Pre-Construction Meeting Agenda for New Home
Pre-construction meetings are one of the best ways to judge and estimate whether or not the contractor you are meeting is the one you want to sign on with to remodel, construct, renovate or build your home. It’s a crucial step in the entire process which is why it is essential to prepare yourself.
Knowing what you want, your ideas and expectations will help you gauge whether the contractor can meet these needs and, above all, have the expertise, workforce and resources to get the job done.
Here’s how to prepare yourself in the pre-construction meeting agenda for a new home:
1. List your construction ideas
During the pre-construction meeting, it’s essential to identify what you want your space to be. What do you want it to feel like? What kind of emotions do you want to associate your home with? Do you have any inspirations from the places you’ve been, photos you’ve taken or internet sites you’ve visited?
A great way to start is to visualize each room and list your ideas. Identify the images or pictures that best showcase your ideas, take notes or identify specific decor or architecture from the sites you see online. This is the time to go as wild as you want.
2. Identify your budget for the new home
In your pre-construction meeting agenda, identify your budget and how high you can go without breaking the bank. It’s good financial sense to know how much you can invest in your construction and renovation process for your new home. This way, it’ll also help the contractor meet your needs and expectations, and it will help you make informed decisions in the entire construction project.
3. Choose the building contractor
Once you sign on with home builders, they should be giving you inspection reports on plumbing, electrical and wiring. Essentially, they should also be able to provide you with a report on the soil condition, their work schedule, start date, end date and any other information required by law. You should also be able to get architectural drawings and plans of the construction project, bill of quantities and even subcontractor applications.
A contractor should also be on the construction or remodelling site as often as possible. This information should be given to you. You also want to know their availability to answer any calls from clients. If you come by your project and they aren’t there, can they take calls if you spot any problems or have any questions?
You want a contractor that is reliable, accessible and that meets your construction needs. A contractor that builds understanding will be able to finish your project the way you want and at the time you want.
4. List your construction questions
If this is your first project, it is even more important to list as many questions as you can ask your contractor. It’ll also give you a good idea of the contractor’s communication with you. This is important whether or not you have experience with construction projects.
Are they open to giving you as much information as you need, or do they shy away from answering your questions? Are they overpromising things to you, or are they saying no to almost everything you ask for?
5. Do your research
It is also essential to do background research on the contractors you meet. What is their reputation in the industry? What is their working pattern like? Who is the architect they regularly work with? Speak to your neighbours, colleagues or friends for recommendations on contractors.
It’s a great way to get reliable contractors. Plus, you’ll also be to see the work that’s been done at your friends’ homes. Knowing your contractor’s past clients also helps in making the final decision.
6. Be straightforward and frank
You’ll be doing yourself and the contractor a favour by just being frank and straightforward with your needs and expectations. Inquire about their team of subcontractors, electricians and even interior designers. Ask them everything you want to know and how they will get your desired project done.
Talk about your budget and discuss any constraints that may come up, so both parties are aware in case of unexpected events.
7. Put everything down in writing
Detailed discussions and promises must be in writing, and the best way is to put it all is in a contract. Whether you’re jotting down notes on your iPad or your contractor is drawing up plans on paper, it is always important to keep notes of everything. An email trail of what has been discussed, times, and dates is essential to maintain.
Detailed notes will also help you narrow down your contractor selection (if you haven’t already). You can review these notes after the meeting and make an objective decision at the end of the day.
