When your success relies on just how rapidly you can get your space prepared, it’s crucial to have the right commercial general contractor looking out for your interests. The challenge is in the fact that not all commercial general contractors have the necessary skills, business experience and track record they say they have – and that can lead to putting your project behind schedule, over budget and making you live from that point on with flaws or compromises in how good the space looks or how well it functions for you.
Whether you own a café, shop or a suite of professional offices, you want to ensure you select the correct commercial general contractor. Here are a couple of ideas for getting it right!
1. Be certain the contractor’s experience is commercial. General contractors with residential experience can offer a valuable sense of style to retail and office renovation – so long as they can also show you a solid history of commercial remodeling projects. You certainly don’t want to pay for a residential builder or remodel to practice all it takes to be a commercial general contractor. Furthermore, you want to make sure the contractor has expertise handling the scale of the project that you have Gardiner Building Contractors.
2. Ask to see the certificate of insurance. Most commercial general contractors will be prepared to show you proof of general liability insurance policy, however a general business policy doesn’t always go far enough and may not cover the contractor for liability affecting your property. And what about insurance for the contractor’s personnel – and for the vehicles they drive? The bottom line is that if there are any accidents, you don’t want to find that you or your company can be held responsible. That’s why you should only hire a commercial general contractor who will show you a certificate of insurance for sufficient commercial coverage from policies that include: workers compensation, vehicle insurance, general liability and builder’s risk.
3. Look into your contractor’s financial footing. You don’t want to risk picking a contractor who vanishes before finishing your job. One other increasingly widespread problem on commercial projects is that financially unstable contractors use up-front payments for new jobs to satisfy fees on the last project, leaving them with virtually no funds to provide material or labor for the new job. That could leave you having to start all over again with some other commercial general contractor. And so, don’t be scared about asking for references – including a bank reference who can provide you with some assurance of the company’s financial well being. This is common business practice and a good contractor should have no trouble giving you this reference.
4. Ask to see the contractor’s licenses. Don’t be satisfied with a list. Anyone can say they have a commercial general contractor license – you want to see the real thing. It’s also a good idea to check with your county or city government to make certain your contractor has all the appropriate licensing and that all those licenses are current.
Your choice in builders, whether they’re independent or commercial, is probably the most important decision you’ll make when constructing or remodelling your home or office. Working with the right people can be the difference between a job which comes in on time and budget, as opposed to a job which tests both your wallet and your patience. Whether you decide to go with a big multi-national company or an independent one from down the road, the information in this article should help you make the right decision.
What should I look for when choosing a builder?
In any field, good companies build a strong word-of-mouth reputation. This is especially true amongst the construction industry.
Make sure that you read testimonials where possible and ask to speak to former clients.
Ask former clients if their final costs matched their initial quote.
Find out about the ease of the process from the customer’s point of view. A good builder will make a project easy and often fun. A client’s happiness and overall should always be a builder’s number one priority with any project or job he is undertaking.
Ask former clients whether their projects were completed on time. If a customer reports delays, find out whether the problem could’ve been avoided by the builder or not. Delays are too expected, but they shouldn’t ever be down to the builder.
Ask former clients about the quality of the work completed. Attention to detail and a superior level of craftsmanship are critical in these areas. You want to make sure the aesthetics of all work completed are up to your standards.
A builder’s experience in your type of project should be a high factor when deciding who to choose. Try and find out how long the firm has been in business. What sort of projects they typically take on? How many of these projects can they complete in the average year?
How should I go about finding the right builder for me?
There are many different ways you can go about choosing a builder. I would recommend that you start by asking a friend for recommendations. Perhaps they’ve recently had some work done. Even if their choice was a bad one, it’ll help you know who to avoid.
You could also try and look at houses or buildings that you find appealing. Perhaps try and do some research on the particular building and find out which company built it, or had a part of its construction New Home Builder Nelson..
The Internet is going to be one of your best bets in terms of vast opportunities. There are several firms that have got themselves on the Internet and each one is going to try and sell you their service. I would recommend that you do some research on the ones you like, perhaps do a comparison for the budget and time scale. The best business will also be able to answer any questions that you might have about their work Builders Nelson.
