3 Things to Consider When Choosing a Contractor

If you own a home in Canada, it goes without saying that you understand  how much of your hard earned money goes into your investment. Whenever you decide to upgrade your home with a project, keep up with maintenance requirements, or you have a vision to create a living space customized to your needs, choosing a contractor or project manager is inevitably going to be one of the most important decisions you make in that process. Here are 3 things to look for when deciding on a contractor before you search “Construction companies near me” on Google.

1. Limited but Punctual Availability. 

Look for a contractor who can’t immediately come to your home right away to see you. This might sound counter intuitive, but when a contractor is really good, it will show itself in that they are busy with clients at the time you call or email. Don’t be discouraged when they set up an onsite consultation in a few days to a week in advance, they are most likely operating their business and taking care of their clients. The second part of this, however, is their punctuality. Is there a wait time, but they initially  responded to you within 24 hours to set the date? Do they contact you the day before the scheduled meeting or site visit? Do they show up early or on time? It is important to have both of these characteristics, as they compliment each other.

2. Detailed Contracts.

As the source of finance and the end user of the project, your level of risk mitigation will be almost entirely built into whatever (if any)  contract you sign. Contractual agreements will be the fortifying strength behind your position if ever there were to be a discrepancy in communication, or output. Look for a contract with the following contents: 

• Detailed “scope of work” to be completed, along with deadlines or “critical path” of the project.

• Very clear payment schedule and contract type. “Lump Sum or Fixed Price, Guaranteed Maximum Price, Cost Plus, Cost Reimbursable” are all types of construction contracts with different payment methods, and levels of risk. Another Blog is on the way describing these types and their advantages/disadvantages!

• Designated area for potential “Change Orders”. Sometimes in construction you run into unwanted roadblocks on your journey to your finished product. Or, you could have a change of heart about design. Understanding what might go wrong, and more importantly understanding costs associated with problems that could arise, should be talked about and incorporated into your contract.

3. Professionalism. 

It may be very simple to see amazing pictures of past projects, a clean good looking website, a million Google reviews praising a contractor’s work, to assume they are a great fit for you. While these factors play key roles in your choice, make sure to pay attention to the subtleties you may miss. Is an expired promotion still up on the website? Do they respond to negative Google reviews respectfully? Is he/she dressed well when you meet? Brand new businesses may not have the most expensive fancy work truck, but is it clean and well-organized? Are they punctual, returning phone calls promptly and reaching out to talk about the stages of your project? A lot can be spoken from a contractor’s actions, if you know what to look for.

We appreciate you taking the time to read this quick blog, and we here at Monolith Custom Construction Inc hope you found it helpful. If you would like some more information, or have a vision for your home, feel free to reach out and contact us!