Ensure that quotes from contractors accurately reflect your requests and set a maximum spend limit for hourly payments.
Too often a quote is requested via an email with the requirements specified. E.g. “Please price painting all the columns in the garage white” or “Install a new media office with bi-fold doors” and then contractor or tradesman, sends a quote, and then it is eagerly approved because the price looks good.
The contractor then does the work, but then the person realizes they didn’t paint all the columns in the carpark white, or didn’t install bi-fold doors on the media office, or whatever was specified in that email.
Sometimes a business will need to hire a contractor to do repairs or maintenance work on site. These contractors often get paid by the hour. Hourly work can creep up to a large unexpected bill!
We've all heard horror stories of tradesmen causing chaos: "I asked them to fix a tap, but after the sink broke we had to move out for 6 weeks while the carpet was dry-cleaned and new floor-boards were laid."
This problem generally occurs after you have let the supplier have a free-for-all in your house/office while you're at work: "Just let yourself in, the keys under the mat, and get the job done".