Having a Pro come to work on your home can sometimes be more stressful than the home improvements themselves. After all, you’re having a stranger come in, see, and work on some of your most intimate areas. One of the things that makes a lot of people anxious is wondering how they should act around the Pros – should they be themselves? Or should they change how they act? If you’re worried that you’re going to have to put on an Academy Award-worthy appearance for the next several weeks or months, the good news is that you can relax. For the most part, being yourself around your Pro with a few potential modifications is all that’s necessary during the job.
What Changes You May Need to Make
The vast majority of the time, working with the Pro in your home will be like any other business relationship. You’ll want to be respectful, and friendly, and mostly let them get on with their work. There are a few things that you’ll need to keep in mind, however, and depending on your personality type, you may need to work a little harder at one or two of these for the duration.
Be Forthcoming
Your Pro wants to know what’s going on with the property. He’ll want to know what you want to be done, when you’ll need it done by, and what your budget is. He’ll also need to know anything odd about the space, such as swollen floorboards, or non-functioning lights. Beyond basic pleasantries, however, you don’t need to get into your life’s details; just be upfront with what you want to be done on the property and what’s going on. Keep the lines of communication open, and if you’re naturally reluctant to speak up, make the effort to do so now.
Don’t Overshare
Remember, your Pro is there to do a job. While it can be helpful to break the ice when he first arrives by making a little small talk, you’ll need to keep in mind that after a few minutes, you need to let him get on with it. Hanging over his shoulder and speaking constantly about the job, your life, his family, and anything else that may cross your mind, is only going to slow things down. So be friendly, but remember to let him get on with it if you want things done on time.
Be the Boss
This is your home, and you have to be the one living in it at the end of the day. That means that if you’re not comfortable with what the Pro is doing, you need to speak up. Likewise, if you have ideas or things you want to be included, be sure to say so. This is a working relationship, and you are technically in charge. You’ve hired someone skilled at what they do to take care of the actual work, but you are still the one paying the bills at the end of the day. If your natural tendency is to let someone else take the reins, it may be time to find out what the other side is like, and to learn to be the manager for once. This doesn’t mean channeling the boss from Office Space and asking the Pro to come in on Sunday, but it does mean keeping an eye on all areas of the project so you can stay on top of what’s going on.
Above All, Relax
Remember that most home improvements can take anywhere from days to months to complete. You may be working with this Pro for a long time, so it helps to relax and just be yourself for most of the time you spend together. You may need to shift gears from time to time, speaking up more or chatting less, but on the whole, your Pro will do a better job if you can relax around him, so he can relax around you.
And if you’re ready to get started, be sure to sign up with BEYREP. We’ll not only find you a Pro that you can feel confident in, but we’ll also find you one that matches you on personality as well so that you can relax while they’re in your home, and let them get on with their job. Sign up today to get started and start smarter with BEYREP.