4 Tips To Manage Your Renovation Team Effectively

Hi guys, it’s Naomi Findlay! And today I’d like to dig a little deeper into the actual renovating side of things.

Namely, your muscle power.

You’re already a research guru. You have your target market down pat, and know exactly what you’re knocking down, adding, upgrading and polishing. And, to top it all off, you have your timeline for these things etched in stone – within reason, of course.

So, have you figured out who’s doing what? Is your favourite plumber available on the dates that you have jotted down in your timeline? How about the electrician, is he okay to come at the same time? And do you know what time they’re all coming? Has the carpenter given you an updated quote that reflects the cost of those shiny cabinets?  And what if they start getting in each other’s way on site?

It can all get pretty overwhelming on site if you aren’t prepared to juggle all of these things at once. But before you run away, tell yourself this: you’ve already done the prep work.

A big part of your renovation and the profits you will make relies on your B-Team.

Remember I talked about pulling together your favourite tradies? These are the guys on your front line, the ones who will make your renovation goals come to life. If you need a refresher, take a look at my earlier post on the four types of tradies to have in your reno team.

Because so much is banking on this awesome group of hand-picked pros, it is so important for you to be there to oversee and make sure that everything and everyone meshes well. At the end of the day, it’s a team effort, not a one-man-band performance.

Think of it like a soccer game. You have your midfielders, your goalie, the defence and your star striker. This is an A-League match and all the players are top notch. But this isn’t a game of tennis, and you need your whole team working together to win the game. And how do you do that? By having a coach – you – guide them and their game tactics.

YOU are the soccer coach of your renovation team. YOU are one who will be there, on the sidelines, making sure that everything is streamlined until the end.

Even if you have a licensed builder as part of your B-Team, you still need to be there to overlook the work and approve any changes that may come along.

There are a few pointers I want to mention to help you manage your awesome team effectively.

1. Communication is key.

This first point is also one of the biggest and most important skills to have when managing your B-Team.

I’ve said this a million time, but I’ll say it again: your communicating skills will mean a world of difference when it comes to renovating for profit.

If your tradies don’t know what you want, how are they going to work that makes you happy? And it’s not as simple as passing over some plans and diagrams and then folding your legs up for the day.

Sure, detailed plans will definitely help tradies see what you want to achieve. But taking it further and talking, explaining and then checking to see if they really get you is what communicating is all about. It’s about connecting on a deeper level, a layer deeper than what a piece of paper with some markings give.

And keep in mind the sort of communicating you do might be different for each tradie. And I’m not talking about the type of tradie, either. Your plumber is obviously interested in the piping work, and your electrician in the wiring stuff.

But, what kind of communication to they prefer as individuals?

Think of it as a classroom. You are the teacher, trying to teach your class the difference between a tortoise and a turtle. It can be hard to get everyone on the same page if you are just using one method of communication.

Some kids in the class will respond well to pictures – they want to see what you are talking about. Others just like to listen to what you’re saying, and those pictures might even distract them. And some are just not okay until they have seen the real thing to really know what you’re on about.

Like you, your tradies are unique human beings.

Now, I’m not saying you are going to be or should be schooling your B-Team. They have been handpicked by you because they are professionals in their respective trades. What I am saying is that you need to cater the way you communicate to each of them. Some of them may prefer verbal explanations, others will want to see and feel the materials.

So, always remember to cater your communication to each person on your team. Otherwise you might end up with a tortoise rather than a turtle. And although they may look similar, only one of them can swim.

2. Trust them to do their job.

Communicating your goals and ideas, and then reminding your tradies of those goals along the way is good practice. There’s no harm in giving helpful reminders so that you aren’t left disappointed once the dust has settled.

But there’s a big difference between putting up little checklists on walls and breathing down your tradies’ necks while they’re trying to install cabinets.

You need to make sure you give your tradies their personal space. And not just literally, but from the oversight side of things. Nobody likes to be micromanaged, and YOU picked these tradies because you trust their judgement and skill in delivering a great renovation.

So, always show them that trust by giving them breathing space and only check in to see where you’re at in terms of your timeline, not as a way to put pressure on them. Otherwise you might find you start falling behind schedule. And that wasted time will eat into your profits.

3. Be flexible with speed humps.

The other important part of managing your B-Team is to keep on top of the schedule and be flexible with any speed humps along the way.

Tradies aren’t weather gods, and sometimes a torrential downpour for a week will mean that renovation work will come to a standstill. This isn’t anyone’s fault, and it’s definitely beyond the tradie or you or anyone else.

If your project is running ahead of schedule and you ask the plumber to show up a week early, he might be able to juggle some of his other work around, and that’s great. But other times he just may not be able to fit it in, because his calendar is already booked up for the next 4 months.

Always keep in mind that your tradies have lives and other projects that they are working on apart from yours. Their life doesn’t revolve around your renovation project, and although a good tradie will give you as much time as is necessary to complete your work on schedule, it’s not always possible.

4. Pay up on time.

Last, but certainly not least: make sure pay day comes on time.

Nobody likes to be kept waiting. Especially not a tradie who has done the hard work and is relying on your pay cheque for the next round of materials. A tradie paid on time is a happy one, so always pay their invoices as soon as possible.

Paying on time will not only help make sure that your renovations will be completed on time, but it will also mean that tradies will be more willing to work for you now as well as the next time you have another renovation project.

Remember, your tradies are your bloodline when it comes to renovating for profit. Keep them happy and they will keep you happy.

These are just a couple of tips when it comes to managing your tradies when renovating. There’s plenty more where that came from in my Rapid Renovation Formula – so, what are you waiting for? Let’s get renovating!