Personal Financial Tips

Article by Patrick Smith

General Contracting in New Hampshire

When it comes to general contracting, the skill set required by a good contractor is extremely broad – and even that’s an understatement! Combine the highly varying skill set of a general contractor, with a number of external factors, and finding a “good” general contractor can be a seriously daunting task.

For example, when you factor in the influence of geography, location, or weather – the general contractor’s job gets more complex. The driveway repair has to take into consideration the change in weather, the building design has to account for expansion and contraction in varying temperatures, and any type of construction has to take into consideration every environmental factor that could possibly influence the job. Add that to the everyday responsibilities of a general contractor – from securing materials and labor to negotiating contracts, and it becomes clear that finding a “good” and comprehensive general contractor means a lot and takes a lot.For the sake of this article, the following list of best practices to follow was compiled when finding a general contractor in New Hampshire, but can be used for finding a general contractor regardless of location.

How to find a good general contractor for your projectAs you’ve read, general contractors deal with a lot. With that in mind, you need someone who does more than just handle everything. You need someone who can do all of that while remaining organized and professional to help you get the results you’re looking for while staying under budget.

1) What kind of job is it? Is it a single or a multiple job? Are you fixing a kitchen and a bath? Or working with roofing only? The more you need, the more a general contractor is responsible for – and the more intense your search should be.

2) How many jobs of this kind has your general contractor completed in the last year? Can he provide references? Can you see pictures of the work?

3) How long have the general contractor’s subcontractors worked with him? Ask if you can speak to one of them.

4) General contractors are responsible for providing materials and staying under budget. With that in mind, who are his major suppliers and how long has he been using them?

5) As his client you’ll be concerned with completing the job in a timely manner. With that in mind, ask him how many jobs he typically works at once.

6) Will your general contractor be reachable and communicative? Ask how you can reach him, and will he answer the phone and/or return calls quickly?

7) Ask your general contractor if he will be on site for all major project milestones such as the beginning of new phases, inspections, etc.

To prevent fraud on large jobs (such as whole house remodeling, major home additions, large restorations, and anything over ,000 to 0,000, request bank references and lien releases from subcontractors and suppliers.

9) Call to ensure that your general contractor is licensed and insured.

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