You take a lot of risk when you decide to work with a client. Yes, at the time you signed the contract they seemed reasonable, but then once the project is underway you may hear “This is not the way I thought it would be.”
Getting an accurate read on how a client might be to work with before sign a contract with them is hard to do. However, particularly for large projects, it is essential you do so.
You’ll find out what it’s like to work with them sooner or later. It might be during the selection process. It most certainly will be when construction is underway and they can begin to see what it is they are paying for.
Sometimes the client is not pleased at that point. Many times, they are. How do you reduce your chances of working with people who cannot be pleased?
Kyle Lissack, a contractor I know, works a lot with architects. Like a client, an architect can make or break the project for the contractor. When vetting an architect, Kyle takes them on a walk through an active jobsite that his company, Pinemar, is working on.
Why an active site instead of a beautiful completed project?
You can learn a lot by watching a potential partner—architect or client—and observing what they pay attention to and the comments they make about what they see.
The person might be unreasonably picky. It could be that they don’t have a clue about what they see. Or, they might have a reasonable approach regarding the reality of trying to take what is on a plan and build it.
All that information helps a contractor decide if the potential partner is a good fit for the way the contractor does business.
If your company does complicated projects that take many months to build, whether or not you are a design-build company or one that works with architects, try taking your potential clients on a walk through an active site.
By doing so, you will be able to take their measure before you agree to work with someone who will make your life miserable. Remember, you have a choice if they don’t measure up. It’s better to decide before you sign the contract.