{ "version": "https://jsonfeed.org/version/1", "user_comment": "This feed allows you to read the posts from this site in any feed reader that supports the JSON Feed format. To add this feed to your reader, copy the following URL -- https://goodtobehomemag.com/tag/contractor/feed/json/ -- and add it your reader.", "home_page_url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/tag/contractor/", "feed_url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/tag/contractor/feed/json/", "title": "Good to Be Home", "description": "Good to Be Home Magazine", "items": [ { "id": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/working-well-with-contractors/", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/working-well-with-contractors/", "title": "Working Well with Contractors", "content_html": "

Veteran home builder and real estate coach Dennis Walsh, co-owner of the online training program yourhome.academy, shares some key thoughts about collaborating with contractors and tradespeople who may work on your home\u2014so you not only end up with the home of your dreams but also do so without stress.

\n

Communicate often

\n

Whether it\u2019s with a specialty contractor or the general contractor, there should be an established line of communication. Too often, a homeowner jumps in and sends a message through anyone they can find on the job\u2014and too often that message either gets lost in the shuffle or gets misinterpreted and shared incorrectly with someone in charge.

\n

So the lesson here is to establish right upfront how communication is to be properly handled and with whom\u2014and make sure that\u2019s exactly how it happens. Further, I would suggest that all key communications are recorded somehow in writing, whether it be in the form of an email or text or some other agreed-upon system.

\n

Establish regular updates

\n
\"\"
\n

An approach used by many professional contractors is to not only establish a consistent point of contact but also schedule a weekly appointment for a call or meeting to review questions, selections, and the progress of the project. I found this highly effective in my custom building and remodeling business. Unless there was something that appeared to be an emergency, our customers would keep notes of questions to review during their weekly update call or job-site meeting.

\n

Identify a process for changes and selections

\n

Even when you know the correct point of contact, it\u2019s important to establish the process and paperwork that will be used to quote any pricing details and how and when any additional costs will be paid; you should also give us a permanent record of this.

\n

The same thing applies to selections. When and how do we choose colors, finishes, and details of things like roofing, siding, cabinets, flooring, fixtures, and more? Are all selections finalized prior to the start of the project? Or is there a timetable set up to finalize these selections at different points as the project moves forward? These are important concerns and need to be established right from the start.

\n

Make decisions and selections promptly and on time

\n
\"\"
\n

As a custom builder, I lived through far too many situations where my customers kept procrastinating and caused delay after delay by not finalizing selections on time. In some cases, there were significant lead times for items like cabinets, specialty flooring, tile, appliances, and such. Delays to the project not only are frustrating for the customer but also become very expensive for the contractors.

\n

What happens is many people freeze in their tracks with so many options to choose from, so they experience decision-making burnout. What I would tell them at some point early on is that there\u2019s no such thing as one best overall choice; there are any number of great choices that will work fine.

\n

Stay the heck out of the way

\n

I can tell you as a contractor that a lot of well-meaning clients love to visit, stand around, and even help out by holding the ends of boards we\u2019re cutting. They just generally find ways to be part of the fun.

\n

Unfortunately, we really don\u2019t need their help! More often than not, they\u2019re just getting in the way, slowing the project down, and creating safety issues. In spite of their best intentions, all they\u2019re doing is making it more difficult for us to get our work done.

\n

So if you don\u2019t have anything better to do at home, please just get the heck out of the house and come back later.

\n

Don\u2019t get \u201cwhile you\u2019re at it\u201d disease

\n
\"\"
\n

This is a common affliction that strikes some people whenever they have construction workers around.

\n

Here\u2019s how it happens: An electrician is working on some wiring, and the homeowner comes up and says, \u201cHey, while you\u2019re at it, could you run some wiring over to the other side of the room and add another receptacle there by the window?\u201d Or the plumber is running a gas line to the fireplace and they ask, \u201cWhile you\u2019re at it, would you take another gas line out to the back corner of the house for a barbecue grill?\u201d And the special requests go on.

