What you need to know before hiring a general contractor in South Florida

What You Need to Know Before Hiring a General Contractor in South Florida

What do you need to know before hiring a general contractor in South Florida? It’s not quite as simple as asking How much do you charge? When you hire a contractor, it’s your responsibility to make sure you choose the right one for your project and that the final product has been completed correctly. But how do you choose the right general contractor? What questions should you ask before signing on the dotted line? Here are some tips to help guide you through the process of finding and hiring the best general contractor in your area.

General Contractor Qualifications

If you’re planning on hiring a general contractor, it’s important to know that not all contractors are created equal. The right contractor for your project will have certain qualifications and be willing to provide references for previous jobs. There are many online resources that can help you find a contractor, but they all offer different levels of help. The key is being specific when looking for a general contractor in your area. For example, you may want to look for: how long they’ve been in business, whether or not they have any online reviews and what types of projects they specialize in.

Here's a list of things you need to consider before hiring a contractor in South Florida:

1. Relevant Experience

2. Reviews

3. Personal liability insurance

4. Required permits

5. Portfolio of completed projects

6. Property damage coverage

Residential General Contractors or Commercial General Contractors?

The first step in finding a contractor is deciding what type of project you’re taking on. If you’re looking for residential work (which includes everything from single-family homes to additions, garages, patios, and decks), you should look for a residential general contractor (RGC). They specialize in smaller projects that can be done by hand with a few subcontractors.

Commercial contractors tend to build larger buildings—like office buildings, hotels, or big box stores—and will also handle mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. While they are still responsible for overseeing a project’s vision and direction through completion, they tend to rely more heavily on substrates like plumbers and electricians.

A residential General Contractor might need only one or two subs while a commercial General Contractor could have six or seven going at once. This makes commercial construction a bigger business but much more complicated as well. That said, many RGCs do big jobs so keep your options open! 

Questions To Ask A General Contractor Before Hiring

A good general contractor can help you turn your house into your dream home. However, you want to be sure that person is doing their job as well.

Here are some questions that you need to ask when looking for a general contractor in South Florida.

1. What are your credentials?

2. How many years of experience do you have in general contracting and remodeling projects?

3. Do you have insurance?

4. Are you licensed in my state?

5. Will I be dealing with my project manager or someone else at your company throughout the process?

6. How often will I receive updates and reports during construction, and who will be presenting them to me?

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