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Hiring a commercial contractor is mostly a verification exercise. Almost everything that matters can be checked before you commit, and the firms worth hiring expect the questions.
Verify the basics yourself
- License. Look the contractor up on the California Contractors State License Board website. Confirm the license is active, in the right classification, and check the complaint history.
- Insurance. Ask for a certificate naming general liability, auto and workers compensation, with limits appropriate to your project size.
- Bonding. Ask about bonding capacity even if your project will not be bonded. It is an independent read on financial strength.
- Experience in your building type. A firm that builds warehouses well is not automatically the right choice for a dental office.
Call the references, and call the right ones
Ask for three owners of completed projects similar to yours and, separately, two subcontractors. Subcontractors know whether a general contractor plans well and pays on time, and that shows up in the quality and price of every bid the contractor receives.
A useful reference question: what went wrong on the job, and how did they handle it? Every project has one.
Read the proposal, not just the number
Comparing bids on total price alone is the most common and most expensive mistake. A low number is often a narrower scope. Look at what is excluded, what allowances are carried and at what values, how long the price is held, and whether permit fees, testing, inspections and utility connection charges are inside or outside the number.
Questions worth asking in the interview
- Who is the superintendent, and how many other jobs will they run at the same time?
- How do you handle a subcontractor who falls behind?
- What is your change order process, and how quickly do I get pricing?
- How often will I get a schedule update, and in what form?
- What are the three biggest risks you see on this project right now?
That last question is the most revealing. A contractor who has thought about your project will answer it specifically. One who has not will answer it generally.
Target Constructors has been licensed and building in Fresno County since 1985, and we are happy to hand over license numbers, insurance certificates and references before you ask twice.
Planning a project in Fresno County?
We have been building here since 1985. Tell us what you are working on and we will give you a straight read on scope, schedule and budget.
