What To Learn From Love It Or List It's Unhappy Clients

Home reno shows are so popular because it's fun to follow the process of transforming a home and seeing how happy everyone is with the final product. From the client, who now has a brand new home, to the contractor, who is proud of their work. Sadly, things don't always end on a happy note, and sometimes clients finish the process feeling unsatisfied. That was the case with one client who sued the producers of "Love it or List It," claiming their funds weren't used properly and the renovation did a lot of damage to their home, (via ABC News). Something to take away from this story is that communication and record-keeping are crucial in any renovation project.

Good communication from the start can help when any issues arise as the project goes on. It can help you have mature, productive, solution-oriented conversations about how to fix problems and move forward. Even if issues arise long after the project is done, a good foundation of proper communication can be crucial in resolving things. When communicating, both sides should be honest, clear, and actively listening so they can understand the other's point of view.

One thing we can learn from "Love it or List It's" unhappy clients is that good communication is important. It's hard to achieve anything with poor communication, especially when multiple people and parties are involved, which is why everyone should get on the same page right from the beginning. The homeowner and client should talk about what they want to see and the contractor should explain what they can and will provide. All the information discussed about wants, needs, desires, and capabilities can then go into a contract and renovation plan. Something that can go into this is the order you want to structure your renovation. Documents detailing the budget and timeline are also important records to have.

This should be done early on so the documents will act as everyone's reference and reduce the chance of confusion or miscommunication down the line. In this case with "Love it or List It's" disgruntled clients, they claimed the finished house didn't match the plan. So, if you ever find yourself in a similar situation, having records of everything will go a long way in settling the dispute. Even if things change, the changes should be documented as well. For instance, materials can take longer to be delivered than you might have estimated or you might encounter some unexpected renovation costs, so amend the plan or contract. It also helps to keep notes during in-person meetings, as well phone and video calls. If agreed upon, you could even audio-record these meetings to ensure accuracy of the records.