Hiring A General Contractor? How And What To Look For
If you're looking to do some major remodeling on your home, or are planning on building a house, you probably could use a general contractor to help you. A general contractor helps organize the job, keep the plans for your remodel or build together, keep you on track with your budget, and hires the other contractors involved to help save you from finding them yourself. A general contractor can really come in handy, but how do you go about hiring one? See below for tips to help you hire a general contractor and what you should look for in a contractor.
Shop Around
Shop around for general contractors. You don't have to go with the very first one you find. Get bids for your project from several contractors and be sure to check that they are licensed contractors. Also ask for references and actually ask around about the contractor before accepting a bid from any of them. It's a big important job to you, so you want to go with a contractor that you feel comfortable with, and that is capable of doing the job.
Get Everything In Writing
Be sure to have a contract written up with everything included, this means the price you pay, plus the terms of the job in writing. If you're building a new home, be sure that landscaping and other cleanup after the house is built is added into the contract. You don't want to be left with a dirt pile and debris surrounding your new beautiful home because it wasn't written in the agreement that landscaping is included. Get it all in writing and make sure everything is agreed upon before signing the contract. Make sure you get a copy of the contract as well.
Have Updates In Writing
Also get any updates to the project in writing as well. If there are specific changes such as countertop materials changed from laminate to granite, be sure to have this in writing as well. Things change sometimes, and you may change your mind about the project time and time again, so be sure these changes are added to the contract and the contract amended and signed again.
Check The Price Terms
Double check the price of the project with the general contractor and read through the terms. Sometimes these terms may say that you have to have a certain percentage up front and then payments made throughout the project. Be sure to know this information up front and before signing a contract. If there isn't a price on the contract, don't sign it. You should know the costs up front, as well as the payment terms and if there is a cancellation penalty or late payment penalty if applicable. There shouldn't be any surprises.
Hiring a general contractor is supposed to make your building project easier, not more difficult. Take the time to shop around for a contractor and remember that cheaper doesn't always mean better when it comes to general contracting. Ask for references and read through the contract thoroughly before signing
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