However courteous these tradespeople are, you stand to loose some privacy and freedom of movement in your own home. What you gain is the dust, noise and strangers. The key is to meet with the contractor before them project starts to hammer out the details of the life together under one roof. This preconstruction meeting is a way of meshing your expectations with those of your contractors, and a chance for you to set the house rules, C t said. If your contractor doesn't suggest such a meeting, then you should.
Communication is the first step.
A written contract is the second. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry urges homeowners and contractors to put everything about the project on paper. Every time an agreement is made you should have a written confirmation. This means a contract at the beginning and written change orders, work directives or confirming letters when the scope of the projects is altered in any way. These items should be signed by the homeowner and an officer of the contractor's corporation or the person with whom the agreement is reached should sign these items.