It’s tempting to hold onto subpar trade partners when money is tight and their prices are good. You might also feel that you’re too busy to find replacements.
The workplace has come a long way thanks to technology — or perhaps in spite of it. Cell phones, e-mail, and software help people stay connected, with immediacy, but is it all it's cracked up to be?
In most cities and districts, the permitting process can be time-consuming, with contractors or their employees spending hours in municipal buildings awaiting confirmation. Hiring an expediter can be a cost-effective way to process a permit and free up staff for more skilled work.
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If you build it, will they come?
The key to all good relationships
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It can be the toughest choice to make in an overcast remodeling climate: when to say no to a project. Like many of our peers, we have seen a slight dip in sales due to the stagnant housing market, fluctuating interest rates, and a general “tightening of financial belts” by our clients. The...
For Steve Tinter, president of Cook Bros., a design/build remodeling company in Arlington, Va., “Good communication begins with setting realistic expectations.”
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Homeowners have plenty to worry about when they're living through a construction project, from mess and disruption to a complete loss of control over their house, money, and life. Of the many tools we use to lock in our clients' trust, one of the most important is the pre-construction checklist.
As his business grew, Marty Hogan, owner of Martin E. Hogan Corp., in Pittsford, N.Y., began to realize that there were only so many things he could keep in his head at once. “Even a trip to the store with more than three items required a written list,” he says
While not quite as dramatic as a pocket Bible intercepting a bullet, Paul Paniagua's so-called “bible” has helped him many times.