How to Choose a General Contractor
It can be overwhelming! Here is a list of things that can give you the confidence to choose the right contractor for your needs.
Know your objective. You may not know the scope of work that will need to be done to complete a project, you may just know what you want in the end. That’s ok. That is the contractor’s job, to provide you with an estimate that includes a scope of work.
Ask your potential contractor if they are licensed, insured, and if they have a workers comp policy. They should have no problem providing you with their General Contractor License number and proof of insurance. This will give you the confidence to know that they’re legitimate. They’ve put in the hard work, time, and expense to make sure they are running a proper legal business. Note: Be cautious of a construction license for only a specific trade. For example, here in Arkansas you can get a certificate to do a specific trade like roofing and that doesn’t mean someone can come build you a new home or do any other trade besides a roof. It means that can provide you with a new roof ONLY. That is all they are licensed to do. Protect yourself, and that contractor, buy knowing what their legal skill set is. A residential contractor license in Arkansas enables the contractor to build a home from the ground up and remodel residential dwellings.
If the contractor doesn’t have a website with pictures of work they have personally done, ask them for a portfolio. There isn’t anything wrong with asking your potential contractor for proof they they can do the work. If they can’t provide any ~ Here’s your sign. They may not be the right person for you.
Transparency of your contractor. Do they provide a proper estimate, including the payment terms? The process should be simple and clear. Look for these things on your estimate and job contract:
Scope of work. Our first thing in this list was ‘Know your objective’. You know WHAT you want to have done, but you need to be given a basic scope of work to be completed. That will give you an idea of what you’re up against.
What is not included. Sometimes within the scope of work, sometimes under its own note section, are things that are NOT INCLUDED in the scope of work. For example, during the inspection, a customer says “I would like to do the painting myself, I really enjoy it”. Your contractor should have a note of that in his inspection, the include that within the estimate. You should see something like ‘Scope of work does not include priming and painting’.
Payment terms. What is the total cost, and how are the payments broken up. There is always a down payment to secure the contractor. You don’t get on his schedule until he has a signed contract and a down payment. (If he does schedule you without these, this is a warning sign. He should keep consistent accounting methods with his customers)
Change orders. If they do not disclose why a change order would be needed or how they handle change orders, RUN!!!!
Ask about their suppliers. A good contractor has people they trust. Some materials come from a big box store, others come from good local suppliers. For example, we have a roofing supplier we trust, they give us better quality product than what someone could get from Lowe’s at a lower cost for our customers. That is just one example, but a contractor who has ties with local businesses is likely one you can trust more. They care about their community and want a product that will last and benefit their customer for years to come.
Hopefully this quick list gives you the confidence to choose a contractor you can trust. Need an estimate in the Garland County, Arkansas area? Feel free to give us a call 📞 (501) 762-5477 or email us at denaliconstructionacct@gmail.com
