If you have a big project in mind, perhaps a project that involves construction and concrete, may we suggest that you take your time to do a little bit of research on how to find a reliable contractor? If you don’t know where to start – don’t worry. We do. And also, to make sure we really understand what we’re talking about, we’ve consulted with Dallas Nugent Canada, a man who definitely knows more than a thing or two about construction. By working together, we’ve come up with this mini guide to help you realize just exactly what you should look for in a commercial concrete contractor.
Experience
First and foremost, when you’re dealing with a commercial project, you are probably dealing with a project that is neither expensive nor easy to complete. Therefore, you are going to need a contractor with more than just ambition and goodwill. You’re going to need someone that has done the same job numerous times before. You’re going to need someone with experience.
Now, we are not saying that an inexperienced commercial concrete contractor couldn’t get the job done because they could. However, in order to protect your interests and to make sure everything goes smoothly, you’re going to want someone that knows how to handle road bumps and setbacks because they’ve already dealt with them before. That’s what experience brings to the table.
Reputation
Just because someone is experienced does not necessarily mean that they’re good, too. Nor does it work the other way around. That is why you should look for more than just an experienced contractor, as suggested by sure-bid.com. Another factor to consider is the reputation of the contractor or the company you’re about to hire.
Reputation precedes every company or a person, and more often than not, that reputation is well-earned. Whether we’re talking about someone with a stellar reputation or about someone on the other side of the spectrum, chances are, what you’re hearing is true. Therefore, try and look for a reputable contractor that you know that you can count on.
References
References kind of go hand-in-hand with reputation and experience because you’ll rarely hear of someone with excellent references if they haven’t worked for a long time or if they haven’t established an esteemed reputation for themselves.
When looking for a contractor for your new project, you’ll want to make sure the contractor you end up hiring comes with excellent references. This should not only instil confidence and peace of mind, but you will also be able to check out some of their previous work based on those same references. That way, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into.
Licence And Certification
If you’re trying to build a shed in your backyard, you can probably manage with a few tools and a helping hand from a neighbour. But when we’re talking about big scope projects – you can’t have anything short of a professional service. You see, the last thing you’d want is for someone to scam you or get you into legal and financial trouble.
Because of it, you always have to consider licences and certification when hiring a commercial concrete contractor. Not only are these required for you to begin with your project, but they will also prove that the person you’re doing the business with is legit, legal and serious about their craft.
If they can’t or don’t want to provide you with proof of licencing and certification, the only thing for you to do is to walk out and look for another firm. Don’t do business with contractors without proper licences and certificates.
Equipment
Another thing you have to take into consideration is just how much and what kind of equipment is the contracting company working with. For a large scale project, you’re going to need a lot of heavy machinery and all other sorts of equipment, and since it is not up to you to worry about or provide any of that, you’re going to want to find a contractor that will be able to provide you with both.
Whether they have their own equipment or they rent it out is also something you should consider. Namely, renting the equipment could mean higher expenses, but it could also mean that the company you’re hiring isn’t too serious about their business and would much rather rely on someone else than invest in growing their own business. In our book, that’s kind of a red flag.
Budget
You can’t begin a project such as this one without factoring in the budget. The budget will be one of the main things you will have to consider, whether you want to or not. Quite frankly, there is no such thing as money is not the issue because it is. It always is.
So, make sure you set your budget before you even go hunting for contractors. This should keep you in your lane and allow you to explore the options you can actually afford.
However, the other side of this is discussing the budget with the contractor. You always want to make sure to hire someone that is transparent about the cost and can give you a reasonably accurate estimate of the cost of the entire project. Don’t deal in ballparks or “we’ll discuss that later”. Instead, deal in facts, numbers and accurate assessments.
Insurance
Finally, the last thing you want to factor in when making a decision on whether or not to hire a commercial concrete contractor is insurance. You need to protect yourself in case something goes wrong. Therefore, you should only hire a contractor with an insurance policy that will protect you and the project from any liabilities or financial losses in case something happens. If you have to, consult with an attorney or an insurance agent about all the details regarding the insurance policy, but whatever you do – don’t go in business without it.
Conclusion
As is the case with any other project, you want to be as thorough in your research as you can be. Hopefully, we have successfully managed to point out all the focal points of research when it comes to commercial concrete contractors. Good luck.
