Pre-Construction Meetings: Getting Things in Order Before the Build

In construction, as in so many areas of life, there’s nothing worse than an unmet expectation. Clear communication and planning keep this from happening during our residential construction projects. Before beginning any project, we convene for a pre-construction meeting to review every aspect of the renovation or custom build. This meeting sets the stage for a successful project by talking about your expectations and ours. Together with our project management team and the homeowner, we draft an agreement that clearly outlines our plan, timelines, and responsibilities, so that our working understanding is crystal clear. 

The Pre-Construction Meeting

The pre-construction meeting is an opportunity to meet the key players on your construction team. Listed below are some of the items we cover during this meeting but the most important aspect of this meeting is the time allowed for us to answer your questions and cover any concerns you may have. We want to make sure you understand every aspect of your project and feel comfortable about moving forward together.

Oxland's priorities are that your project runs smoothly, is completed on schedule, and stays within budget. This is how we achieve stunning results. The pre-construction meeting highlights the specifics of your project to avoid confusion or misunderstandings, and to ensure your expectations are met. It involves a series of commitments, both on our end and yours. Be sure to make a list of the questions you want to ask your builder at your pre-construction meeting and ensure each item is answered before you wrap things up.

Here’s a brief breakdown of each topic we discuss. When you sit down with us, you’ll recognize many of these topics from the pre-construction contract we use.

Client/Contractor Communication

First, we talk about communication, the bedrock of any project. We identify your main points of contact and ensure we're available to answer any of your questions and/or concerns during regular working hours. As a general rule of thumb, a company representative can be reached from 7 am to 6 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 7 am to 5 pm on Fridays. Voicemails are usually answered within 1-2 hours, if not sooner. 

Timeline and Starting Times

We'll provide you with a timeline for your project so you know what to expect and when. If you're building a custom home, you'll know when the foundation will be poured and the timeline for drywall. If you're undergoing a remodel, you'll know how long you'll be displaced from your current routines in the rooms under renovation.

You also need to know when to expect work to start and end every day. Our typical workday starts at 7:30 and is over by 4:00. That allows us to be on-site early enough to answer any questions before you need to leave for the day and before you come home.

Access to the House

If your project involves an interior renovation, our team will obviously need to have access to your home during construction. In the contract, we talk about our lockbox policy. We’ll install one on your premises, and for your safety and privacy, only authorized company representatives will have access to lock box codes. We'll also discuss exterior access if we need to arrange strategic use of your driveway or get permission from a neighbor to access your home from their side.

Material Storage

We’ll go over project logistics like material storage. We respect your home and want to work together to keep it as tidy as possible while we work. We’ll need a suitable, dry storage area for construction materials, like a garage bay. We will also discuss where we can stack materials and equipment outside and how we will do that.

Homeowner’s Property

The homeowner is responsible for moving or clearing all items out of the work area unless otherwise agreed upon by the homeowner and lead carpenter. If you need us to move something, we'll capture that in the contract. We're happy to help with bulky items, but we need to prepare.

Voice/Data

Our employees carry their own personal cell phones and can reach our office quickly in the event of an emergency. If you have any questions about the construction, look for one of our project managers. They have access to all pertinent job information in our cloud-based project management software, and can quickly pull up the details for you.

Food and Drinks

It's important to set expectations about food and drink on your work site. We won’t be able to accept coffee, food, etc. while working on your project. While appreciated, our team prefers to focus on the work at hand. We also have a strict company policy prohibiting the consumption of alcohol during work hours. It’s important for homeowners to know they could jeopardize an employee’s job by offering them alcohol. 

Neighborhood Letter

We care about our reputation in your neighborhood. With your permission, we will send a pre-construction mailing to local neighbors to introduce our company and inform them of our presence in the neighborhood. Our customers’ names and addresses are never disclosed in these mailings.

Payment Schedule

During the meeting, we spend some time reviewing the payment schedule. Payments are based on the start of each phase in the project. We provide a project calendar to help homeowners determine when each payment is due, and our office manager reaches out prior to the release of each payment.

Project Change Orders

We discuss the process and policy regarding change orders at our meeting. Sometimes, homeowners want to make changes to the scope of their project after it has started. While we do everything possible to accommodate these requests, change orders that happen after work has begun to take time to process. They can also have a significant impact on the overall project cost and completion time.

When requested, a change order document will be issued detailing the exact cost and estimated time to be added to the expected completion date. All change orders must be signed by customers and paid in full before materials are ordered or additional work is initiated.

Other Elements of the Pre-Construction Meeting Include:

• The placement of yard signs

• Designated toilet facilities

• Our no-smoking policy for employees

• Areas that require dust protection

• Special instructions concerning children and pets

• A final approval of the scope of work

Ready to Book Your Interior Renovation Over the Winter?

Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us! Oxland Builders takes pride in the work we do for our clients. We prefer to leave nothing to chance on our quest to make each project a masterpiece, from planning to completion. 

Experience your New Hampshire, Massachusetts, or Maine Seacoast renovation differently, and contact Oxland Builders!