HIRING A GENERAL CONTRACTOR CHECKLIST
You can download our free printable checklist by clicking the button below.
Hiring a general contractor to help on your next land development project may seem like a daunting challenge. However, by following the steps in the checklist below, you can avoid many potential pitfalls and find a general contractor that is truly an asset to your team!
GET RECOMMENDATIONS
A great way to start searching for the right general contractor is to chat with friends and colleagues in the industry. Ask them what companies they liked working with and why.
CHAT WITH POTENTIAL CANDIDATES OVER THE PHONE OR IN PERSON
Once you’ve created a robust list of general contractors, set up times to call each of them on the phone. Ask them questions about:
- How long they’ve been in business
- Their experience with your specific project type
- The references they have
- Their cost estimate would be for your project
- Their time estimate for your projects
CHECK 3-4 REFERENCES
After your interviews, contact the references provided. Ask the references questions about:
- The project the company helped them with. You’re looking for references who had similar work done to what you’re looking for.
- The company’s communication about estimate and cost
- The company staying on budget and within schedule
- Any project delays
- The working style of the contractor and crew
- The cleanliness of the job site
The responses from these references should help you narrow down your list of candidates.
VERIFY THEIR LICENSE
Next, it’s time to investigate the facts about your general contractor finalists. Start by verifying their license. Utah offers a professional licensee lookup and verification system that is easy to access at https://secure.utah.gov/llv/search/index.html
ENSURE THEY HAVE THE PROPER PERMITS AND INSURANCE
Review your city’s building ordinances and regulations. Check with your finalists to ensure all required permits have been obtained. It also can be beneficial to verify their insurance.
SELECT THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR WITH THE BEST PLAN AND ESTIMATE FOR YOUR NEEDS
Now that you’ve completed this checklist, you should be well equipped to select the general contractor for your project. Before making your working relationship official, meet to ensure all aspects of the plan and pricing fit your requirements. Once all these items are agreed on, draw up a clear contract that details every step of the project.
