Choosing the right contractor is one of the most critical factors in completing a successful rehab. Your contractor controls so many factors: cost, time and value-added things like their expertise with layout, design, recommendations, and finding better ways of achieving your end goal while reducing cost. Your contractor is like your quarterback – he must execute your game plan effectively.
Here are some tips for finding a good contractor:
- Require that the contractor provide evidence of having performed work on similar projects and scopes of work.
- Require copies of all local business licensing being required and evidence of their meeting state contracting license requirements.
- Ask if they have any letters of references for past projects available.
- Require evidence detailing their insurance capabilities for general liability.
- What percentage of the work do they normally perform themselves?
- List all suppliers with which they currently have trade credit with and the amounts available to them.
- List subcontractors with which they have had working relationships for the past five years (minimum).
- List bonding companies that they have worked with before or that they are currently registered with or under bond with.
- Have a percentage detail provided of the types of construction they have primarily been involved with over the past 5 year. Commercial, Residential, Institutional, Religious …
- Ask to be provided with the names of two subcontractors that can be contacted for reference purposes.
- Request to see a sample of a project schedule that they had developed in the past
Home Depot has awesome contractors they recommend! Plus you can get construction loans with Home Depot to pay the contractors with. |
