Tuesday, 4 December 2012

Tips and tricks to pick a right construction contractor


Choosing a right construction contractor is one of the most important facets of building a house. Hence, consider the following tips meticulously when choosing a right construction contractor.

Ask for referrals: Ask your industrial friends and peers if they know any construction contractor, the services of which they have recently used. Surf on the internet and go through the phone book as well to find a list of construction contractors in your area.

Collect recommendations: Read the reviews of the clients on the websites of the contractors to get an idea of their past experience. If possible, contact these clients directly to get an in-depth insight of the contractors.

Quotes and estimates: Call these contractors and collect terms and estimates. Review the estimates closely and evaluate them to determine the best deal. Do not choose the contractor that offers you the highest quote. Remember that the highest estimate does not guarantee excellent services. A good contractor should always provide you with proper justification for the charges they offer.

Meet in person: Before you zeroing in upon a contractor, it is advisable to meet him in person. If possible, show him the site of your house project. Seeing the site will help the contractor planning a perfect layout of your house. This will also enable him to quote you a more accurate estimate.

Check the background: Check the background of the company to ensure that there is no major consumer complaint filed against him. To check the credibility, you can also visit the local office of the contractor in your area.

Qualifications and/or certifications: Make sure that the contractor you choose has good experience in this field. He should be well qualified and should hold all the certifications required to become a contractor. Remember that a knowledgeable contractor can always help you build your dream house with ultimate commitment, skills and/or expertise.

Tools and equipments: Ensure that the contractor is well-equipped and possess all the modern tools and equipments recently used in construction. Find out whether the contractor has latest forms of pipebending machines, updated mechanically powered hammers, like jack hammer, steam hammers, and trip hammer, modern drilling machines for drilling holes and many more. If possible, ask the contractor to show you the tools that they will be using in construction. Ensure that these and equipments are clean and well-maintained.

Check the legalities: Apart from just checking the track records, you must also check for the valid licenses and work permits. Also, ensure that the contractor you choose is insured. If possible, ask for a copy of insurance policy from the contractor. However, if the contractor is reluctant to talk about the insurance policy, look for another one.

Read the contractor: Make sure that you get all the terms and conditions in writing. Read the contract carefully and make sure that it contains all the important points like estimates, terms and conditions, and start and end date of the project. If you do not understand any of the points included, contact the contractors immediately.




Author Bio:

David Petersen is a renowned author, who has written many articles on building construction tips, tips to choose a construction contractor, tools used in construction, viz. Internal pneumaticline up clamps, roller cradles and many others.