You finally bought a lot and have grand plans to establish a commercial building and make profits. But you won’t reap its benefits if it just remains a plan. General commercial contractors can help you turn your dreams into a reality.
General commercial contractors are knowledgeable and skilled individuals who represent their clients to oversee an overall construction project from start to finish.
You might ask, “Why do you need to hire them if you can supervise the project yourself, especially if it is just a small commercial building?”
Importance of General Commercial Contractors
Even though you may trim some costs initially by not getting a general commercial contractor, you might end up spending more in the long run.
Once you decide to build a commercial building, there will be a lot of considerations. It includes hiring handypersons, buying materials, applying for permits, and other monstrous tasks.
These tasks can be overwhelming for laypeople who are not experts in the construction process. Unless you are a contractor yourself, you deserve someone trustworthy and knowledgeable in construction to lift your burden in overseeing the overall construction project.
Although there are a lot of benefits in hiring a contractor, there are still some commercial property owners who would rather do all the legwork themselves. They prefer to choose their materials, research on their own, and hire handypersons to eliminate costs.
If you are knowledgeable in construction, it may not be a problem for you. But if not, you might end up relying on what your handypersons can do and pray that the results will go well.
To help you decide if you should hire a contractor or supervise the construction yourself, read the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
Supervising the Construction Yourself
Advantages:
Trims down some labour cost
Because you choose to do the legwork yourself, it cuts down the cost of hiring a commercial contractor.
Total freedom in choosing the materials, workforce, and supplies you like
Nobody is there to persuade or give you suggestions. You have control over which materials to buy, where to get your supplies from, and who to hire.
Complete awareness of the project’s progress
Because you have to oversee the construction yourself, you have to know what is going on to ensure that it will go according to your plan.
Disadvantages:
Limited knowledge
Unless you are a contractor or engineer, you must research the necessary permits to acquire and get them yourself. If a problem arises, you are on your own, solve it yourself, or rely on your handypersons to solve them.
Against the law
Depending on your location, not hiring a contractor might be against the law. Some states require commercial owners to hire a licensed commercial contractor before the construction starts.
Wastes time
You have to dedicate much of your time overseeing the workers, the inventory of materials, surveying your site, and other construction tasks. Because of this, you might not have enough time to do more critical tasks, such as preparing for the opening of your business.
Having to pay more expenses
Because you choose to do the legwork yourself, it might cause some problems in the future. There are possibilities that your workers might poorly install your utilities, or the materials you use are not ideal for the business you plan.
As a result, you might have to shell out more money to repair the damages caused by the poor construction of your commercial building to save your investment.
Hiring a Commercial General Contractor
Advantages:
Lifts off your burden
General commercial contractors oversee the construction process from acquiring the necessary permits until the project is finished. You do not have to go to the site to supervise everything.
You only have to talk to your contractor to learn what is going on with the project. Some contractors, such as MKJ, assign a project manager as your go-to person to consult with if you have questions.
General commercial contractors know the permits needed for your building’s construction and process them for you. They also know the law regarding commercial construction and ensure that you will not have any legal issues about it in the future. For this reason, delays will be minimal.
Saves your time
Because you have someone to supervise your property, you don’t need to go to the site and monitor its progress. You will have more time to do more important activities.
Makes you feel at ease
When you hire the right contractor for the job, you will have nothing to worry about.
Trustworthy general commercial contractors have a license. If an accident happens under their supervision, you are free from the liabilities and responsibilities of paying the workers’ hospital bills and salaries.
Because you do not have to do all the legwork, you can only sit back, relax, and wait for updates regarding the construction progress.
You do not have to worry about scheduling, paperwork, inventory of supplies and materials, and other demanding tasks because your contractor will do it for you.
Gets the result you want
General commercial contractors are knowledgeable in all construction aspects. They know the suitable materials to use, efficient working hours, and proper budgeting of your money.
They are problem-solvers who are trained to think fast when an issue arises, ensuring that there’ll be minimal delays in the project. You can guarantee that your commercial construction will go as nearly as planned.
