3 Guidelines to Helping You Find the Right General Contractor
There are many aspects to consider when choosing the right contractor for your project. Choosing a construction company solely on one or two criteria might not be the best move. Consider these three guidelines while you are looking for the right general contractor
Project Budget
Obviously your budget is a huge consideration when deciding to undergo a project. This effects scope of work, it can effect time frame, and more. It should never effect quality of work. To this point, the lowest bidding contractor isn’t always the best option. While doing more with less can be beneficial, you must consider other aspects. It may be the the lowest bidder is the best option, but don’t shy away from asking questions, the more, the better. How realistic is it to complete this scope of work in this given time frame with this budget? What level of priority do we have over other current or potential projects that you’re working on? What exactly does this budget buy? What types of inspections are conducted? Are the materials used ideal or are there other options? Asking these questions and others can help to give you a feel of not just what your budget can get, but what your general contractor can accomplish with that budget. Making an informed, confident decision with your budget and contractor is a very important aspect.
Contractor’s Procedures
What are the standard procedures of the construction contractors for a given project? Just as no two fingerprints are identical, no two construction projects are the same. That means potential unforeseen issues. Since there is always a level of unpredictability, it’s important for the contractor to have set procedures in place that are thorough enough to reduce the chances of something going wrong, because unforeseen problems can be time consuming, costly and make an unexpected bite out of your project budget. A general contractor that is meticulous about doing inspections beforehand without being told is one that has experience, expertise and one that takes your priorities and budget seriously. A highly organized contractor that has procedures in place and communicates clearly about the process is a great candidate.
Contractor’s Track Record
This is another obvious must when it comes to choosing your contractor. A contractor’s track record involves several elements. How long they have been in business is just one consideration. Length of business doesn’t necessarily convey that they are good. The quality of their work really should be the most important aspect. The types of projects they have completed in the past, what types of delays occurred and how they handled them, and the quality of their workmanship reflected in their finished products. Reviews can be an indicator, but if there are not enough reviews it could be misleading. The best way to get a feel for the track record is by looking at any published prior projects online, studying photographs of their work and asking the potential contractors detailed questions of similar projects to the one you’d like them to work on.
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