Hanson eBook

7 SECRETS TO PICKING THE RIGHT CONTRACTOR

HANSONTransforming Commercial Interiors

Picking the right contractor can be difficult and often leads to a lot of worry, stress and uncertainty. People make mistakes when deciding and pay the price later. Books are written about it. TV shows are filmed about it. Lives are devastated because of it.

So we wanted to share some of our experiences and expertise with you, and tell you some of our secrets about what to look out for.

And as the average person can only remember 7 things, we're hoping you remember our 7 secrets to picking the right contractor so you have an excellent experience on your project.

41232HANSONTransforming Commercial Interiors

1. Are they health and safety

conscious?

Finding a contractor who's serious about health and

safety on any construction project is vital. You want it to

be a painless experience, literally!

Any safety-conscious contractor will carefully plan and

prepare the right documentation to ensure that not only

is their workforce going to be safe, but yours too. And a

yellow hat and a `wet floor` sign strategically placed in

your blind spot simply won't cut it.

Accidents do happen. In 2012/13, 148 workers were

fatally injured. So anyone serious about health and

safety will be happy to share their policies and best-

practice with both you and anyone else who may be on

site. So ask to see a Risk Assessments, Method

Statements and a Health and Safety Policy and make

sure you're confident that everybody on the site will be

safe before any work begins.


2. Are they like-minded?

If the shoe doesn't fit, you'll get sore feet. And nobody

likes sore feet.

It's vital that your contractor shares your values, your

work ethics and your principles. You want people that

take care and pride in the work that they do, with

those old fashioned values of getting the job done

properly.

And that doesn't mean finding the cheapest quote.

That means finding the contractor that feels right, who

offers good overall value for money, who you'll feel

comfortable working with for the duration of the

project.

Running your business and preparing to hit the ground

running when the project is finished is essential to

your success, so you want to be working with someone

compatible.

And you can't hit the ground running with sore feet!


3. Do they share accountability,

ownership and responsibility?

On every project, everybody has a responsibility.

Everybody is accountable for the work being

completed. Everybody takes ownership of every part of

the project.

The right contractor will be properly qualified and have

all the right documentation, insurances and policies in

place, so that everyone involved is 100% clear how

they contribute to the end product. No blame, no

excuses and no denial. Just solutions and shared

enthusiasm to solve any problems and complete the

job.

And that includes you!

The right contractor shouldn't take the ownership,

accountability and responsibility away from you. They

should share it with you so you can work together to

get the most fantastic, stress-free and smooth finish

to the work.


4. Are they positive about

problems?

Problems always arise. It doesn't matter how well you

plan and prepare, something unexpected always

happens. It causes panic, stress and unnecessary

worry.

But the problem isn't the problem. It's how you deal

with it that really matters! It's NOT dealing with the

problem that's the problem.

But problems don't go away. So using a contractor that

takes a positive and honest approach to tackling

problems when they arise will take the panic, stress

and unnecessary worry out of your project. Find out

how they have dealt with previous problems, and how

they used their creativity and initiative to create,

present and deliver positive solutions to ensure every

project runs smoothly.

So ask your contractor, how do you deal with problems

WHEN they arise?


5. Are they environmentally aware?

Captain Planet may have been a hero, but he didn't

take pollution down to zero! He certainly did his bit,

but ill-fitting Speedos and an enthusiastically

outstretched fist can only do so much.

We all need to do our bit to help create a greener

future and prevent unnecessary waste. Global

warming and the depletion of the natural resources on

our planets is real, and we all should be concerned

about it.

A modern and energy-efficient contractor makes the

most of every inch of their materials and sources

materials and energy from sustainable and renewable

sources where possible. So ask your contractor to see

their Environmental Action Plan to see how they

reduce their impact on the environment.

And greener doesn't always mean more expensive! A

more efficient process often means less waste and

lower costs, and those savings can be passed onto

you.


6. Can you trust their bank balance?

You've heard the horror stories. Someone uses a

contractor who runs out of money mid-way through a

project. And the poor old soul who parted with their

hard-earned cash is left with no funds to get the job

finished, and a job half finished!

It's a scary reality. So ask your potential contractor to

fill out a pre-qualification questionnaire, or search for

reputable contractors using sites like Government-

owned Constructionline to find out if they're financially

viable and help weed out those cowboy contractors

you want to avoid.

In today's economic climate it's more important than

ever to do your research before you part with any

cash, so you can have peace of mind knowing that

your money has been well spent and your project will

be completed just as you expected.


7. Do they lay it all out clearly?

Time and time again our clients tell us how work

they've had done in the past started at one price, then

ended at another! And when you're in that position, it's

difficult to get out of. You're backed into a corner,

because either the project comes to a standstill, or you

pay for the extras to finish the job.

Whilst problems do arise and not everything can be

fully anticipated, it's important you pick a contractor

with experience in handling similar projects, and an

honest approach to what needs doing.

So don't go for the lowest price. Go for honesty about

the costs, time and what the job really entails, even if it

looks more expensive than you thought. And ask for a

detailed schedule and specification covering all aspects

of the project, so you can be confident it will be

finished on time, on budget.


Get in touch

So there you have it. Our 7 secrets to picking the right

contractor!

And yes, we do all these things.

But don't just take our word for it. We want you to be

prudent, detailed and thorough, so ask us anything

you like and we'll give you honest answers.

Phone

0114 234 0531

Email

[email protected]

Address

Unit 39 Nutwood Estate, Limestone Cottage

Lane, Sheffield, S6 1NJ


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