\n

Unfortunately, what some homeowners are actually saying is \u201cSince you\u2019re already here doing this, could you also do this extra work for free?\u201d The appropriate question is \u201cHow much will it cost if you were to add this extra work while you\u2019re already here on the project?\u201d Contractors will appreciate it when you don\u2019t make them feel as if you\u2019re trying to take money out of their pockets.

\n

I hope you find this list of suggestions helpful as you prepare to jump into the swirling waters of home remodeling!

\n

For more info, visit yourhome.academy

\n

The post Working Well with Contractors appeared first on Good to Be Home.

\n", "content_text": "Veteran home builder and real estate coach Dennis Walsh, co-owner of the online training program yourhome.academy, shares some key thoughts about collaborating with contractors and tradespeople who may work on your home\u2014so you not only end up with the home of your dreams but also do so without stress.\nCommunicate often\nWhether it\u2019s with a specialty contractor or the general contractor, there should be an established line of communication. Too often, a homeowner jumps in and sends a message through anyone they can find on the job\u2014and too often that message either gets lost in the shuffle or gets misinterpreted and shared incorrectly with someone in charge.\nSo the lesson here is to establish right upfront how communication is to be properly handled and with whom\u2014and make sure that\u2019s exactly how it happens. Further, I would suggest that all key communications are recorded somehow in writing, whether it be in the form of an email or text or some other agreed-upon system.\nEstablish regular updates\n\nAn approach used by many professional contractors is to not only establish a consistent point of contact but also schedule a weekly appointment for a call or meeting to review questions, selections, and the progress of the project. I found this highly effective in my custom building and remodeling business. Unless there was something that appeared to be an emergency, our customers would keep notes of questions to review during their weekly update call or job-site meeting.\nIdentify a process for changes and selections\nEven when you know the correct point of contact, it\u2019s important to establish the process and paperwork that will be used to quote any pricing details and how and when any additional costs will be paid; you should also give us a permanent record of this.\nThe same thing applies to selections. When and how do we choose colors, finishes, and details of things like roofing, siding, cabinets, flooring, fixtures, and more? Are all selections finalized prior to the start of the project? Or is there a timetable set up to finalize these selections at different points as the project moves forward? These are important concerns and need to be established right from the start.\nMake decisions and selections promptly and on time\n\nAs a custom builder, I lived through far too many situations where my customers kept procrastinating and caused delay after delay by not finalizing selections on time. In some cases, there were significant lead times for items like cabinets, specialty flooring, tile, appliances, and such. Delays to the project not only are frustrating for the customer but also become very expensive for the contractors.\nWhat happens is many people freeze in their tracks with so many options to choose from, so they experience decision-making burnout. What I would tell them at some point early on is that there\u2019s no such thing as one best overall choice; there are any number of great choices that will work fine.\nStay the heck out of the way\nI can tell you as a contractor that a lot of well-meaning clients love to visit, stand around, and even help out by holding the ends of boards we\u2019re cutting. They just generally find ways to be part of the fun.\nUnfortunately, we really don\u2019t need their help! More often than not, they\u2019re just getting in the way, slowing the project down, and creating safety issues. In spite of their best intentions, all they\u2019re doing is making it more difficult for us to get our work done.\nSo if you don\u2019t have anything better to do at home, please just get the heck out of the house and come back later.\nDon\u2019t get \u201cwhile you\u2019re at it\u201d disease\n\nThis is a common affliction that strikes some people whenever they have construction workers around.\nHere\u2019s how it happens: An electrician is working on some wiring, and the homeowner comes up and says, \u201cHey, while you\u2019re at it, could you run some wiring over to the other side of the room and add another receptacle there by the window?\u201d Or the plumber is running a gas line to the fireplace and they ask, \u201cWhile you\u2019re at it, would you take another gas line out to the back corner of the house for a barbecue grill?\u201d And the special requests go on.\nUnfortunately, what some homeowners are actually saying is \u201cSince you\u2019re already here doing this, could you also do this extra work for free?\u201d The appropriate question is \u201cHow much will it cost if you were to add this extra work while you\u2019re already here on the project?\u201d Contractors will appreciate it when you don\u2019t make them feel as if you\u2019re trying to take money out of their pockets.\nI hope you find this list of suggestions helpful as you prepare to jump into the swirling waters of home remodeling!\nFor more info, visit yourhome.academy\nThe post Working Well with Contractors appeared first on Good to Be Home.", "date_published": "2026-08-17T08:00:30+00:00", "date_modified": "2026-08-05T16:59:03+00:00", "author": { "name": "strexler", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/author/strexler/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bfdad1d0f4bb8763ecd0c9f9672e8f2d9b9ed5aa5d22def1bf6d02656996176c?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "image": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2026/07/contractors-featured.jpg", "tags": [ "Contractor", "Equity", "Home Improvement", "Home Value", "Resale Value", "Home" ], "summary": "Learn from experienced professional Dennis Walsh how to get the most out of home renovations." }, { "id": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/the-10-most-vulnerable-areas-of-your-home/", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/the-10-most-vulnerable-areas-of-your-home/", "title": "The 10 Most Vulnerable Areas of Your Home", "content_html": "

