Going through the process of a home renovation is an exciting time in a homeowner’s life. Whether it’s the installation of a spa-like bathroom or a designer kitchen, home renovations are contractors’ ways of making homeowners’ dreams become a reality. But that doesn’t go without mentioning that despite a homeowner’s excitement, they still have very serious concerns about the contractor and the renovation itself… and for good reason too.
You have to see things from their perspective. Whether you’re an electrician, plumber, or house painter, they don’t know you. So they’re letting a complete stranger into their home. As a professional contractor, it’s your responsibility to instill trust in your clients, and the only way to do that is to be steps ahead of them knowing exactly what their fears are to begin with.
From unsatisfying results to dealing with unlicensed contractors, there is a multitude of concerns that homeowners have about contractors and the home renovation process. Let’s take a look at some of the most common renovation concerns that homeowners have and then look at the best ways to alleviate those concerns.
Table of Contents
Concern 1: Fear of Not Liking the Results of the Renovation
It understandable for a homeowner to be concerned about the finished product and whether or not they’ll like it. After all, it is their home and they’re the ones who live there… so, of course, they don’t want to be stuck with a renovation they’re unsatisfied with. You can tell them that they’re going to love everything when you finish but that’s just not good enough.
Solution
Communication. As the contractor, remain in constant communication with your client to ensure the renovation is going smoothly. If the work area is safe for them to look at, let them actually see the progress just to make sure the work you’re doing is exactly what they wanted. If it’s not safe for them to physically see, send them pictures or give them a video call to keep them updated. This will make them feel so much better, knowing they’ve entrusted their home to such an open contractor.
Also, show them the work or previous clients so they can actually see your work and know that the quality of their renovation wouldn’t be anything less.
Concern 2: You’re an Unlicensed Contractor
There are homeowners who don’t mind hiring unlicensed contractors because they’re cheaper. Unfortunately, with unlicensed contractors, the quality of their work is also poor. Then again, there are homeowners who actually do want to work with licensed contractors and have no problem paying for quality… The only problem is that they run into fraudulent “contractors” who aren’t licensed nor are they contractors at all.
This act of fraudulent contract work has been a fear of many homeowners for quite a while now, especially being that contracting fraud is a persistent problem. In a five-year run, from 2013 to 2017, there were 1,059 criminal cases of contracting fraud. So how do you let clients know you’re not a con artist trying to scam them out of their money?
Solution
Any awards or certificates you have, put them all on display, whether in your physical store establishment or online. Instill trust in your clients letting them know all contractors in your business have to take an 8-hour pre-licensing course prior to getting licensed, so there’s no need to worry. You can also advise them to check you out on the Better Business Bureau site as well.
Concern 3: Project Delays and Budget
When working on homes, there’s always the possibility that there will be delays that will cause the project to go longer than expected, and when that happens, it can often lead to more money needed to complete the project. Project delays can happen due to a number of reasons, including inclement weather, other house issues that put the project on a halt, and crew members.
Solution
Always have alternative plans in place. Whenever you take on a home renovation project, always ask the client prying questions, like if they’ve had any recent work done to their home. Also, always let them know the projected time frame but also make them aware of the potential delays and outline how you plan to solve those issues if and when they arise.
In fact, the project deadline and whether the work will be done in the time frame is one of the five things homeowners keep in mind while hiring a construction company.
All of these concerns are normal and understandable, but you don’t want people to feel like that with your services. So it’s best that your start addressing these renovation concerns now bring them to the forefront and alleviate those fear before people have the chance to form them.