Disadvantages:
Higher budget needed
Overseeing the overall construction project is a huge task. That’s why commercial contractors deserve to have a reasonable pay for their services. The good news is, many contractors offer a free quote for you to compare prices.
Destroys your investment if you hire the wrong contractor for the job
It can only be a problem if you employ unskilled contractors or unlicensed ones. If you happen to hire the right people for the job, there is nothing for you to worry about because your investment is in good hands.
What Can A Commercial Developments General Commercial Contractor Supervise
The following are the typical commercial developments you can trust your contractor to supervise:
- Commercial development construction projects
- Plumbing, HVAC, and electrical systems repairs and installations
- Renovation, remodelling, and extension.
What to Look for When Hiring a Commercial General Contractor
All builders, contractors, and some handypersons can claim that they are general commercial contractors. It is vital to refer to the following to ensure you get the best hire.
Experience, Knowledge, and Skills
Contractors will oversee everything in the construction process. They need to be able to handle the following responsibilities, depending on the project’s needs.
Facilitates permit application
They should know the proper permits to obtain before the commencement of the construction. They also need to work with lawyers to ensure that the establishment will comply with the law.
Buys and Procures the Right Materials and Equipment.
They buy the materials needed for the project based on the budget and ensure they are at the site when required.
Hires enough workforce
They hire handypersons who can help in the laborious process of making your construction plans a reality.
Oversees other related tasks
It includes engineering, site surveying, and proper waste management for scraps.
Answers to you
They communicate and update you about the project’s progress.
For general commercial contractors to do all these roles efficiently, they must have had enough knowledge and experience. If a problem arises, they can refer to their previous experience to learn how to solve it.
It is essential to ask your prospective contractor about their similar past construction projects. It will also help you have a clear idea of what you want your commercial building to become and filter out the general commercial contractors based on your standards.
Because the project is enormous, a contractor should know the proper permits to apply for and the suitable materials to use based on your budget.
License
Not all commercial general contractors are licensed. It is vital to choose the one who is. It will free you from possible responsibilities that might arise in the future.
There are two reasons some general commercial contractors do not have a license:
Obtaining a license is expensive
Applying and maintaining a license is expensive. That is why if there are general commercial contractors who offer their services at a low price, you should look for a license first. It might be the reason they are willing to provide their services at a low price.
Frequent damages and accidents
Another reason they refuse to obtain a license is due to their bad history of frequently getting involved in accidents and causing property damages. You would never want to hire a contractor with this history.
Healthy Financing
Aside from a license, looking into your prospect contractor’s financial document is equally important. Many business owners who experience delays in their commercial building construction, commonly have economic issues with their general commercial contractors.
Examples of the issues are tax problems, poor liquidity, bad credit rating, and other financial problems.
A commercial contracting company with nothing to hide must be willing to disclose its financial documents. They know that you only want to look at their financial capabilities to support their employees and business, which can also affect your project.
Mode of Communication:
It is your contractor’s responsibility to always communicate with you. You are the project’s primary supervisor, and the contractor’s role is to take this position as your representation. As an owner, you only deserve to know what is going on with your property.
Before hiring a contractor, ask the mode of communication to receive the updates. Is it via mobile app, email, or phone call?
Bid
A bid refers to the detailed plan of the project that includes all the actions and costs needed. If your prospect contractor gives it to you, do not hesitate to ask what is not mentioned in the bid. After all, nobody likes hidden costs and sudden expenses.
Conclusion
We understand how big, challenging, and overwhelming a commercial construction project is. It is hard to have no one to consult with regarding the needed construction permits and doing the legwork yourself.
MKJ is happy to do all these monstrous tasks for you. We are licensed and insured. That is why we can guarantee that your property is in good hands. Moreover, we never leave our projects until our clients are delighted.
Do not risk wasting your investment on not getting the proper permits, hiring the wrong people, or getting inappropriate materials. Do not gamble your dream and investment just for a low initial cost.
Contact us now, and let’s talk about your plans for your property. Let’s make sure that you will have peace of mind in the entire construction process, and watch your dreams become reality.
