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Most medium and large construction jobs are handled by a general contractor or GC. The general contractor may be called a builder, building contractor, remodeling contractor, etc. What makes him a “general” contractor is that he enters into a contract with the owner to complete a project and takes full responsibility to get the job done for the bid price.

The subcontractors are responsible to the general contractor, not to you, the owner. Choose your contractor carefully! No other decision will have a greater impact on the success or failure of your project. Great plans, contracts, and construction documents cannot get good work from someone lacking in skill or integrity.

If you have to pay a little extra to hire the right person, you won’t regret it. The savings from hiring the low bidder often evaporate as the job progresses. Assume that there will be problems along the way and select a person whom you feel will work cooperatively with you to find the best solutions.

For example, bad weather slows down the framing crew, so the plumbers and electricians need to be rescheduled, but his favorite electrician will not be available when needed, delaying the insulation crew. Later, the special-order windows are shipped with the wrong jamb profile, requiring custom shop work or another long delay.

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In smaller companies, the GC may be on the job site regularly, even swinging a hammer from time to time. In any event, the GC is a busy guy or gal and arguably deserves the 20% overhead and profit they typically (hope to) earn for holding it altogether. Their profit comes from some combination of marking up labor costs, subcontractor bids, and material costs.

A lot of this energy goes into managing the subcontractors. In general, smaller companies rely more on staff carpenters and larger companies rely more on subcontractors to get the work done. Nearly all companies use subcontractors for the mechanical trades such as plumbing and electrical, and most use subs for excavation and foundation work, roofing, drywall, and painting.

A good contractor has good relationships with competent and reliable subs. That means the subs will show up when needed and do good work with minimal supervision. They know what level of work the contractor expects, they know they’ll get paid promptly, and they know that the job will be ready for them when they show up.

While some subs, such as insulation installers, are not known for the precision of their work, they know that if they want work from a particular contractor, they need to meet his standards. Maybe they can charge a little more for the higher level of quality he demands, making it worth their while to take the time to do it right (How to Find Home Improvement Contractors Near Me Knoxville Iowa).

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Some companies use their own crews for framing and finish carpentry, especially for finicky work such as built-in cabinets or ornate trim and other decorative details. It’s also best to use the in-house crew for special energy details, unusual wall systems, or other details that are not the domain of a specific trade.

That’s a good place to start, but whether you are starting from scratch or with a list of names, the process is pretty much the same. The bigger the job, the more effort you should put in to finding the right contractor. One strategy is to hire them to do a small job and see how it goes.

As with a doctor or lawyer, a lot is at stake if the contractor messes up. Problems can range from small annoyances (escaping pets, loud bad music) to major lawsuits if things go badly. The best place to start, I believe, is with your circle of friends and acquaintances, as well as neighbors who have had work done recently. How to Find Home Contractors Near Me Pella Iowa.

Once you have narrowed your search, ask each contractor you are considering for a list of references and call them. Ask about both the quality of the work, the ease of working with the contractor, and whether there were cost overruns. See the list below of “Questions for former clients.” For larger jobs with large amounts of money at stake, it’s also essential to check with the Better Business Bureau and your state’s contractor licensing board to see if complaints have been filed.

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If you hire a contractor without a valid contractor’s license in your area (not just a business license), you are losing any protections offered by the licensing board. Look under both the company name and the contractor’s name, as less-than-scrupulous contractors have been known to change company names when things get too sticky.

Otherwise you will lose any protections. Finally, in some states, it is relatively easy to see if a contractor has been sued and for what – or has sued clients. There may be a reasonable explanation for one or two lawsuits over the course of a long career, but I would want to know who sued whom and for what reason.

Have you worked with this general contractor (GC) before?How did the job go? How did it compare with other contractors you have worked with?Did the GC communicate clearly throughout the project?Was the GC on the job frequently? If not, who supervised the work on site?Were there any problems or surprises?How was the work quality?Were there cost overruns or delays, and why?Would you recommend them for your type of job?How long have you been in business at your current location?How many jobs like this have you complete?What is the average square-foot cost for this type of job?How much experience do you have with energy-efficient construction, green building, passive solar (or whatever your special interests are)?Who will supervise the construction on site?Who will I communicate with about job progress, changes, and any problems that may arise? (Yes, there will be problems!)What work will your own employees perform (as opposed to subs)?How do you prefer to work: competitive bid, cost-plus, negotiated price, or something other?What is your company’s greatest strength?(For remodeling): What efforts do you take to keep the job site clean and safe for children, and to keep dust out of the living quarters?Do you have a standard set of written specifications?Do you use a standard written contract that I can review?Hiring a general contractor, without the benefit of an architect to handle contract and job administration has its pros and cons, as follows:(without an architect involved in the construction phase)This is the simplest way to get a large project completed.

If there’s a problem, it’s the contractor’s responsibility to fix it. A good contractor will have good subs, who show up on time and do work to the standards set by the contractor. If you have a good contract, and a fair payment schedule, you will some leverage throughout the project.

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There are no checks and balances, so you have to put a lot of trust in the GC.If there are problems, there’s no one to mediate (although some contracts have a mediation or arbitration clause). You’ve got to work things out directly with the contractor, who probably knows a lot more than you about construction.