If you don't start off communicating well with a client, things never go right,” says Karen Dowd, co-owner, with husband Chad Carpenter, of Potomac Builders, in Alexandria, Va. “This is a good way to ensure that things get off on the right foot.”
“This” is the company's two-year-old “start of work” checklist. The document is presented to the client after the work is scheduled. Carpenter, the project manager, and the lead then go over it with the homeowner more thoroughly in a meeting a couple of days before the job begins.
Potomac's lead carpenters have a job binder at every site. A copy of this form is in there, and it is replaced or updated if any changes occur.
Carpenter and Dowd change the form when necessary. This moonlighting clause was added about a year ago, after a lead received repeated requests to stay overtime and do extra work at a reduced cost.
Dowd says the two most important clauses in the whole form are the paragraphs on “Children and Pet Safety” and “Owner and Visitor Safety.” “It's so important for homeowners to be aware of how dangerous sites can be,” she says. As for any furry, four-legged friends, Dowd says there are “a lot of big issues if you have a pet around, but no owner.” (Editor's note: As of press time, Potomac hadn't yet checked with their lawyer to determine if these clauses would legally absolve them of any liability should something happen to a person or pet.)
Potomac gives homeowners a choice between having the crew use the house toilet or a portable one. If the homeowner chooses the latter, the cost is of course added to the bill.