Hiring the right contractor to work on your home, office, or other construction project is an important task. While the first item should always be ensuring the contractor has the proper license and insurance before digging any deeper – we wanted to go ahead and give you some insider tips on how to know if you’ve got the right GC on your project.

One of the most popular methods today to vet a potential hire, restaurant, partner, or vendor – is checking references. Seeing what other people may have to say about having used their services. Don’t believe us? Well, when was the last time you checked yelp, read a book review, looked up a score on rotten tomatoes?

So, it goes without saying, before you commit to anything on paper, always contact your contractor’s references. And just to help you out a bit, we compiled a few important questions that you should ask when gathering feedback from a potential GC’s references.

Questions to Ask a Reference for a GC:

What type of project did you hire this contractor for?

Was it for a large or small remodeling project, or a brand-new build? Was it commercial or residential? Was it something entirely new or an existing project that you decided to replicate in a new location?

Knowing the basics of the type of projects your potential GC has handled and is comfortable with will help you find out whether or not it’s a good partnership for you and your project.

Did they communicate well?

Communication is everything during a construction project. Ask if the general contractor communicated well throughout the entire process—preconstruction through the end of the build. You don’t want to hire a contractor that doesn’t provide you with the necessary details of the project. Make sure the contractor was good about letting owners know the timeline, what materials were going to be used, and how change orders were meant to be handled.

Did they stay on schedule and on budget?

This is an important question. Time and money are the two most important aspects of any build. A dependable contractor is your best bet for any project. Ask the reference if things stayed on track and budget, and how delays and budget overruns were handled.

Did you get the desired results?

The building and remodeling process is very complicated, and it’s a good idea to make sure you’re comfortable with the way the contractor you hire goes about the process. Their ability to see projects through and produce desirable results is a major decision-making factor. If their reference was satisfied with the finished project, the crew finished it on time, and it passed the code inspection, it’s safe to say the contractor is most likely trustworthy.

Would you hire this contractor again?

The answer to this question will tell you all you need to know. If an owner is willing to hire the same contractor again, that says a lot about the kind of work they did. If the reference isn’t willing to hire the contractor again, be sure to ask why. Everyone is different, so what one customer might not appreciate, you might feel indifferent about.

Making sure the contractor you hire is the right fit for your specific project is a big responsibility. Reaching out to their references and asking them questions that generate an explanation is a great way to get the information you need to make your decision.

At Seacoast Construction, we know the value of proper planning. We can help you with your build in a variety of ways: project management, owner’s representation, general contracting, and more.

If you would like to talk to us, or our references, get in touch via email (LINK: to George’s email) or give us a call at 786-433-8740.