Hiring and Working with a Contractor.

Ask almost anyone who has managed a construction project and they will recount a long list of frustrating events, from permit issues to weather and delivery delays. Oftentimes, the villain of this horror story is a contractor who did shoddy work, did not complete the job, or had an attitude that made working with this individual highly unpleasant--sometimes all of the above.

Questions about missed deadlines or other problems are met with vague answers or go ignored altogether. This is bad enough when you are the homeowner and far worse when you are the property manager and caught between the negligent contractor and unhappy clients. You even may find yourself wrangling with the homeowners association and prickly neighbors complaining about noise and the backhoe sitting on the front lawn for months.

EstateSpace offers some ways you can nip problems in the bud:

Be picky in selecting a contractor. This seems a no-brainer, but often is neglected. When choosing the right individual to do the work, do not just rely on one person's recommendation, as that positive experience may have involved a smaller, simpler job or occurred when the contractor was not that busy. Be sure to check with at least a few clients who worked with the contractor on similar jobs, and ask about the quality of the work as well as the responsiveness to texts/calls, time management skills, and approach to addressing issues.

Build a relationship. Take the time to get to know your contractor early in the process, even if it is just making small talk...