The post The 10 Most Vulnerable Areas of Your Home appeared first on Good to Be Home.

\n", "content_text": "The post The 10 Most Vulnerable Areas of Your Home appeared first on Good to Be Home.", "date_published": "2026-03-12T08:00:30+00:00", "date_modified": "2026-03-04T21:08:40+00:00", "author": { "name": "strexler", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/author/strexler/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bfdad1d0f4bb8763ecd0c9f9672e8f2d9b9ed5aa5d22def1bf6d02656996176c?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Contractor", "Equity", "Home Improvement", "Maintenance", "Repair", "Real Estate" ], "summary": "Four tools to help keep your holiday focal point in one piece while protecting your feline." }, { "id": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/a-home-renovation-game-plan/", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/a-home-renovation-game-plan/", "title": "A Home Renovation Game Plan", "content_html": "

The post A Home Renovation Game Plan appeared first on Good to Be Home.

\n", "content_text": "The post A Home Renovation Game Plan appeared first on Good to Be Home.", "date_published": "2023-09-29T08:00:22+00:00", "date_modified": "2023-09-06T12:19:55+00:00", "author": { "name": "ajimenez", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/author/ajimenez/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/370fd3ef5b2313c7465c0026a4c2af9d14c7c1f31fb160ddbba3f572f8b74842?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Contractor", "Home Improvement", "Home Projects", "Home Renovation", "Home Upgrade", "Remodel", "Renovation" ], "summary": "Tips to help you conquer your home renovation project." }, { "id": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/10-tips-to-improve-your-home-renovation/", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/10-tips-to-improve-your-home-renovation/", "title": "10 Tips to Improve Your Home Renovation", "content_html": "

The post 10 Tips to Improve Your Home Renovation appeared first on Good to Be Home.

\n", "content_text": "The post 10 Tips to Improve Your Home Renovation appeared first on Good to Be Home.", "date_published": "2023-05-11T17:33:29+00:00", "date_modified": "2023-06-05T13:14:46+00:00", "author": { "name": "Alexa Bricker", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/author/abricker/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/52db277747be4f42866852e0bcc32f3359ce211be9099d2ced7dc4b6311cbfd3?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Contractor", "Home Advice", "Home Building", "Home Improvement", "Renovation" ], "summary": "Ten tips to avoid costly errors with your home contractor." }, { "id": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/7-tips-for-hiring-a-professional-home-contractor/", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/home/home-improvement/7-tips-for-hiring-a-professional-home-contractor/", "title": "7 Tips for Hiring a Professional Home Contractor", "content_html": "

The post 7 Tips for Hiring a Professional Home Contractor appeared first on Good to Be Home.

\n", "content_text": "The post 7 Tips for Hiring a Professional Home Contractor appeared first on Good to Be Home.", "date_published": "2022-11-07T15:49:48+00:00", "date_modified": "2022-12-08T17:16:45+00:00", "author": { "name": "", "url": "https://goodtobehomemag.com/author/", "avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/?s=512&d=mm&r=g" }, "tags": [ "Contractor", "Home Building", "Home Improvement", "Home Maintenance", "Home Tips", "Home Upgrade", "Finances", "Household Management" ], "summary": "How to choose a reliable professional home contractor." } ] }