At Airy Kitchens, we put in the extra effort to make sure our projects make people happy. Here are some secrets we use to keep our contractors on time and smiling:

1) Call or text a day or two before your start date.

A friendly reminder never hurt, right? Reminding your contractor of the start date lets them know that the schedule is important to you and that you will be following up on it.

2) Discuss home protection before they start.

Will the contractor be covering the floors, furniture, or shrubbery around your home or do you need to? Do you need to move furniture or art before they arrive? If the job site is planned and organized, the job will run faster and damage will be avoided.

3) Leave out cleaning supplies and talk to the crew.

It doesn't matter who is supposed to supply what. Leave out some paper towel, windex, and garbage bags. Meet the crew on the first day and let them know what bathroom to use and that they can use your supplies to clean up after themselves. You just might come home to a clean house.

4) Thank you!

Contractors do hard work in tough conditions. Offer water, lemonade or coffee. Treat the crew well and they will want to show up to work every day. If the contractor and his crew are doing a good job, let them know and thank them. You will be surprised how much they appreciate these gestures.

5) Pay on time, but not early.

Your contractor has shown up on time and worked hard for you. Now it's your turn to get it right. Have payment ready before due dates arrive. Be fair when considering contract commitments, but don't be too fast to pay. Make sure the work is on track and keep asking for calendar updates. It's okay to withhold funds if work is incomplete.

6) Offer to post reviews online.

Tell your contractor at the beginning of the job that you would like to leave a review. After the work is complete, ask if there are sites they would like you to post on. A good recommendation means a lot to a contractor and might keep them on schedule too.