We’re in the early stages of renovating Merrimore, our dream lake house, and we’re prepping for a fall renovation with our go-to team contractor and our interior designer!! (Doing a double take? I’ve shared the full story here.)
The last big project we undertook was our primary bathroom in our Modern Colonial home, which we finished up a year ago.
Like every project, it had some minor snafus. Sometimes it’s something that I ordered and rethink later. Sometimes it’s something that the contractor heard but didn’t interpret the same way I had.
We returned home from the beach to find that the bathroom tile work was finishing up. Upon inspection, I noticed the sealant looked quite patchy with an uneven sheen, and there were chips along the edges of the tiles I hadn’t seen before. I took some photos and mentioned it to Chris. Then, it was time to text our contractor with photos: “Hey Micah, this isn’t looking quite as I imagined. Are the chips on the edges of the tile intentional? I can’t recall if these were tumbled tiles. There’s also a rather noticeable crack in one of the tiles, and the sealant the team applied appears uneven.”
He responded quickly, “Yeah, that doesn’t look right. Let me get back to you on next steps.” Within a day, he had followed up that the sealant was only the first coat and would even out. Regarding the chipped appearance of the tile edges, he clarified that this tile is a tumbled stone, and that once it’s grouted, this wouldn’t be as noticeable if we go with a darker grout. I realize now that I didn’t fully register that detail. To ensure our satisfaction, he’s having them grout a corner in Chris’s closet as a test. The cracked tile will be replaced. And I’m getting live updates via photos now!
The Tile That Started It All: Creating Our Moody Modern Traditional Bathroom
I always emphasize the importance of continuous communication throughout every stage of a project. There should never be a big reveal of issues at the end. It’s equally important to communicate positive feedback. We consistently let our contractor know when things look great, so when a problem does arise, it doesn’t become a major conflict because they also know about the successes. We’ll say things like, “Wow, this is so exciting, it looks fantastic!” or “Isn’t this supposed to have an arched detail?”
Turning a Window into a New Exterior Door for the Mudroom
The often-underappreciated benefit of hiring a contractor is that you’re not directly dealing with each individual trade. It simplifies communication considerably. It’s generally much easier to discuss concerns with the main contractor. They’re the buffer and usually not defensive.
Our contractor recommended this particular tile installer, so we’re essentially hiring someone they trust. If something goes wrong, the contractor is invested in ensuring it’s corrected. They recommended these individuals, and they are “their guys” in a sense. One of the subcontractors accidentally drove over some of our shrubs. Our contractor immediately said, “Please send me the landscaping bill for that.” Those kinds of details matter.
Demo on the backyard at the Modern Colonial home
It’s crucial to cultivate a good relationship with your contractor. A positive relationship doesn’t mean everything will always be perfect; rather, it signifies that you can work collaboratively to achieve the best possible outcome. This is why we truly value working with Kennon Construction—once you have a contractor you love, you’ll have a long-term relationship, hopefully.
If you need help in this realm, I wrote a post about how to find a contractor!
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