Are you currently looking for the right contractor to manage your project? Before deciding, follow 9 ways to choose the right contractor below!

In a project, choosing the right contractor is one of the most important construction decisions you will make. Choosing the right contractor is not only about the finished project like what you want, but also about the process in it.

Choosing a good contractor can ensure, even guarantee, quality project results, appropriate budget spending, to completion on schedule. Meanwhile, choosing the wrong contractor can trigger nightmares such as delays, substandard work, and even legal trouble.

Here is Tomps.id summarizes 9 questions you should ask when choosing the right contractor for your project!

9 Questions For Choosing a High-Quality Project Contractor!

1. “How long is your experience? Do you have experience in managing this kind of project?”

Choosing a contractor who already has experience in managing projects well is certainly a safe choice for you. So, make sure to dig up information on how long the contractor has been active in this profession and how their success stories have been in previous projects.

But not only that, it is also important for you to ensure that the contractor is not just experienced enough in managing various projects, but also manages your current type of project. Of course, this is because not all projects have the same pattern, especially if they are of different types. Such as property construction, mining, agriculture, or maritime. So, it would be better if the contractor you choose has experience with your current type of project.

2. “Are there any recommendations from previous clients?”

This one is very important but often missed to be confirmed. Before deciding to choose the right contractor, be sure to ask for references from their previous clients. You can also ask their previous client contacts to ask directly how they are doing when working with these clients.

With this information, you can find out more information about the contractor. Starting from how they relate to clients and the team, how is the quality of their communication, whether they can absorb the allocated budget, whether they can complete their work on time, and whether they are credible enough to manage your project.

3. “Are you licensed?”

If the contractor you meet is really a professional, then they should already have an official license. Licensing is a way of getting official acknowledgment and assurance that the contractor actually has the experience, understanding, and other important criteria to offer their services. From a broad perspective, choosing a licensed contractor has the opportunity to save time, effort, and cost in a project. In some cases, licensed contractors even dare to provide you with safety insurance during the project.

4. “If I agree to work with you, are there any other projects you are working on?”

This one question is also important for you to ask. Some contractors are mostly able to manage various projects at the same time or close together. The problem is, how can they ensure that they can stay focused and work optimally for your project if at the same time also controlling the project in another location? This is what you need to confirm at the initial stage of the introduction.

You certainly don’t want a contractor who is too busy with other work to not have enough time to assess the progress of your project, right? On the other hand, you need a contractor who is always on hand and can help complete the project the way you want, because priority is important!

5. “Are you going to the project site every day?”

Imagine if your contractor rarely supervises project progress in the field because they is busy managing other projects. So, the work of the subcontractors can be out of control so that they are prone to problems in the future that consume more resources, time, and money. Must be detrimental and annoying, right?

Even if your contractor has other projects in progress, make sure they allocate enough time to oversee your project. Because sometimes contractors may hire project managers if they can’t be present in the field. So, you should know who will oversee the project regularly before hiring them. 

6. “Is there any warranty offered?”

Imagine if after your project is finished and the product has been delivered, suddenly the quality of the product changes after a week. Meanwhile, the contract does not state that the contractor is responsible for the quality of the product after the project is completed. Eventually, you’ll have to make new repairs that cost more. Can be troublesome, right? Therefore, the warranty from the contractor is also important for you to confirm.

A guarantee here is defined as a written warranty from the contractor that describes the type of coverage they will provide within a certain period of time. This is important because you may run into problems later or need professional help to fix the problem. However, if you have a valid warranty, then you can contact the same contractor to fix the problem for free. Even so, make sure you have read and understood the terms and conditions of the warranty. 

7. “Do you also work with subcontractors? Who are they?”

Most contractors generally do hire other subcontractors if they have a lot of work. However, you should know the information from these subcontractors because they will also be working on your project. Don’t let yourself choose a contractor who is good enough but they work with subcontractors who are not qualified on your project. If the contractor is going to use subcontractors, make sure they have a good reputation, have appropriate professional licenses, and insurance coverage before work in your project.

8. “What payment schedule do you offer?”

Another important tip when choosing a contractor is to look at the payment schedules they offer. The payment schedule can show the financial status and work ethic of the contractor. If they want half of the offer paid upfront, they may have financial problems or are worried that you won’t pay the rest after seeing their work. In large projects, the payment schedule generally starts with 10% at the time of contract signing, 25% when the project starts and is paid in three stages, and 15% when all project requirements are met.

9. “Do you agree to sign a formal contract?”

Avoid choosing a contractor who doesn’t want to sign a contract. The reason is, that the contract is very important and is a legal document that protects you and the contractor itself because it outlines the entire scope, responsibilities, rights, and other agreements of a project. Not only that, the contract also protects the agreement regarding budget allocation, time, services offered, guarantees, and others. If your contractor does not want to sign the contract, it is advisable to find another contractor to avoid problems in the future.

That’s 9 ways to choose the right and good-quality project contractor that brings many benefits to you. Previously, have you ever had an experience choosing a contractor that turned out to be disappointing?

Always update the latest information about project management here with Tomps.id, your project management solution!