If you are planning to accomplish a project or maintenance in the future, you need to choose the right General Contractor depending on what you are looking for before hiring them. First of all, you have to be clear about your requirements and desired work. Secondly, the Contractor should be professional, budget-friendly, able to complete the work within time & the construction standards. You can end up with an unpleasant result and poor work if you do not hire the right Contractor. If you want to experience a smooth & successful project
Here are some steps you can follow before hiring your General Contractor:
- BIDING: First of all, you should obtain estimates or bids from 2 to 3 different contractors for your project or maintenance. Meet them in person and walk them through the area where you are looking to get the work done. Tell them about your recommendation and what are your expectations. If the Contractor is knowledgeable & experienced he will listen to you patiently and also advise you regarding the work. Discuss the budget and ask for an estimate. Once you receive the estimates or bids, compare them and then choose accordingly.
- SPECIALIZATION: Second and most important factor is that you must consider the specialization of the Contractor before hiring him for the project. If the contractor has good prior experience related to your work then it’s really good and beneficial. Ask as many questions as you want to, get involved in the procedures they explain for the work they will be doing, and also ask them to provide you with a previous project picture similar to yours and a reference. This way you have more confidence in whether to go with the Contractor or not.
- AVAILABILITY: Check the availability of the Contractor before hiring them for a project. If a contractor is in high demand & very busy, there will be chances that he charges you more than other contractors. It’s true if he is busy and you need to wait for him if you want your project or maintenance work to go smoothly and perfectly. But, you can consider the other contractor who is available as soon as possible depending upon your requirements. It can also save you some money.
- LICENSED & INSURED: After you follow the above steps, this step is very important to follow. Make sure that you are hiring a fully licensed & insured contractor. It prevents and avoids scams for homeowners. For example, if the contractor is not insured and one of his workers got injured at the work site, you may be liable. So, always keep in mind to ensure that the contractor provides you with the required license & insurance document before hiring them.
- ONLINE RESEARCH: You can also search for Contractor reviews, project pictures, and references to hire him. Online research actually provides so much information to you make a decision. So, be sure to do some research.