December 9, 2002

By Bill Rauser

How often have you laughed when you saw the TV commercial with the kitchen remodeler who laughs when his clients ask about the projected completion date for their torn-apart kitchen?

You laugh, because in many cases, builders have taken for granted the importance of a relationship with the customer, and those who do that give the rest of the industry a bad rap, just like the used car salesman. Sure there are good ones and bad ones in every industry, but that doesn’t mean you should expect or accept such treatment.

In my opinion, it all begins with the initial consultation when the customer and the builder meet to discuss ideas, options and the budget.

It is incumbent on each party, the client and the builder, to realize that you are, in fact, on the same team, working together to achieve a goal.

Unfortunately, so many people have had negative experiences like the one in the commercial that many clients come to the table at that first meeting with their guard up, which doesn’t always set the stage for a smooth encounter.

Ken Madden, a builder in Scottsdale, Ariz., put it this way: “There are some clients who are so intent on squeezing every penny from you, that while they do end up with a beautiful home, they are just getting exactly what they paid for. On the other hand, there are clients who, by their very nature, demonstrate such support and excitement for a project that it makes both the builder and the trades working on the home want to do more for them. They get that extra attention to detail that you just can’t buy.”

It seems to go back to the saying of our grandmothers, “You can get more with sugar than with vinegar.”

It’s just human nature to want to do something extra for people who act appreciative and recognize the importance of every person on the team for the perspective each brings to the project.

Relationships are what businesses are built on, just as houses are built on foundations. If the foundation is flawed, meaning the first meeting is more adversarial than cooperative, the process will be less than perfect and something other than enjoyable. That is not to say the job won’t be done to spec and done well if you are working with a reputable builder who guarantees their work, but it won’t be an enjoyable project for the builder or the client.

It seems that such a large project, which will have such a significant and long-lasting impact in the customers’ lives, should be a pleasant memory, a time filled with excitement and anticipation of the final product and a celebratory finale when the project is done. That’s when the homeowner and the builder can sit back and admire the finished project together, saying “We did it!”

So, the next time you embark on any relationship with a vendor, remember that you will get far more than you pay for by being cooperative and friendly than by being antagonistic in an attempt to intimidate or show who’s boss.

By all means, express your desires and talk through any issues or questions you have, but do so as a team, not as adversaries. Then you will feel comfortable agreeing to a plan and allowing the contractor to run the day-to-day operations to ensure you get what you asked for.

It is much better to agree to the plans and as many specs as possible up front, so they are clear to all members of the team, the customer, the architect and the builder.

And then the artistry can begin.

Bill Rauser is president of Rauser Professional Contracting. He can be reached at 410-833-3883 or br@rauser.com.

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