The day your work starts is a few weeks away, now the work starts.
Contents:
Kick Off Preparation
Supervision & Inspections
Sign Offs and Close Out
Kick Off Preparation
Contact Building Control
Make sure they are aware of the works and notify them of the start date and the tradesperson’s details if they have not already got this.
Host a kick off meeting
About two weeks before kick off, meet your tradesperson/people to outline what they expect on day 1.
Align on how you will be communicating when issues arise (they WILL arise) and review the early milestones and timescales.
NOTE: if the project start has been delayed the milestone date will need updating and re-issuing as a new version.
Take minutes of the meeting in your diary, it is polite to share this with the builder.
Top Tips
Update that Diary!
This will be your record of progress, agreements, decisions, instructions and performance.
If it all goes wrong this diary is a big chunk of your evidence.
Supervision & Inspections
Weekly Inspections
Photos:
Every week, go to site and take numerous photos of each room/area, including items delivered and any rubbish to be disposed of.
Ensure the photos are clear and represent a true likeness.
Doing this creates a progress record and highlights any issues and successes.
Download and file these images in your diary/filing asap. Do it each week for ease now, and easier reference later on if needed.
Meetings:
Walk the total site with the tradesperson and make a note of any areas of concerns, discuss them immediately and update your diary of any decision or if conversations need to continue on that topic. Always follow up with the tradesperson in writing.
Keep it up! There will come a time when it feels pointless, it isn’t, it’s really valuable.
Dos & Don’ts
- DO make sure you visit, photograph and document each week. Even if they have been off site for the week.
- DO flag any issues or concerns asap, discuss them with the tradesperson and make a note of the conversation and outcomes.
- DO ALWAYS follow up in writing with the tradesperson to ensure a communication trail.
- DO NOT pretend an issue or concern will work itself out and/or raise it at the end. By then, it’s too late.
- DO communicate clearly, calmly and be open to a discussion; first seek to understand.
- DO act as a team, if you feel a conversation would come from your partner, make it so. If you feel a message would land better coming from someone else, make it so.
- DO NOT go onto social media, even anonymously, to discuss your concerns. Firstly, how happy would you be if the builder did this on you, and secondly, Facebook is full of wrong answers and really, really bad advice.
Top Tips
Progress photos:
There will come a time when you feel like it will never be over and need to look back to see how far you have come.
Keep it up! If it all hits the fan you’ll need all photos and conversation records as evidence.
Sign Offs and Close Outs
What is Snagging?
This is where you create a list of fixing final, minor issues (snags) before closing the project an getting your home back.
Typically snagging takes place in the final Inspection phase and must be completed before certification and final payment. This is where the retention fee agreed in your contract comes in to play.
The goal of snagging is to ensure the building is safe, functional, and aesthetic.
Snags can range from minor cosmetic issues to more serious structural problems. Some examples of snags include:
- Scratches on walls or doors
- Chipped tiles
- Paint splatter or uneven paintwork
- Doors that don’t close smoothly
- Misaligned fixtures
- Faulty plumbing or electrical installations
- Cracks in walls or columns
- Deteriorated concrete
- An unsealed roof
How to do Snagging
Let the tradesperson know you will be getting the snagging list to them by a specific date.
Walk the project with your trusty notebook and note down everything that catches your eye. In addition to the list on the left, consider:
- Test all the power sockets and light switches
- Test the heating, boiler and hot water.
- Flush the toilets, turn the taps on/off and check the speed of drainage and water close off. If you have had work done on the drains, lift the manhole covers and make sure the water runs evenly and without interruption of backing up.
- Check all sealant is neatly in place where it needs to be.
- Check all doors open, close and lock properly.
- Check the roof hatch/ladder is safe to use and the insulation installed well
- Check and note any rubbish (including in the attic, sheds, cupboards, cellar etc)
- Check all flooring is fixed down properly, no clicking floorboards, cracked/loose tiles etc.
- If cleaning is included in the scope, check this too.
Produce a list for the tradesperson to review and together agree dates to complete the work.
Top Tip
Snagging is not the time to raise a big issue that should have been raised in a weekly inspection (ie: the kitchen plan shows a gas cooker but no gas outlet has been installed)
The tradespeople will want to move onto their next job so will want the snagging completed asap so they can get their final payment and move on.
Write the list once only. Be thorough the first time ‘round so a complete list can be provided and worked through.
Sign Offs
Legally required
Make sure these are required by the relevant, qualified expert (ie: electrician, building control), that certificates are handed over before final payment.
No legal requirement (ie: plasterer)
Sign off can be down to a chosen third party (ie: a project manager or your architect) to do this. If you are running the project yourself you will need to sign off the non-legal areas.
You will also need to approve the snagging list is complete.
Process payment asap, without delay and without fail.
Congratulations – you did it!
Top Tips
Some tradespeople will not release the certificate without final payment.
This is typically because they have encountered Rogue Customers and built this into their processes.
Or they are Building Control, who also operate on a payment first process.
There are times you will have to trust.
Congratulations! You made it, you have closed out your project.
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