How To Choose The Best General Contractors: 10 Important Things To Consider
Are you planning to remodel or renovate your home? Does your home improvement project need many service providers like painters, electricians, plumbers, and countertop and cabinet professionals? If so, then you may want to hire general contractors.
A general contractor is actually a manager and a tradesman as well that is employed by clients. General contractors, on the other hand, are responsible for the entire management of a project.
First, they will evaluate certain documents about the project including the proposal, tender documents, and biddings. For home renovations, a general contractor will need to visit the site. This is necessary so that he/she will understand the project better. Based on the delivery method of the project, a general contractor submits a fixed-cost proposal, an estimate, or a bid. Oftentimes, this type of contractor considers the rate of the materials, equipment, the general condition of the home, and the price of labor, in order to give the homeowner an idea of how much he/she needs to spend.
On the other hand, a general contractor will provide all the necessary labor, equipment, material, and other services for the building of the project. Often, they also hire subcontractors to do if not all, a part of the building work. It’s worth noting that when the contractor uses a subcontractor, he/she is accountable for the quality of the job performed.
Now that you have obtained enough information about a general contractor, do you think you need one? If so, then you will surely find this article helpful.
We have compiled a list of things that must be taken into consideration when looking for a general contractor.
Let’s get started.
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Things to Consider When Looking for General Contractors
- Your Needs
Since you are the owner of the property, you’re the one who is responsible for instructing the whole process. Before you hire a general contractor take your time thinking about your primary goals for your home improvement project. For example, what amenities you want to add, what your property may look like, and among others.
However, if you’re having a hard time translating your goals to certain products and features, consider seeking help from design-build firms. Do this before you talk to general contractors.
- Permits
Nowadays, the vast majority of home improvement projects need a proper permit before the construction starts. If the general contractor you’re considering can’t give you the right permit, don’t think twice and look for another one. In case you didn’t know, this will not only violate the local ordinances but may subject you to penalties.
Unpermitted works, on the other hand, can cause a lot of problems if you have decided to sell your property in the forthcoming.
Further, general contractors should present proof of liability insurance as well as the employee compensation details. This is very important so that you will understand better what is covered in the insurance and not in the process.
You should also get a lien release of suppliers and subcontractors and copies of all the receipts to protect yourself if the contractor doesn’t pay.
- Experience
This is perhaps the most important factor that you need to consider when looking for a general contractor.
Experience is the key to determining the professionalism of a contractor in handling the job. Some general contractors have obtained their experience through academics while others have built their capabilities from hands-on experiences.
When hiring a general contractor, ask about their credentials and education. You should also ask how long they have been working in this industry.
After choosing one, take the time to check the projects they have done before, for example, you can ask for the contractor’s portfolio. By looking at it, you can easily judge the general contractor’s suitability. But make sure to check that he has performed a job similar to yours.
- Ethics
When searching for a general contractor don’t underestimate ethics. Always remember that all professionals will put the interests of their clients as a top priority. As a matter of fact, hiring an unethical general contractor is more costly compared to hiring an honest one.
Additionally, you need to be careful about low prices. Typically, unethical general contractors will hit homeowners with a hidden cost that wasn’t mentioned in their original estimate.
- Turnaround time
Another factor that you need to take into consideration when hiring is the usual turnaround time of the worker. Is the company you’re considering have enough team members to keep a project in a timely manner or on track? If yes, then it could be the right one for you.
Whether you admit it or not, you want to move into your new property as soon as possible. That said, having an idea of how long the construction will take can help you in making your next move.
- Cost
Cost is another crucial factor to consider when looking for a general contractor. Keep in mind that, such contractors tend to charge different prices based on their pricing policies. That being said, we highly recommend that you ask for quotes from many general contractors. After that compare the quotations to see which one will fit your budget.
Once you have selected a contractor, you need to get the price broken down. This will help you in understanding each price item you’ve been charged.
By the way, make sure to avoid contractors who supplement themselves by giving a price that is too expensive. You should also avoid those who collect fees that are way too cheap. When hiring a general contractor or other home service providers the quality of work and affordability needs to be considered.
- Location of the general contractor
Aside from the pricing, another thing worthy of deliberation is the contractor’s location you want to hire.
If the schedule of the work obliges your general contractor to be at your place every day, we suggest that you hire a local professional. In fact, doing this has a lot of benefits. For example, your expenses for transport have been cut down. This will also reduce the overall price of the project. Not only that, with a local general contractor you are certain that he will arrive on the site on the time, thus, the project will also be surely done in the specified time.
But make sure that the contractor has sufficient data on the local suppliers’ system so that they will have an idea where they can get durable materials at cheaper prices.
- Online reputation of the general contractor
By doing a simple Google search you obtain a lot of information about the online reputation of a certain general contractor.
You can also search for review websites and afterward, assess whether the contractor received more positive comments or more negative feedback. What’s more, you can check the local Better Business Bureau and the customer protection agency of your state. This is to find out if the general contractor has an extensive list of grumbles filed against him.
- Warranty
When it comes to your protection a property homeowner, warranty always comes in handy. That said, you need to look for a general contractor to provide them.
As you search, ask the general contractor if it covers manufacturing flaws and workmanship mistakes along with the factors that may void them.
Keep in mind that, having enough understanding of the protection you possess will help you in preventing unexpected costs.
- Good Communication Skills
As we all know, effective and good communication prevents any unwanted surprises and disputes. Thus, we recommend that you go to a general contractor who is capable of clarifying all your queries. Most importantly, one who will give regular updates.
A good and reliable general contractor will keep you updated on the project’s progress and coordinate with you to make sure the success of the project.
By taking the above-mentioned things into consideration you are one step closer to the best and most reliable general contractor that can help you in building the home you are dreaming of. Finding the right contractor doesn’t have to be difficult.
Local Services Helpline: The Best Place To Hire General Contractor
If you don’t have enough time to check and compare all the general contractors, the best thing that you can do is visit Local Services Helpline.
They’ll connect you to a lot of contractors who already served a lot of homeowners in Canada and the USA.
The general contractors that Local Services Helpline recommends have a good reputation. As a matter of fact, they are all equipped with all the necessary knowledge and skills in repairing and building properties.
To learn more about Local Services Helpline as well as the general contractors they recommend, visit LocalServicesHelpline.com today.