How to Find a Good General Contractor

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Wondering how to find a good general contractor for your project? It’s crucial to ensure that the person you hire for your remodel is not only licensed and insured but also well-suited to your specific needs. Take the time to thoroughly research potential contractors online to gauge their expertise and reputation. Are you prioritizing a quick turnaround time or the lowest bid, or are you focused on finding a reliable and professional partner for your project?

When we receive a new lead, our first step is to ensure that construction2style is a good match for the job at hand. It’s equally important for us to assess whether the homeowner aligns with our values and approach at c2s. Remodeling projects can be demanding, involving meticulous planning, time investment, financial considerations, mental focus, and physical exertion from both parties.

We aim to be a good general contractor for our clients, understanding that the relationship should be mutually beneficial. However, in our experience, the client’s perception of a “good fit” often boils down to the final price. We believe that the decision should encompass more than just cost considerations. Many homeowners discover that despite choosing a seemingly lower bid, they end up spending the same amount or even more while enduring a subpar experience throughout the project.

To help you navigate the selection process, we want to share additional insights on how to find a good general contractor to ensure that the one you choose aligns perfectly with your vision and expectations.

How To Find A Good General Contractor: Ask for Referrals 

Scouring the internet can be overwhelming and can be somewhat misleading. It’s hard to know what services some companies offer, who you’ll actually be working with, prices, the value, and quality of work, etc.

We recommend getting referrals. This can and should be the initial step in selecting a good general contractor.

The very question we ask a new lead is, “how did you hear about us?”

When we’re making sure the homeowner is a good fit for c2s, this is a big one for us! If they found us from Google, we know we have a lot of educating to do. But if it was a referral from a past client, or if they read our blog or follow us on social media, we then know that they really know who we are as a team, family, our process, etc, and we can get straight to the point and speed up the process. 

Whether it’s reaching out to a friend that had a remodel done, asking local home improvement stores, or tracking down the contractor of a kitchen you liked on Instagram. Finding out a little bit about the company before you inquire with them is crucial.

Read reviews. Ask around. Deciding on whether or not the company is a good fit should be your first priority, and getting referrals can help you decipher which will work best for you.  

Make Sure Your General Contractor is Licensed

Once you’ve found a good general contractor that you like and inquire with them, find out if they are licensed. Some people run into this issue too late in the project, and it can be a nightmare.

Most contractors should be licensed, given they need one to pull a permit, but if it’s an odd job or cash job, or you hired a handyman or a designer to manage, there could be a chance they are not licensed, insured, or carry workers comp insurance for them and all of their subs that they are about to bring into your home to do work. 

Licensing creates the security that your general contractor is being held accountable and that if anything goes wrong, they have it covered. To obtain that license, they needed to prove that they were equipped enough to carry the license through various tests. 

We would always recommend that you hire a licensed contractor for your remodeling project unless it’s a smaller odd-end job and you’re willing to carry the liability and take the risk. 

Within Minnesota, you can easily look up their company name on the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry Website –> HERE.

Are they Insured and Do They Carry Warranty?

In addition to verifying that your general contractor holds a license, it is crucial to ensure they have adequate insurance coverage. This precaution is particularly important for potential issues that may arise in the future. Without insurance, any mishap could escalate into a significant headache. It is essential that the contractor’s insurance covers all eventualities, including any damage or accidents related to the work they perform on your property. 

As a guideline, it is wise not to lend your general contractor anything beyond a pencil. By following this practice, the contractor remains accountable and assured that any incidents would be attributed to their actions or the tools they provided, rather than placing the responsibility on you as the client. 

Additionally, inquire about the contractor’s warranty policy. Homes are subject to natural shifts, cracks, and wear over time. Leaky faucets and other maintenance issues are not uncommon. In Minnesota, it is typical for contractors to follow up with clients after completing a project to address any minor concerns that may arise. At c2s, we offer a comprehensive post-work warranty service for up to a year after project completion, ensuring that our clients receive the support and service they need without additional charges.

