bathroom and has fundamentally different tastes than you? The problem can be overcome, but you need to have a good rapport with the contractor so you can communicate your needs effectively. More subtle issues come into play as well, such as communication styles and even body language. I believe that the true test is: if you can't sit down for at least an hour, talk COMFORTABLY with your contractor about your project AND come out of the meeting feeling positive that your needs have been understood, you need to reconsider your choice in contractor.
Why is this important, you ask? You're not looking for a new friend, you want someone to remodel your bathroom, right? Renovations are stressful and difficult times. Your home will be torn apart. Your contractors and their multiple tradespeople will be tromping through your home and your personal belongings. You will be handing over large sums of money to these people, and they are building something that will be a part of your life for years, perhaps decades. You will need to negotiate with them, share ideas with them, be stern with them, be excited with them, ask them questions and hope for straight answers, you may even break down and cry in front of them. (Although hopefully, not:) For the duration of your project you will feel like you have a new friend - and he/she is living in your bathroom! Your whole experience of your bathroom renovation will be shaped in profound ways by the contractor you hire. Don't you want that person to be someone you get along with?
Everything else being equal, if I had the choice to pay 10% or even 20% more for someone I really get along with versus someone I can't communicate with, I would pay the extra every time. You will reap the benefits in reduced stress, a happier experience, and yes, a better product, or at least one more in line with what you really want.
Next time we'll talk about how to find credible potential contractors.