Working as a residential contractor or running a residential construction business means that you need to work directly with homeowners, which can be a challenge. You must find a way to work around their schedules and protect their property during your projects while also meeting your clients’ expectations.
Clear communication about expectations is also crucial to the successful completion of a project. If the people who hire you are unhappy with the finished product, they could potentially bring a construction defect claim against your business. Material substitutions are frequently the cause of defect claims, especially at higher-end properties.
Clients may want upscale materials used in their homes
It is common for those remodeling a residential property to want prestige or higher-end materials used for boring or their kitchen countertops. Certainly, there are lower-cost alternatives, and the technology used to make them look like higher-end materials has improved in recent years. However, if someone tells you they want hardwood floors and you install cheaper laminate flooring, that could potentially lead to a claim against your company.
Sometimes, material substitutions are inevitable. What the client requested is currently unavailable due to supply chain issues or has skyrocketed in price and would destroy the budget for the project. In a scenario where you would have to choose between delaying the completion of the project, increasing the budget or changing the materials, you should advise the client in writing of the issue and let them choose the solution.
Understanding how to proceed when facing challenges at a construction site could help you potentially avoid construction litigation from an unhappy client later.