Hire Better Contractors
Connex Property has been in the commercial construction bidding and advertising business for a decade. We’ve worked on hundreds of projects and gotten to know tons of contractors. Now, I really don’t like Top Ten lists, as there’s usually some effort on your part to make said improvements. Who has time for that?? I did want to share three observations I use when selecting a contractor, however. And the great thing about it, there’s no extra work on your part, you only need to remember the following on your next vendor selection project.
1. When you’re reaching out to the contractor to invite them to look at your project, or if you have questions about their proposal, how easy is it to get a hold of that contractor? It’s odd, but some contractors have the unique ability to either disappear or take weeks to get back to you. I know everyone gets busy and it may take some time to return a call. But vendors who have poor communication skills are a total pain to work with. You want someone who is easy to get a hold of and is always on the ball in case your project goes south.
2. An annoying issue I come across when evaluating a project with a contractor, is that instead of being a problem solver, they look for everything that can go wrong with your project. They almost act as if they don’t want your job. This is an odd scare tactic that I don’t understand. You want a contractor that is positive, confident, and has a can-do attitude. Every job has its complexities, but you need someone to explain it in an expert manner, without all the added drama. This is one of those where ‘you’ll know it when you see it…’
3. Lastly, this one is a little different, but it happens every so often. The scenario is that you invite a vendor to conduct a site visit, and everything goes well. But then they call you back later that week, stating they’d like to revisit the property one last time. This is actually a good sign. This shows me that they are serious about the job and getting the right details is important to them. I have a few vendors that are known for this, and they always to an excellent job on my projects.
These are three simple, but less obvious indicators of a good contractor to look for. The construction business is a relationship driven industry, not an adversarial one. By listening and taking notice of your vendor selection process and applying some of these hints, your projects will run smoother, and you will have less sleepless nights.