So your commercial property is in need of a few repairs? Or perhaps you need to completely renovate your entire building? Whatever your construction need is, unless you are a contractor yourself, you will need an experienced professional working on the project. But how can you be certain that you have found the right contractor for the job? In this post, we will introduce you to the top four most important questions to ask a general construction contractor before hiring them.
- What Kind of Construction Work do You Specialize in? If you have a commercial renovation that needs to be done, it wouldn’t make any sense to hire a contractor who only works on houses. Before hiring any general construction contractor, ask them what the bulk of their work has been. If they can provide you with a portfolio of their specialized work and show you examples of previous commercial properties that they have worked on, it is a good indication that you have found a construction contractor who knows how to handle your commercial construction needs.
- Can You Provide me With a List of References? When it comes to finding a general construction contractor that you know you can trust, there is no better sign than excellent word-of-mouth. If others love the work that contractor has done for them, chances are that you will too. In addition to doing your own research on the contractor such as reading their reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook, you will want to directly ask them for a list of references. If they seem hesitant to provide you with this information, it is a red flag. But if they can provide you with past and current clients for you to speak to, you can rest assured that you have found the right construction contractor.
- Are You Going to Itemize my Bill? It is one thing to ask for a quote on the construction project before hiring a contractor (and you should definitely get a quote before hiring), but you will also want to ask for an itemized list of your bill. Unfortunately, some contractors are all too comfortable with throwing in vague, unnecessary costs into your bill and charging you more. Make sure that you and the contractor agree to an itemized bill that lists everything you are paying for so there is no confusion.
- Who Will Be The Onsite Manager? Will the person you are speaking to about the project be the same person who is the onsite manager? You want to know who will be the person in charge on the job in order to have a direct contact person. And if the person who is onsite is not the person you can directly and immediately contact, you will want to find out who that contact person is. If the contractor can’t give you transparent information about how you can stay in contact with them on the job, it is a good sign that you need to look elsewhere. The best construction contractor prioritizes effective, clear communication and customer service. Should something arise or you need to speak to a person in charge immediately, the head manager should be readily available for you. For even more peace of mind, get this information in writing before hiring the contractor.
Looking for more advice on picking the right general construction contractor? Don’t hesitate to contact us today with any questions you may have or check out our website for more information. We are happy to discuss your commercial construction project and provide you with more information on our team and what we can do for you.