In every successful business, creating and drafting a contract is essential for ease of understanding for both the client and the customer. Contracts are drafted to create an agreement between the business partners to ensure that there is no confusion in the business terms clearly stated in the contract. However, even in the drywall contracting business, the essence and importance of a drywall contract cannot be ignored in the successful running of the business.
An essential factor that should be prioritized in every drywall business is ensuring that there is a clear understanding in terms of the contract between the business owner and the contractor. This is to enable a smooth and seamless business transaction between both parties involved. However, drafting a drywall contract can be complicated and quite confusing, which is why most drywall contractors would prefer to opt-in for verbal agreements instead, which could pose a potential risk in the case of disagreements between the client and the contractor.
In this article, we’ll delve into understanding the reasons why contractors should integrate a drywall contract into their businesses.
Contents
What is a Drywall Contract?
A drywall contract is a form of agreement between the client and the drywall contractor that clearly and comprehensively states the terms of the contract, project, or building. The drywall contract is a very important document in the sales process of a drywall contractor because it helps to clearly define the terms of the business contract.
The drywall contract is very important because it serves as proof of agreement on the payment terms of the business contract and can therefore be used as a reference in legal proceedings in the case of a dispute during the completion of the project.
Before commencing any work, it is crucial for both parties involved to agree on the terms of the project even before work is commenced. This is so that in the case of a default in an agreement, the contract can be used as a point of reference to detect the truth and fish out which party breached the agreement based on the data on the contract.
Depending on the level of complexity of the project, the drywall contract could be simple and less complicated. However, if the contract is large or complex and requires several moving parts, then the contract might also become equally complex to ensure everything is on track.
The issue of proper management and recording of proper data in the construction industry to avoid losses has been one of the most lingering issues in the construction industry. A recent report showed that for a contractor receiving about $1 billion in revenue, his losses could be as high as $165 million due to poor recording and failure into provider data. As a way of avoiding such losses, there is drywall contractor software that helps contractors properly track and record data about ongoing projects.
Types of Drywall Contract
Since drafting or setting up a drywall contract is one of the most important aspects of the drywall contracting job, contracts are taken note of in different forms. Although some forms of contract can be more beneficial and secure than others, the most predominant forms of drywall contracts include
- Written contract
- Non-written contract.
Written contracts are a form of contract where the details of the business agreements are written out on paper for both parties. Written contracts usually contain important details such as the type of project, the materials and pieces of equipment used, the agreed risk by both parties, the time assigned for the completion of the project, etc.
In truth, written contracts are the most reliable and secure forms of contract in the drywall business because they provide safety and surety in the records of the agreement on the project. Since the agreements are written out on paper and signed by both parties involved, there is no way to deny the content of the contract or make changes.
Non written contract
Most drywall contracts are developed merely based on spoken words, with no paper evidence to back them up. Since the process involved in creating a drywall contract can be quite complicated and confusing, contractors prefer to only have oral agreements. Creating a drywall contract is considered complex because there are a lot of moving parts involved, such as tracking materials, cost of materials and shipment fees, cost of labor, additional costs, etc.
However, as much as drafting out a drywall contract on paper can be tedious work to do, it doesn’t dispute the fact that oral contracts are way too much of a risk. Nonwritten contracts pose a risk because the parties involved may forget some of the terms agreed upon during the agreement meeting. This led to a long and tiring process of arguments and contemplation without proof or a reference to fall back on since there were no written records of the contract.
Also, in a case where the dispute is taken to the court of law, there might still not be any changes or solutions since there are no records of the agreement. Sometimes the defaulting party genuinely forgets and unknowingly breaches the terms of the contract since it was not written and remembering can be quite a challenge. However, there are still some dishonest clients who intentionally breach the terms of the contract, and no legal action can be taken against them because there is no proof of the agreement.
Reasons Why You Should Use a Comprehensive Drywall Contract
It helps the business look professional
The drywall business, as with most construction work, is characterized by being messy and somewhat disorganized in terms of planning and organization. This is because construction work can be dirty and requires lots of processes to be completed. However, preparing a drywall contract before the start of the project helps to ensure that the contractor presents a professional look in delivering his services.
Setting up a contract for the client to view and approve can help the drywall contractor stand out and project a professional brand image to the potential client.
It eases the sales process involved in the business
A drywall contract clearly outlines the terms of agreement for a drywall project before the work is commenced. Therefore, the total cost that would be required to get the job completed would be indicated on the document so that the client is aware of the amount needed to complete the project. In this case, once it is time for payment, there are no hassles or confusion in getting the payment done.
It serves as documentation in the case of legal issues
In every business, there are some cases when disputes could arise that could lead to further legal issues. These disputes could be a result of a breach of an agreement or a delay in making payments, etc. However, in the scenario where the disputes lead to the point where legal intervention is required, the drywall contract serves as a document to further settle the dispute.
In a case where there was no written drywall contract, getting to the root cause of the dispute to detect the defaulters from those telling the truth could then become an issue. But since there is a document that serves as a point of reference, the contractor could have more confidence in the case of a legal issue.
It helps to ensure that there is a mutual agreement and understanding between the client and the contractor
Having a clear understanding between the contractor and the client is the first step in ensuring that the project runs smoothly. The drywall contract contains a detailed description of the terms of the project and therefore ensures that there is an understanding between both parties.
If the client is not aware of the terms of the project or it is not clearly stated using a drywall contract, it could lead to disagreements or unintentional defaulting of the contract. This could also lead to more disputes that could be avoided if both parties had a copy of the drywall contract clearly stating the terms of the agreement.
It helps the client to know when payment is to be expected
As part of the drywall contract, the terms of payment are also clearly listed so that the client is aware of the expected payment period. Depending on the terms defined in the contract, some contractors require payment once the project is completed or at least 30 days after. This payment period varies and is dependent on the terms agreed upon with the contractor.
What Should be included in a Drywall Contract
A drywall contract should be very comprehensive and detailed to ensure that there is no room for confusion between the contractor and the client. Some important details ought to be included in the contract to do this. These include:
- Company’s name and address
- Project Timeline
- Guarantee
- Contractor licensing
- Insurance
- Payment information
- Signatures
Conclusion
The goal of every business owner is to engage in a peaceful and mutually beneficial business deal and ensure that the business runs smoothly as well. While no business owner or contractor wishes to get into any legal dispute with their clients, it is essential to have a comprehensive drywall contract in place so that the terms of the project are clearly stated. A comprehensive drywall contract plays a lot of important roles in the successful running and completion of a drywall contract.