When you’ve made the important decision to hire a general contractor for your next residential construction project or home remodel, you may be wondering what the next steps are to ensure you have the right contractor for you and your project. A good fit is helpful for the success of your project because you and your contractor will work closely together to realize your vision. Fortunately, finding the best local general contractor is a straightforward process and just takes time, research, and clear communication. Do your research
Before you get to your short list of top candidates for the general contractor position, you will need a robust list. There are several great resources for generating a list of quality contractors in your area, and one of the first is the easiest: your family, friends, and neighbors. Chances are someone in your social network has completed a residential construction project or home remodel in recent years and they can give your insight into their experience with their contractor. If they have good things to say, add them to the list. Next, you can reach out to other professionals in the field, such as building inspectors or even your local lumberyard. Not only will these folks know local contractors, they will also be able to point out the contractors who consistently provide work that is up to code or who buy good materials and have an amicable relationship with their suppliers, all important characteristics for your upcoming project. Set times for interviews Though it may seem like overkill, it is okay to conduct two rounds of interviews. This is, after all, a job interview and many employers in other sectors conduct an initial and final stage of interviews for job candidates. Your first round will consist of phone interviews with your longer list of recommended contractors. In these calls, get an idea of their experience with projects like yours, their availability, and previous clients or suppliers who would act as references. Once you have interviewed all your candidates, you can narrow your list to your top 3-5 candidates and follow up on their references, then schedule a face-to-face meeting, ideally with some time spent in the proposed construction or remodel space. This is a great opportunity to share your vision for the project, get their input and estimates, and see if you have compatible communication styles. Final steps Lastly, it is time to ask for bids from the general contractors you’ve selected. In these bids, the typical breakdown of costs includes materials, labor, profit margins, and other expenses. Expect that the contractor’s portion of the total bill should be 15% to 20%. This breakdown will ideally help create an apples to apples comparison among the contractors, and you can now compare their price, quality of general contractor home remodeling projects and references, and your impression of what the experience of partnering with them on your project will feel like. Serving the Bay Area since 1983, Mares & Dow Construction are home remodeling experts that also offer experienced general contracting services. Contact us today to discuss your next home remodel project. Comments are closed.
|
Archives
October 2021
Categories
All
|