Once you have finalized a plan and budget for your office or residential building, the next step is to decide on the construction contractor. The majority of construction companies today provide several allied services like drafting, architecture, consulting, etc., in addition to constructing your actual building right from scratch. However, before settling with a construction company for your project, it is imperative to evaluate the construction contractor with regards to several key parameters to determine if they are a good fit for your project. Here are a few things you need to consider before choosing a construction contractor.
1. Schedule
Just like any project or task, delays in construction projects are expected; however, any delays should be reasonable. Some examples of reasonable delays include permits (if applicable), weather, material orders (i.e., materials are not in stock, materials being shipped internationally), etc. Your construction contractor should be able to provide you with realistic start and end dates for your project. Make sure that you have this information in writing, including details of the project scope. So how would you know if your construction contract company is going to deliver its promise? Talk to their past clients. Do some research to understand how much time does it take for a contractor to typically complete a project of your magnitude. This way you will get some visibility on timelines and know what to expect.
2. Know their Work
Every construction company will have a history of past projects that they may have presented during their pitch. Get in touch with their past clients to understand their style of work. Know if they stick to timelines as closely as possible, job tasks, do their work transparently, use good quality materials and well-trained personnel as promised and expected. You can also harness the power of the internet to see if they have a good reputation pertaining to their work.
3. Transparent Communication
Remember that although you may have already agreed to a plan, construction schedules and plans are likely to be affected by some uncontrollable factors. Under such circumstances, quick decisions may have to be taken by your construction contractor to make the best out of a situation. Ideally, a construction contractor should exhibit a desire to have open communication and maintain complete transparency when it comes to job-related decisions. They should be willing and available for help at all times.
4. Quality
Contractors are required to be meticulous in their work. It is important to go through the company’s website, read their philosophy, look at their testimonials and past projects. This data is a valuable resource to gauge the quality of work that a particular contractor does and what their former clients speak about them. You can also consider visiting completed projects that are open to the general public.
5. Customer Service
With increasing competition and changing business models, today’s business has transformed into becoming customer-centric. Just like every other business, a good quality construction contractor needs to ensure that their project is managed properly and the finished product speaks about their craftsmanship and quality. Moreover, they need to be responsive to the client’s needs and demands, and deliver what has been expected on time.
Choosing the right construction contractor for your project can be tedious – TORCON Canada can help. With their team of qualified and experienced professionals, you can be sure of the best advice through their consulting team and quality work through their contractor team. Have a question? Contact them today!
