Strategic Planning |
Home Improvement Construction Project Planning
The first task before hiring a contractor for home remodeling is laying out the details on what exactly you want done. This will ultimately save you time and money, as you will be able to choose the perfect contractor for your construction job, and get the job done correctly the first time. Personally, I have always found that writing out every detail initially will help you think of the task more clearly in your mind. This will also aid in your description of the job to the contractor, and will allow for a better estimate of time and cost, which are coincidentally the two most important things to consumers. Sketches can also prove useful. You do not have to be an artist to amply describe your wants and needs via drawings. Just grab a ruler and a pencil, and draw out the area you want to do work on. If you have a scanner or copy machine, make a few copies of this so you can further draw on this base, and if you entirely mess up, just start over. Often times, I like to use different colors of ink for the construction procedures that I want accomplished. I use red for things I want removed, and green for things I want added. Blue ink I reserve for notes and arrows, of which there are sure plenty. When drawing up your plans, make sure to include every thought you have, even if it seems unimportant at the moment. Remember, the ultimate goal here is complete communication between you and the contractor you're hiring. Put all of your thoughts on paper, and let your contractor decide what is and what is not important to your construction work. If you provide too much information, then you have succeeded. One pitfall that home owners often make is that of assumption. The thought process goes something like this: "The contractor has probably done this type of work dozens of times, I'm sure he knows what I want." While this might be true 90% of the time, you do not want to be in the 10% of construction projects that go wrong. This can cost you thousands of dollars, and you will be right where you started, or worse. Just follow the following steps to a successful construction project, and you will be totally satisfied with your contractor's work. 1. Decide the type of work you want done. Set a goal for this, and always keep the goal in mind. 2. Carefully plan out on paper how you wish to obtain this goal. Be sure to include every thought whether or not it seems necessary at the moment. 3. Start shopping for contractors. Explain every detail to them so they might provide an accurate estimate of time and cost. 4. Find at least two qualified contractors who can do the job within your budget and time frame. 5. Upon arrival, reconfirm your expectations of the project. Follow these steps and it is almost certain you will be satisfied with your home construction project. John is a general home improvement contractor who works with ServiceMagic, a construction job site with over 31,000 service professionals listed.
MORE RESOURCES: |
RELATED ARTICLES
Business Plan: The Simplest Business Plan Ever If you're a solo professional like I am, you know how tough it is to find any time at all to do any business planning. Doing a full business plan is a must if you're planning to seek financing or investors, but most solo professionals don't need anything that complicated. Laying It Out On Paper You might be thinking to yourself, "Why should I waste my time writing a business plan? I know what (web designers, freelance writers, professional organizers) do!" Knowing intellectually what your industry is all about and pinpointing exactly where you want your business to go are two entirely different propositions.Something happens when you empty vague ideas out of your head and SOLIDIFY them on paper. Nine Succession Planning Mistakes Small Businesses Should Avoid 1. Attempt Succession Planning Without Other Strategic Plans. Business Planning and the "Bozo" Factor "Bozo" - A clown with a forlorn look, always finding negative implications in every activity or event. A person who tries to find a way to prevent you from moving ahead, giving excuses such as "we've always done it this way, or this is not our culture" when presented a new opportunity or challenge. Connecting Your Offline Business to Your Online Business These may sound like no brainers, but you'd be surprised. No matter how high-tech your business has become, there is no doubt you still have some non-electronic aspects of your company. How to Achieve E-commerce Success -You Gotta Plan! Before becoming a netpreneaur, I was an entrepreneur. First, I owned a successful child care center which grew to capacity in less than two years. Call in the SWOT Team: Produce More Opportunities to Expand Your Business Have you ever done a SWOT analysis? No, it's not some dangerous military maneuver. It's actually a fun and incredibly helpful business development exercise that will give your company focused direction and great marketing ideas -- whether your business is brand new or has been around for years. Bounced Checks in Your Business Location Outlets The new check cashing instant clearing will take some time to get use to. If checks clear immediately and deposits take a few days then franchise outlets may find more bounced checks in their establishment. The Power of Strategic Thinking: Creating Meaningful Success Too much goal setting and strategic planning can leave you feeling like you're working against the forces of nature; too little and you end up where you never intended to be-with a life or business that is bigger, smaller, or different than what you genuinely desire. Though getting you and your organization where you most want them to be at any given time can be hard work it can also be exhilarating. Documenting the Exit Strategy in Your Business Plan All investors greatly desire and are motivated by a clear picture of a company's exit strategy, or the timing and method through which they can "cash in" on their investment. This picture best comes into focus when the key valuation and liquidity drivers of the company are clearly delineated. Top Ten Reasons To Create A One Page Business Plan There is a story, about a business owner who wasn't doing very well. She had no business plan, but had heard, quite a bit, how creating one would help. Business Plan Long Term Goals Writing a business plan is not an easy endeavor, nor is predicting the future. You will need to spent adequate time in preparing your long-term goals and objectives. Breaking the Growth Barriers in the Information Technology and Software Sector There's nothing automatic about corporate growth, particularly in the information technology industry; build it and they will come is a myth. In the real world there is either a structured, process-driven growth cycle, or stagnation-and stagnation is automatic. Mining Market Data With a heightened awareness of opportunity, ideas can often be generated by market research. The National Women's Business Center (NWBC) defines market research as "a systematic, objective collection and analysis of data about your target market, competition, and/or environment with the goal being increased understanding. Seasonality: Whats the Big Deal? Do you work in or own a business that's affected by seasonal cycles? Do you live in a community whose population changes significantly during the year (e.g. Getting Started with Succession Planning: Part I GETTING STARTED WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING: PART IA survey of 4,300 small business owners by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) revealed about 37% said they plan to sell their businesses upon retirement to non-family members. Twenty-six per cent said they planned to transfer or sell their business to family members, and an equal percentage had no business transfer plans yet. Three Steps to Give Your Strategic Plan Traction We all agree Strategic Planning is a critical part of a company's success. All too often, however, strategic plans stall before they ever make it to execution - or they gradually lose momentum. Business Disaster? Wont Happen to Me As fast as you can say business disaster, your business can go up in smoke. That's what happened a while back to Castle Carpet One. Expanding your business in a franchise system If you are a successful franchise of a large franchise brand or chain, chances are you will wish to expand. The most important thing to do is make sure you are on the most positive terms with your franchisor. Your Business: Will It Have A Happy Ending? "Begin with the end in mind," says Stephen Covey in his book Seven Habits of Successful Living. Those who have created a successful business know it does not happen without planning, hard work, and a little luck. |
home | site map |
© 2013 |