Tips for Avoiding Mistakes on the Jobsite

Don’t you hate getting that last-call-in-the-day phone message from your jobsite contractor: “Er, bad news, I’m afraid: The refrigerator opening’s too small ­– we can’t get the appliance in. Oh, and the homeowner’s seen what’s going on, and she’s not too happy. I think you better get over here quick!”

Maybe you haven’t had that phone call, but you’ve probably experienced something similar – a window framed so it doesn’t center on the sink, flooring with too much sapwood in it, plumbing fixtures that don’t show up, a client certain you screwed up on the paint color – the list goes on and on. Sometimes it can feel that getting the job built right will just never happen.

But there are a few things you can do as a professional to minimize mistakes – not the least of which is anticipating and planning the work as well as you possibly can.

The quote from Benjamin Franklin, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” got it right as far as getting through life, and in particular, facing the many challenges of our industry these days. Add in contractors who are not familiar with what the design calls for and we have the potential for lots of jobsite problems. With so many sources and products out there, organized and complete planning for remodeling is the real building block of success.

Before the Work Starts

Before you begin the work, document it ahead of time – as much as your budget permits. That way there will always be a point of reference for everyone involved in the project – and no surprises. If the documents contain dimensioned floor plans, elevations and a good description of the scope of work, that’s a great start. Give your contractor material specifications, a door and window schedule and a complete list of the (correct) appliances.

When you first meet your clients, make lots of notes: what they like, what they don’t, and perhaps the key reasons they’re having the work done. Maybe there’s a particular look or some specific appliances they’ve always wanted – it’s good to have that basic information scribbled down, and you can review those notes later when you’re putting the documents together.

And if you’re at the client’s house, take plenty of photographs. With an inexpensive digital camera, it’s easy to reference the existing conditions of the site when you’re later drawing up the new work: the way an angled corner works, where a soffit is built, or what the existing light fixtures are. Those photos can be great to have and consult when the contractor calls you in the middle of the work.

In the carpentry universe, there’s an old adage – “Measure twice, cut once” – and this can be applied to the planning world, too. Careful measuring of existing jobsite conditions is the foundation of a successful new project – and a way to avoid problems when the new work gets built. Pay attention to ceiling heights, existing plumbing and electrical locations in particular.

If you can keep your drawings clean and easy to read, this will lead to fewer mistakes. Contractors just hate plans with too much information on them. By the same token, if there are critical items you want to see in the final work – alignments, equal spacing, grids or squares ­– call those out rather than actual dimensions. Let the people building the work figure some things out for you.

Good scope and specifications are important for the contractor. And, for many items, such as unique tile, it’s smart to list the sourcing as well. Most building professionals love it when everything’s been selected or specified before the work starts, so the more you and the client can do in this area, the less likely mistakes and delays will appear as the job gets built. For doors and windows, a list with sizes and finishes is a big help.