The USA continues to be the largest construction market in the world, with a value of 898.7 billion dollars. While many use contractors for their residential constructions, the significant chunk of the market is made of commercial construction. This is because both small and large scale commercial projects require a systematic approach along with planning. And these are the services commercial contractor deliver.
Also, commercial buildings need to be made, keeping in mind various factors. This is why you can’t choose just any commercial contractor for your project. Since the quality of the finished structure is dependent on the expertise of the contractor hired, you must make the decision very cautiously and wisely.
Here are five questions you must ask your commercial contractor before availing their services.
- Who will be the people working on the site for my project?
There are various commercial contractors Dallas offers. You can’t hire them independently in case of a big project. Instead, you must opt for a company that will handle your project. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to get knowledge about and get accustomed to those who would be working on your site.
It is crucial to know the experience, skills, and reputation of the team that will be handling your project. Ask about the type of interactions you can expect with them during the work. Make sure you conduct an ice-breaker between your team and the contractor’s staff. This way the project will go on without any hiccups.
- What type of and how much disruption should be expected?
One thing is for sure; construction activities cause significant disruption. This is especially true if the building in question is simultaneously being used as well. It is always a great idea to go into the project well prepared about the disruption you and your employees will have to deal with.
Ask your commercial contractor the extent of disruption (whether it be route blockages, dust or noise) that you will have to deal with. Also, ask them about the time frame after which the disruptions would decrease. This will help you decide on an alternative plan of action. You can choose whether you want to temporarily move your business operations to another site or make an alternative route for your employees to use when accessing certain parts of the building.
- What type of projects have you dealt with in the past?
The past is an excellent indicator of future performance. This is why it is essential that you quiz your contractor about their previous work. For instance, let’s say a given contractor has mainly worked on residential projects. The chances are the given contractor might not have the expertise needed to pull off a major commercial project.
Know the expertise, experience, and strengths of the firm before you decide to invest in it. Try to select a contracting company that has done similar work in the past. Not all commercial contractors would have done so. Your job is to find ones who have. And that too exceptionally.
- What is the timeline for the project?
There is more to hiring a commercial contractor than gauging the quality of the service they provide. Instead, you must also ensure that they are efficient and professional. A great way to do so is by asking them for deliverables from the get-go.
After all, there is only a limited time you can spend on a construction project. This is why you need a clear timeline and plan of action. Ask the potential contractor to tell you a tentative starting and completion date of the task. It is best if they can provide you with a detailed workflow, where different functions are described, and the estimated time spent on them are mentioned. This helps in knowing whether the contractor indeed has the plan.
However, remember not to treat the timeline as being rigid. Instead, keep it flexible enough to account for factors like weather, and changes in the order.
- What is the service area of the firm?
You can find the most experienced contractor in the city only to realize that the company is situated far away from your site. Why does this matter? Well, construction projects require traveling to the place daily. The further away the organization is from your area, the costlier the service might be. Not to mention that it would require additional time as well. This is especially true if the same team plans to juggle multiple projects at the same time. Ask about where the firm is located and how they plan on keeping traveling cost and time to a minimum.
Conclusion
A contracting firm that can deliver satisfactory responses to these five questions should be the one you choose. Go ahead and begin your construction project!
