As project train wrecks go, this is a doozy.

Nathan Paul, a subcontractor in Lincoln, Nebraska specializing in roofing, remodeling, and new home construction, watched in disbelief as a local homebuilder and subcontractor locked horns over a $100,000+ project dispute.

“On one job I witnessed a subcontractor who piled up a lot of work, well over $100,000 in billables. The sub ended up having to walk away from it,” the owner and operator of NP Contracting recalls, shaking his head. “It damaged both their reputations.”

It’s an all-too familiar story in the homebuilding trades. Business relationships damaged, friendships torn, opportunities missed, and hard-won reputations blasted over a difficult client. After observing his fair share of SNAFUs over the last 13 years, Paul has developed a few ideas on how to avoid costly showdowns:

  1. Deal with It on Job #2. Paul counts himself fortunate he has faced so few “situations.” However, when they do occur, Paul takes a long-term view. “Initially, you just deal with it and move on,” says Paul. “If you choose to work with the builder again, that’s when you take steps upfront to avoid conflicts.”
  2. An Ounce of Communication. “More often than not, it’s just a lack of communication or unclear communication that causes things to go south. Almost without fail, the situation could have been avoided,” the contractor states.
  3. Written Agreements = Long Friendships. “When I was starting out, someone told me written agreements make for long friendships. That’s something that has stayed with me over the years. Even with close friends, the written agreement takes away the gray area and prevents misunderstandings,” says Paul.
  4. No-No to Dominos. Paul is a stickler for details. “You let one thing slide and it’s like a domino effect. One thing leads to another and before you realize it, you’re in so deep that it’s hard to get out without causing major damage,” he says.
  5. What’s the Buzz? “With most builders, their reputation precedes them. What do other contractors say? In most cases, you’ll get wind of something. Take precautions before entering into a relationship,” Paul advises.
  6. Breakthrough Communication Solution. Have you heard of Contractor WorkZone? It’s a safe bet you will, if you haven’t. “A few of the builders I work with use it,” reports Paul. Those builders requested Paul to install the mobile app on his smartphone.

Contractor WorkZone is a customizable project management app that allows the builder to quickly keep team members informed and on-task. For example, one homebuilder uses it to “… clarify the order of operations between contractors,” according to Paul. Everyone is on the same page, no surprises. “I make a brief entry before handoff to the next sub,” Paul says.

In a hurry-up world where crucial steps can be misunderstood, forgotten, or fumbled, the likelihood of builder-contractor collisions nearly seems inevitable. Observe these six steps to keep your projects running as stress-free as possible. To learn how the Contractor WorkZone app can help work wonders on your next project, visit https://contractorworkzone.com/.