subject: Find Good & Dependable General Contractors [print this page] Hiring a general contractor can be the best and smart choice as he/she is responsible to search and hire all the subcontractors required for the construction project. Usually they are the main person responsible to look after the whole construction site and construction project. They are in-charge of all the communications among various parties that are in the construction project such as vendors, traders, architects, etc. Hiring a bad, dishonest or incompetent person can result in home building / remodeling horrors. To avoid such horrors, hiring a general contractor is necessary. However, finding a good and dependable general contractor can be a challenging task.
Seeking for a good and dependable general contractor requires careful consideration, especially when you are entrusting a large and expensive project to them. Larger the project, the more responsibility they will be entrusted and with more responsibility, they will charge high prices for their services. If you are paying high prices to such person for their services, then thorough inspection is essential.
To find a good and dependable contractor, seek out and create a list of 8-10 general contractors that are available in your area. It is a big list, but you are entrusting a big responsibility as well as paying high amount of money to them. After compiling the list, follow some basic procedures that are mentioned below:
1.Shortlist some of them that has previously undertook several projects in your area. This will eliminate the chances of fly by contractors.
2.Check for the contractors license by enquiring with your local licensing board. Furthermore, see if the license belongs to the particular state. For example, general contractor in Virginia must have license from DPOR and if in Carolina then it must be from NCLBGC. Interstate license wont work.
3.With the help of internet and Google, check for any complaints about that persons name. There are also some organizations like Better Business Bureau that can give you the review about the contractor. Always hire a contractor with clean name.
4.Check testimonies section on the contractors website. This will give you the opinion of the other people who had previously employed that particular person.
5.If possible, seek and ask local subcontractors like plumbers, electricians, remodelers, roofers, etc. about the experience they had with the particular general contractor.
6.Contact the contractor directly and ask them for references and experience that they had previously. Speak to the reference to know the nature and competency of the contractor.
