What to Look for in a Good quality Contractor

If you are planning on a new build, renovation project, or adding square footage to your home, it's important to hire not only a good general contractor that provides quality workmanship, but also one that you connect with. Most people request bids from several contractors, but ultimately selects the one with the lowest bid. However, hiring a contractor who provides the lowest price may end up costing you even more in the long run than if you hired a quality contractor who may have a higher bid in the first place.

Mistakes made by an inexperienced or low quality contractor are very costly and can increase your investment significantly past the higher price of another contractor.  That's why it's so important to interview several contractors to see who is the right fit for you. Ask them as many question as you can, research them online, request client references, and look at the projects they have worked on - either through photos of their work or an onsite visit to a current project.  Here are 6 things you should you look for in a quality general contractor.

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1.Good Management Skills

Managing a renovation or remodeling project is a full-time job. It requires an experienced general contractor who can take on every project responsibility from beginning to end. The right general contractor will ensure that the work moves along continuously by scheduling and coordinating their employees and subcontractors workload, keeping everyone involved on the project in the loop every step of the way. A good quality general contractor will not only manage their employees or subcontractors well and treat them with respect, but also work well with the architect and interior designer to ensure things go smoothly and according to schedule with minimal disturbances.

2. Licensed and Insured

Good general contractors are licensed. They have taken the time to understand building codes and pass the exam to obtain their contractor’s license. Good contractors have experience interacting with the city and state, pulling necessary permits to get the job done right the first time. They always make sure that everything is done according to the code in the state that they are licensed in. A good general contractor comes equipped with worker’s compensation and liability insurance to provide themselves with protection while offering you peace of mind. You can verify a contractor’s license number on the Contractors State License Board website and check if it is in active status.

3. Reputation and Connections

A good quality general contractor not only has a great reputation with experience and knowledge, but also strong relationships with other professionals in the industry to help you find the resources you need for your project from architects to interior designers, landscape architects, and more. A general contractor will do all of the work they are licensed and trained to do as well as provide and manage subcontractors to complete the job.  General contractors are also knowledgeable about where to source materials as well.  However, most general contractors do not purchase finished materials on behalf of the customers. They typically only purchase construction materials (also called rough materials) such as lumber, sheetrock, thinset mortar, etc...  Most interior designers purchase finished materials such as tiles, cabinetry, lights, countertops, furniture, accessories, and more for clients with a purchasing fee. Unless you are experienced in construction - or specifically have in-depth knowledge of the type of project you are working on, make sure you hire a good general contractor to ensure the job gets done right in a timely manner. A good general contractor is customer-focused and always has your best interest in mind.

4. Communication

An experienced quality contractor has good communication skills and is transparent with everyone involved on the project. They make sure that everyone has up-to-date information and keeps everyone from the architect to the interior designer in the loop. It's easy to miss information if only the contractor communicates to his/her employees and subcontractors when the bathroom tiling is going to start or when the plumber will be onsite, without informing the interior designer or the architect. Things can get out of control and miscommunication and misunderstandings happen.  It's crucial and key that a good contractor communicates information properly so that everyone is on the same page and there are no surprises.

5. Clean Jobsite

One big sign of whether or not a contractor cares about their work and the safety of not only their employees and subcontractors, but anyone who walks through the site is if they keep the job site clean. Many subcontractors leave a mess with garbage and clutter accumulating over time and unused tools lying around the job site. It’s a safety hazard. A good quality contractor will treat your home as if it’s their own. They will make sure that the site is clean at the end of each day, with their employees and subcontractors sweeping daily at the end of the day, handling materials stored onsite with caution, protecting floors, walls, and surfaces, and disposing of trash consistently. I recommend visiting one of the general contractor’s current projects to see how the job site is maintained. A clean site is a safe site.

6. Don’t Let Price Control the Decision

The biggest mistake people make when hiring a general contractor is allowing money to have too much influence and control over their decisions. Having a budget for a design project is important. However, when it comes to construction, keep in mind that cheaper is not always better, hence, the phrase "You get what you pay for". I’ve heard many horror stories of homeowners who accepted the lowest bid from a contractor who worked with their budget, even if their budget may not have been realistic. The contractor ended up cutting corners and doing poor-quality work. The homeowners had to spend even more money to fix the problem which put them significantly over budget. If the homeowners didn’t let price influence and control their decision and chose a quality contractor with a higher bid in the first place, they would have avoided not only the stress of having to deal with a bad contractor but also the additional money out of pocket that could easily exceed the original bid of another contractor who came in at a higher price.

As with most home renovation projects, there will always be something that comes up out of the blue that you aren't prepared for which will increase your budget. You may have to replace all plumbing pipes because it's not up to code or the ceiling is sagging and you need to correct it. Perhaps there is mold behind the drywall that you now have to account for. I recommend including a 15%-20% contingency in your budget for unforeseen factors that may arise during construction.

You can always opt for more affordable materials or a mix of high-end and low-end pieces, but you don't want to cut corners and select the lowest bid when it comes to construction work. Trying to save money could end up costing you even more in the long term due to poor quality workmanship by the contractor. If a contractor didn’t handle permits and codes properly, or a tile setter did a poor job tiling the shower walls and bathroom floors, or if they didn't waterproof correctly, then it can be a very costly mistake to fix leading to additional money out of your pocket. Be sure to interview the general contractor, request client references, and view their projects onsite as well as see their portfolio of past work before you hire them. Make sure they are licensed, reputable, and a good fit for you. Most of all, a good contractor should have your best interest in mind. A quality general contractor is serving you and not their profit margin.