What Makes a Good Contractor? A Few Things to Look For

Choosing a contractor is a big decision. Whether you're planning a commercial refurbishment, a new build, an extension or a maintenance project, the contractor you choose can have a huge impact on how smoothly the work runs – and how you feel about the whole process while it's happening.

After more than 30 years in construction, we've seen projects go incredibly well, and we've also seen what can happen when the wrong things are overlooked at the start. So, if you're searching for a contractor, what should you actually be looking for?

The obvious answer is experience, but it's not quite as simple as finding the contractor who has been around the longest. It's about finding someone with the right experience for your project. If you're carrying out work in a manufacturing environment, for example, you want a contractor who understands the demands of working in that type of setting. The same applies whether you're looking at an industrial, commercial or residential project.

One of the first questions we'd ask is quite simply: "Have you done anything similar before?" Don't be afraid to ask for examples of completed projects either. A good contractor should be happy to show you what they've done and talk about the challenges they faced along the way. In fact, we'd argue that finding out how a contractor dealt with the difficult bits can tell you just as much about them and their working practices as looking at photographs of the finished project.

And while we're talking about questions, don't underestimate the importance of communication. Construction projects involve a lot of different people, materials, deliveries, timescales and moving parts, so things don't always go exactly according to plan. That's construction! But what matters is how those changes are dealt with.

You should know who your main point of contact is, how you'll receive updates and what happens if something needs to change. If a contractor is difficult to get hold of before you've even appointed them, that's worth thinking about. Good communication shouldn't suddenly become important when there's a problem – it should be there from the beginning.

The same goes for project management. There's a lot more to successfully delivering a construction project than simply having good tradespeople on site. Someone needs to be coordinating the work, managing subcontractors, ordering materials, keeping an eye on the programme and making sure everything is moving in the right direction. Good planning won't stop every unexpected issue from happening, but it certainly makes it easier to deal with them when they do.

It's also worth asking who will actually manage your project day to day. You might have a great conversation with the person who prepares the quote, only to find that someone completely different is running the job once work starts. That's not necessarily a problem, but you should know who you're dealing with and what their role will be.

Then there's health and safety, which should never be treated as something you simply tick off a list. A good contractor should be able to explain how they manage health and safety on site, how they deal with risk assessments and training, and how they make sure subcontractors are working to the right standards too.

If you're working in an environment where there are employees, members of the public, machinery or other contractors around, this becomes even more important. Don't be afraid to ask about relevant accreditations, procedures and experience. A contractor who takes health and safety seriously should be more than happy to talk about it.

Price, of course, matters too. We all have budgets and nobody wants to pay more than they need to. But we'd always recommend looking at more than just the bottom line. If one quote is considerably cheaper than another, ask yourself why. Are they allowing for the same materials? The same level of project management? The same specification? Have they included everything you've discussed?

A cheap quote isn't necessarily a bad quote, just as an expensive one isn't automatically a good one. The important thing is understanding exactly what you're getting for your money. If something isn't clear, ask. A good contractor should be able to explain their quotation in plain English rather than leaving you trying to work out what all the figures mean.

Transparency becomes particularly important once the project is underway. Unexpected things can happen and sometimes additional work is genuinely required. What matters is that you're told about it and understand why it's needed before costs start appearing on an invoice. Nobody likes surprises when it comes to building work, particularly expensive ones!

It's also worth asking about the people behind the contractor. Construction is very much a team effort and many projects involve specialist subcontractors and suppliers. Ask how they are chosen and managed. Do they use people they have worked with before? Do they know and trust the companies they are bringing onto your project?

After 30 years in the industry, we've built up relationships with people and businesses we know we can rely on. That doesn't mean we do everything ourselves – sometimes you need specialist expertise – but it does mean we know who we're working with and what we can expect from them.

And finally, take a little time to look at the contractor's track record. How long have they been established? What sort of projects do they normally undertake? Can they provide references? Can you speak to previous customers? What do those customers say about the way the project was managed, rather than just how nice the finished result looked?

Because ultimately, choosing a contractor isn't just about finding someone who can do the work. It's about finding someone you can trust to manage the work, communicate with you, deal with problems and deliver what they've promised.

After more than three decades in construction, we've learnt that the way you work with people is just as important as the work itself. Experience matters, but so do organisation, communication, honesty and taking pride in what you do.

So, before you appoint a contractor, ask questions - and if something doesn't feel clear, ask about that too.

Remember: you don't need to be a construction expert – that's what your contractor is there for.

For us, being a good contractor means doing what you say you're going to do, keeping people informed, solving problems when they arise and taking responsibility for the finished project. We're a family-owned and run business, and our name is attached to every job we undertake. That's something we don't take lightly.

If you're planning a construction, refurbishment, maintenance or facilities project and would like to talk through what you're looking to achieve, get in touch with us. We're always happy to have a chat and see how we can help.