Being responsible for hiring a commercial contractor for construction isn’t easy, especially if you’ve never had to before. With any commercial construction project in the Bay Area, asking the right questions before you hire the commercial contractor could make a big difference in whether the construction finishes on time and within your budget.
As a Bay Area commercial contractor, we want to help you with the search for a reliable professional who’ll get your project completed on time and within the budget without sacrificing quality construction. Here are a few of the basic questions you’ll want to ask a commercial contractor before you hire them.
ASK ABOUT THEIR SAFETY RECORD
You definitely want a commercial contractor who has a good safety track record. While asking about this may be uncomfortable for you, you do have a right to know and it is important. You’re looking for a company who has kept good records on employee and worksite safety. It’s a red flag if they don’t readily discuss their safety record with you.
ASK ABOUT THEIR COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUND
Too many contractors take on jobs they shouldn’t. A company who offers contractor services but only has a small crew will simply not be able to get a big project done on time. Your project could sit for months unfinished or they may just cut a lot of corners to get it done on time! Ask them what type of commercial construction projects they regular do in the Bay Area.
ASK ABOUT THEIR PAST PROJECTS
Always ask a commercial contractor about their past projects in the Bay Area and try to get pictures of the work they did. You can ask them directly or review their website for pictures of the work they’ve done to see if it meets your quality standards. You’ll also get an idea of how large or small of projects they’ve handled in the past.
ASK ABOUT THE PROJECTED CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE
A commercial contractor with a small crew may not be able to finish a larger construction project on time. It’s important you know how long the project will take, so ask them what they estimate for the projected construction timeline. You don’t want to find out later that the construction will take months longer than you think.
ASK ABOUT ANY SPECIALTY WORK THEY CAN PERFORM
Every commercial building is different so you want to make sure to ask about any specialty work that may need to be done to complete your construction project. A general commercial contractor will have the ability to ensure any specialists are available as is needed throughout the project.
FIND OUT IF THEIR COST PROJECTION ESTIMATES ARE FIXED
Estimating the cost of construction isn’t always easy for a commercial contractor if they haven’t had enough experience. An experienced contractor will be able to accurately estimate the cost of the work but an inexperienced contractor will usually way over bid or underbid the project. Getting an accurate estimate is important to you to avoid major surprises later. Be sure to ask if their cost projection estimates are fixed before you ever ask them to meet with you for an estimate.