Working with a contractor
after the job begins
When you’re finally on the go, you need to work with your contractor as
effectively as possible. Now is not the time to express doubt about her abili-
ties. Now’s the time to follow the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would
have them do unto you:
✓ Let her know that you think this is a two-way street. Of course she has
responsibilities, but so do you. When she knows that you understand
this, she’ll be more enthusiastic.
✓ Always be completely square and decisive. You may not want to express
disappointment about how a job is turning out, but you had better if
that’s what you’re feeling. Let your contractor know that that’s what
you expect of her as well. In my experience, playing word games always
leads to problems.
✓ Communicate routinely. Every morning, before work starts, go over the
project. Ask about problems. Ask about the schedule and the budget.
Ask, “What do you need from me?” Even if it’s only for a few minutes,
establishing the routine is worth the effort.
✓ Be friendly no matter what. Don’t get emotional. Problems happen; be
cool when they do, and your contractor will be more honest with you
about everything.
✓ Offer cold drinks. Make a cooler available. Go the extra mile.
✓ Don’t forget the need for a restroom. Make it nice and easy to get to, and
keep it clean.
✓ Establish some ground rules that both of you must follow. When is it
okay to communicate? When shouldn’t you call? Who needs to keep
what clean? Should workers be allowed to use radios or remove their
shirts when it’s hot? Can they hose themselves down to cool off? Ask
them whether they have any ground rules they would like you to followContracting
When you sign the papers, let your contractor know that you’re very happy
to have him doing your job. Tell them that the process was competitive, but
that they outshone all the rest (in some circles this is called “sucking up,” but
we don’t use that kind of language in a For Dummies book). Begin working with
your contractor well before your contractor begins work on your project.
When contracting, get everything in writing. And throughout the entire proj-
ect, clearly tell the contractors that everything will be in writing. Any deci-
sions made or changes made will be in writing only. E-mail is okay, but print
out e-mails and keep them in a file folder. I repeat: Get everything in writing.
Get everything in writing, all the time, always. It’s not that people are to be dis-
trusted, but verbal communication is like that children’s game “Telephone,” in
which the message gets garbled each time it’s spoken. Writing forces clearer
articulation.
In addition to a lot of verbiage and conditions that are generally boilerplate, a
contract should include the following:
✓ Prices, preferably broken down into line items (but don’t insist)
✓ A schedule of verifiable events that the two of you can easily establish
and approve
✓ Cash flow (when payments are due, how much they are, and so on)
Be aware that contracts must be legal. In other words, neither you nor the
contractor can agree to do something that’s illegal. Also, a contract cannot
violate standard business practices, so something in the contract may simply
be unenforceable by the courts.
Never pay a contractor until the work is finished. The best bet is not to make
any payments at all until the entire job is finished. You may need to make
progress payments, but these need to be very well specified. For example, you
may pay 20 percent of the contract amount once the system design and site
survey is finished. You pay another 20 percent when the panels are installed.
Another 20 percent comes when the system is connected to the inverter, and
the final payment comes when the final inspection is approved. In most states,
it’s illegal for a contractor to precharge for work, aside from a modest down-
payment to get the contract initiated. Go to Chapter 16 for more details on
working with a contractor