How to Hire A Subcontractor
Subcontractors are often necessary for providing goods and services that you wouldn’t be able to on your own. They can provide expertise in an area where you are lacking but that is needed to serve a specific client. Many times, they are crucial to getting a project done well and to the client’s satisfaction.
Finding the right subcontractor is important if not vital. The wrong one can be at best a waste of your time and often you will be held responsible for their negligence. Avoid these problems by doing your research beforehand. Ask them the following questions to ensure you know what you’re getting into:
- What’s your bandwidth like? The first and most important thing to find out is if the subcontractor has the time, resources, and interest in your project. Start by giving them a clear description of the type of work you want to hire them for, how long it will take, the price, the payment schedule, etc. Ask this right when you contact them so everyone knows what the expectations are well before any work or agreements begin. Note that sometimes if they say they are available right away, this could be a red flag. Chances are you are not so lucky that they just happen to be open for whenever you need them, but actually they aren’t busy for a negative reason. Another red flag can be if they ask for a very large payment up front. It’s always best to make sure they come through with quality work before they get paid. Ultimately, if they are not able to complete your project when and how you need it, you can move on to find someone who will be a better fit for you. Everyone will be happier in the long run.
- What are some examples of your past projects? This will help you understand what type and quality of work they do, how experienced and capable they are, and how well they do with safety and personnel on the work site. Also make sure to ask for references from contractors they have worked with before. This is surefire way to really find out what it’s like to work with this subcontractor. Make sure to contact people in a range of different roles, so you know what this subcontractor is like is a variety of circumstances and situations. First, ask these references what kind of projects they worked on with these subcontractors, how long they worked with them, and how well they really know them. Then, ask them how well the subcontractors stayed on schedule, whether they showed up to work on time, how easy they were to work with, how well they communicated, how well they worked within budget, whether they met expectations, and whether this reference would hire them again. You may even want to visit a project the subcontractors have recently completed to see in-person the quality of their workmanship. You could even speak to the clients they worked for on the spot to make sure that they were satisfied with the work that was done for them.
- What’s your legal history? Perhaps most importantly of all, you’ll want to find out about your subcontractors’ past before you form a legal partnership with them. Ask them if they’ve been involved in any lawsuits and what resulted from them. Ask them how they prevent fraud or if they have had any negative press coverage and how they responded. Check to make sure they have the appropriate insurance coverage and licenses. You can also have them fill out a due diligence form that asks for specific details about their company, including their financial statements. Depending on the importance of the their role, it may be important to make sure they are financially stable before working with them. You might also check if they have an employee code of conduct to make sure you can trust how their employees will act while on the job site. Be careful who you link yourself up with because their problems may become your own. This can be prevented by simply being thorough in checking out their legal status beforehand.
Because of smaller issues like availability to larger headaches like lawsuits, it’s important to take the time to clearly communicate with your subcontractor before jumping into working with them. It will save you a lot of trouble further down the road, and chances are that you’ll only be grateful you did. Contact Harkraft today if you have any more questions about hiring the best construction subcontractor.
