Substantial Completion
‘Substantial’ Completion
The definition of ‘Substantial’ according to Dictionary.com reads
- of ample or considerable amount, quantity, size etc.
The definition of ‘Completion’ according to Dictionary.com reads
- the act of completing or 2. the state of being completed
Sometimes on any given construction project there arises absolutely unforeseen and unknown issues that will cause changes to the planned time frame for completion. When this happens every single customer down the schedule is impacted. It is a domino effect and changes the scheduling for all projects on the schedule. It is extremely inconvenient for everyone. Not only is it inconvenient for us, it is also very expensive to us as there is an overhead cost in coming off a job and having to re-dispatch an entire crew to go finish a job that has gone over schedule.
Now, please don’t mistake this as some kind of complaint. Rather, out of mutual respect for everyone involved and their time and expectation, we should all carry a mind of reasonableness and understanding.
We WANT to complete every project and we WANT every customer to absolutely love their fence or deck when it is completed. But, it is a construction project.
Sometimes, for example, a fence project will be “Substantially Completed” except for some post caps, or some fascia pieces that didn’t look right when they came out of the materials bundle. The customer and CFC Fences and Decks want that fence to look as good as it can be.
We will be back to satisfactorily complete the entire job because we want/need to be paid in full. We are in business and in a business that does not carry large profit margins but does carry large overhead and stock.
Once that fence is completed to a point that it serves the intended use and purpose of any fence, which, by definition constitutes substantial completion.
At that point we would like to be paid.
Our policy is very reasonable. Whatever remaining aspect of the fence needs corrected or added to be FULLY completed, we are willing to allow that balance remain outstanding until such time we have been able to return for all involved to realize FULL completion. Then we can all feel good about closing the final invoice in full.
We don’t mean this policy to cause any concern for anyone. We are AAA rated by the Better Business Bureau and mean to keep that rating. We have been in business 25 years and meant to stay in business another 25 years.
A project like this takes cooperation on all parts. And sometimes a lot of patience too.
