Good communication between you and your contractor is the best way to ensure that your project runs smoothly without any glitches. How much communication is enough? Well, in most cases you cant communicate too often. More communication is always better than less. Communication And since there is something new happening on your project more or less every day, a good rule of thumb is to check in with your contractor once per day.

Now, chances are both you and your contractor are very busy, and even with the best of intentions it is going to be difficult to follow through with meeting once per day. Well, thanks to modern technology there is no need for a physical meeting, and daily communication couldn't be made any easier. If daily meetings in person are just not possible, don' t let that stop you from checking in regularly. Use your phone or email instead. Why do you need to have a meeting every day? Well, it all is going smoothly you'll know it and will have peace of mine. But if issues or problems arise—and they will—you'll have a better chance of nipping them in the bud.

Communication

It's a very good idea to come up with a list of questions that you would like answered in your daily update. Make your contractor aware of these questions, so that he knows what to expect. Ask the same questions every day, and your updates, if all is going well, shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Some questions you want to ask might include:

• What did you work on today?

• Are you still on schedule and on budget?

• Did any problems, issues, or concerns arise today regarding the project?

• What are you working on tomorrow?

• Is there anything you need from me today to keep this project running smoothly on time and on budget?

Remember, communication works both ways. If you are having any issues—say you don't like some aspect of the way the project is going—it is important that you bring this up to your contractor as soon as possible. Communication Your contractor may be building you your dream house, but that doesn't mean he can read minds!