Finding a general contractor for an upcoming home project is a daunting task.
Skill, honesty, and professionalism are all must-have qualities for a general contractor. To avoid sacrificing any of your ideal qualities for price or anything else, it’s a good idea to know how to find the best general contractor in your area.
Can you actually find a general contractor with all the qualities and integrity you are looking for?
Believe it or not, with the right steps, it can be possible (and even easy!) to find a general contractor with integrity and skill that you need.
Before we get into our top 5 tips for how to find a general contractor, let’s first discuss the role of general contractors.
The Role Of A General Contractor
A general contractor is a project manager and jack of all trades.
The general contractor is the one responsible for hiring subcontractors and overseeing project development. He/she will be the one communicating with you and coordinating the different workers and suppliers.
More or less, general contractors take care of finding suppliers, providing equipment for your project, providing labor or hiring subcontractors, scheduling payment, and overseeing the timeline of your project.
General contractors have a huge job that is almost impossible to fill any other way. Some homeowners attempt to play the role of general contractor themselves but this usually does not go well.
Don’t underestimate the job of a GC and attempt to fill the position yourself. General contractors take care of all the loose ends of a project and much more. They are the ones that ensure that your project actually comes together in the way you envisioned.
How To Find A General Contractor: 5 Tips
To help you find the best general contractor for your upcoming home project, here are five tips for you. If this is your first time hiring a general contractor, it’s necessary to know what qualities you are looking for in a GC.
Knowing what to look for when finding a general contractor is the best way to avoid hiring a GC that is not suited to your project.
1. Ask friends and family for references
Friends and family are one of the best ways to find a general contractor for your project.
Ask anyone that you know that have recently had a renovation in their home. Personal references are a wonderful way to find a trustworthy general contractor for your project.
This tip will ensure that you have a reliable general contractor working on your project and will also give you the chance to see a completed project by the general contractor (ask your friend/family member for pictures!).
2. Know what work you want to be done & about how much it costs
Doing a home renovation requires some amount of research and knowledge.
Before you talk with a general contractor, you should know what you want to have done and have a ballpark idea of how much the project is going to cost you.
Researching costs will give you a realistic idea of how much you can expect to pay for the services you want.
3. Interview multiple general contractors
Don’t just settle for the first general contractor that you talk with, interview several before giving your project to one.
In order to get the best general contractor for your project, you need to interview several potential GCs to narrow down on the right one. Get their info, pricing, and availability before settling on one to give your project to.
4. Check insurance, licenses, and litigation history
Your general contractor should have the appropriate licenses and liability insurance for your project.
Also, take the time to review the general contractor’s litigation history to ensure that he/she doesn’t have a history of unsatisfied customers and legal trouble for breaching job conduct.
5. Know what questions to ask a general contractor
Knowing the right questions to ask a potential general contractor will help you narrow down the options to find the best GC for your needs.
Here is a list of questions we recommend homeowners ask a general contractor before hiring:
- Is my project similar to others that you’ve done before? When was the last time that you did a project like mine?
- What is a realistic timeline for my project?
- Who will be supervising the construction site?
- What standard do you use when hiring subcontractors?
- Who will I be talking with during the project?
- What project are you most proud of?
6. Find a general contractor who fits your budget
It’s important to be upfront about cost when finding a general contractor.
Do some research to get an idea of how much your project is going to cost and ask the potential general contractor if they can draw you up an estimate for your project.
If the estimate they give you is out of your price range, ask them if they work with homeowners who are on a budget. By substituting expensive materials with more affordable ones, general contractors are sometimes able to bring their prices down to meet a specific budget.
Take note, working with a general contractor instead of doing all the work yourself, is a very cost-effective option for homeowners and will end up saving you in the long run.
General contractors are on the inside with suppliers and subcontractors and are often able to get materials at discounted prices.
Work With A Skilled General Contractor Today
Here at Inclign, we are proud to offer general contracting services for homeowners in the Puget Sound area.
Our team of general contractors are well-seasoned and know what each project needs in order to satisfy homeowners. We would love to help you with your upcoming home endeavors. It is our goal to help homeowners achieve their ideal home and aesthetic through our services.
To get in touch with our expert team, contact us today with your questions, to schedule a meeting, or if you’d like to receive a custom quote for your project.