What things should you look for before hiring a contractor to build your home or business?

Your home and/or business are part of who you are as a person. You want these important buildings to be done carefully and correctly. And you want them to reflect well on you.

That’s why you need the best of the best when you’re working on finding the perfect contractor for your home or business.

The first thing you should look for is a price estimate. You have a budget, and you need a contractor who can adhere to it. You don’t want any surprises, so you have to find a contractor that understands that your limit cannot be exceeded. You also have to keep in mind that the lowest bidder may have those prices for a reason. Ask why there’s a difference between their prices and their competitors’.

Next, you should find out if they have done projects similar to yours before. If you need a dentist’s office, it helps to hire a contractor that has built dentist offices before. Try to get a list of these similar projects so you can see how familiar they are with what you need. It would be good to get a list of references so you can talk to them about how their project went.

After that, you also need to ask whether your project will require a permit or not. Even of the simplest of jobs can require a permit, so you should find that out before your project gets built.

Insurance is another necessity! Contractors should have worker’s compensation, property damage coverage, and personal liability insurances. Their insurance needs to be current, so get copies of it just to make sure. You could be held liable for any injuries they might accidentally incur while working on your project.

Find out if they intend to use subcontractors on the project, too! You’ll need to make sure those subcontractors also have current licenses and insurance coverage as well.

Make sure you get a contract for your project. It guarantees your contractor that they’ll get paid for doing the work, and it keeps them accountable for getting the work done.

Your contract should include…

• Your contractor’s contact information
• Their license number
• Subcontractor information
• Warranty information
• Insurance information
• The start date
• The completion date
• The payment schedule
• Permit obligations
• Order-change procedures
• A detailed list of materials necessary (and costs and who will choose them)
• A list of what the contractor will and won’t do
• Any promises made during conversations you’ve had with the contractor.

Document everything thoroughly! Any contract changes, any order changes, any communication records you can manage, and a record of all payments. Doing this will keep both sides of the contract honest.

Don’t work with people who make you uncomfortable or expect you to do their job for them (getting permits, etc.). If you think anything sounds too good to be true, do your research. If they pressure you? Then politely decline. You can contact our office at (407) 365-9553 to talk to one of our no pressure specialist about your vision for home or business needs.