Do They Specialize in Your Project? 

This goes back to the initial vetting of the contractor. You should find a good general contractor that specializes in or has completed a project similar to the one you want. For instance, you wouldn’t hire a roofing crew to tile your bathroom. Or an exterior residential remodeling company to remodel your interior. 

Most renovation companies specialize in a broad spectrum of work, but some have a very unique niche. Be upfront with your contractor and ask questions like, “What area of the home do you specialize in?” Or even: “What aspects of a bathroom remodel do you specialize in?” 

No two projects will ever be the same, but we know from experience that most of the projects we do are along the same lines.

Hopefully, the contractor can be upfront and honest with you whether or not they are comfortable with what you are asking of them. 

One thing we’re proud to specialize in is bathrooms, kitchens, and full finish lower levels, and additions. And within those is custom carpentry. Jamie and I both started by making furniture and we’ve carried that skill into the job site. 

For example, last year, we worked on a 100-year-old home in Minneapolis, and being you can’t find base trim original to the home anymore, we custom made it. Piece by piece. 

How To Find A Good General Contractor: Simply Google Them

Try to get a glimpse into their personal life. Again, this is the first thing we do with any new lead that comes into our inbox. Copy and paste their name right into Google. We’ve quickly and easily been able to find things about our clients that don’t align with our personal team morals and have been able to save a lot of time and headaches. And likewise, you should be doing this with your contractor. 

Google their personal name and business and see what appears. Often people will leave reviews on their experience with that specific general contractor. This can be a telltale sign of whether or not you should hire them.

Check out their website, online reviews, social channels, and portfolio.

People are brutally honest and downright ruthless when they get behind a screen, so dig deep on anything that someone may have had a problem with. Most often, the reviews will be positive, but unfortunately, the negative ones are sometimes more beneficial. Which at c2s, we’ve experienced first hand. But this has also been a great opportunity for us! There will be some challenges throughout your project and how you resolve and move through them as a team is what matters. Through these negative online reviews, see how the contractor responded to them and worked through the problem. This will give you a glimpse of how they will work through situations, good or bad, with you. 

In addition to finding information on your contractor on the deep dark web, there are often pictures of work they have done. This can serve as a good indication of whether or not their style of work will fit your project. 

Meet & Get to Know Them 

Once you’ve reached out to your general contractor, it’s crucial to establish a connection by scheduling a phone call, a Zoom chat, inviting them to your home, or arranging a meeting at their office. During this interaction, take the opportunity to thoroughly discuss the project with them and observe how they respond to your queries and concerns. Pay close attention to their level of engagement, their demeanor, and their interest in ensuring that you are a good match for each other. Trust your instincts and assess whether they come across as genuine, proactive problem-solvers, and individuals you can rely on. Remember, you will be working closely with this person for an extended period, and they will have access to your home when you may not be present.

  

Ask About Their Extended Team

Ask about their team beyond their employees, but their designers and sub-contractors. Do they help you pick out selections, do floor plans, layouts, renderings? Do they use the same core group of subcontractors, what are their names, their businesses, how long have they worked with them? 

All of these people will have full access to your home, so getting to know your contractor, their team, and building trust with them is going to be a crucial part of the project. 

Minimums and Timeline?

Finally, once you’ve successfully found a good general contractor who aligns with your vision, engaged their services, settled payments, and witnessed the completion of your project, it’s a thoughtful gesture to express your appreciation by treating them to a round of golf.

When arranging the outing, ensure to provide a cart for convenience, rather than opting for a walking round. Consider covering the cost of the round as a token of gratitude for their hard work and dedication. To add a touch of camaraderie, you could also consider including a selection of beers if you were particularly impressed with the outcome of their work. This final step holds significant value in the process of choosing the right contractor, a gesture that can strengthen the professional relationship, especially in cases involving construction2style services.

And if you like funny – we’re your crew, ha! All jokes aside, we would be honored to have the opportunity to work with you.