Remodeling: Find the Right General Contractor

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Three Steps to finding the Right General Contractor

1. Consult friends—and even friends of friends—who have completed major renovations of their own and ask who they recommend. New in town? Call your municipal building department, the Board of Architectural Review, Historic Charleston Foundation, or Preservation Society of Charleston. Each organization should be able to make recommendations.

2. Do your homework. Once you’ve narrowed your list to a few companies, look for:

* Lowcountry Experience. Local professionals are knowledgeable about area covenants and regulations and have strong contacts with building departments and architectural
review boards.

* Proven track records in the industry. Check online for state licenses (www.llr.state.sc.us/POL/ResidentialBuilders) or consult with your local municipality or county directly; further, ask reputable architects about your potential contractor, and the Charleston Trident Home Builders Association, too—the latter can offer information on any of their members.

* A company that’s financially sound. Are there any liens on their current projects? Do they have any pending lawsuits? Most of this information is easily found online at the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) websites or by contacting these groups directly.

3. Interview a number of companies. Look for a good personal match. Your general contractor should be willing to listen to you and honest and about the projected timetable. A few bucks off the bottom line means little if you’re unable to communicate effectively about your plans.

Sample Questions

Ask your prospective contractor:

* How many full-time employees do you have and what portion of the work is done with your own employees vs. subcontractors? How will the project be supervised?

* Is your company licensed and if so, what type of license and what are the limitations? Always ask to see a copy and check with the local licensing board to make sure it is current and there are no legal issues pending or past.

* Does your company have a local business license? Always ask to see a copy.

* Do you have Worker’s Compensation and General Liability insurance and what are the limits? Always ask to see a copy and make sure the coverage is current.

* Ask for a list of references with proper contact information; ask to see both completed projects and projects under construction.

Ask your prospective contractor’s former clients:
* How responsive was the contractor to your needs and requests?

* How well did he stay within your agreed-upon budget?

* Was he accurate in his completion date estimation?

*If the homeowners were living in the home while the renovation was taking place, how clean did he keep the site?

*Did he and his subcontractors respect your time?

*Did they keep peace with the neighbors?

*Did he properly protect the construction materials or part of structure while the construction was taking place?

Watch Out!

* Beware this big mistake: Think twice about accepting the lowest price quoted, particularly if it is significantly lower than the others. Some contractors will underbid and then nickel-and-dime additional costs in order to make up the difference.

* Keep consistent when collecting bids: Make sure all your bids include the same services and same quality of finishes.

* Hire Good Help: A project with a full-time, on-site general contractor runs smoother, faster, and with less room for error. He or she makes sure that the subcontractors are there when they are supposed to be, that supplies arrive on time, and inspections happen according to schedule.

From the Experts

“Always ask what kinds of materials the contractor recommends, and if there are any new products or systems that he prefers to use and why. In the last few years the building industry has exploded with new, cutting-edge products, innovative designs, and superior construction techniques. If your builder is not abreast of what’s current and available, you likely won’t see those options.”