Have an upcoming project, but don’t know where to start in the sea of available general contractors and various trades? Let us help you simply the process by looking into some of the important aspects you should look into before signing a contract.

With the ever-growing demand of skilled labour and trades, the construction industry has evolved over the years at a very fast pace. Previously, word of mouth referrals was the main source of information search during the consumer purchase decision. However, with the ever-important increase in in online marketing, this approach has been slightly altered.

It is highly known that positive word of mouth marketing is very effective at turning satisfied clients into repeat customers and brand ambassadors. A happy client can lead to many referrals and almost act as a brand advocate for your business and the great work you completed for them. Then only notion now is that online presence has slightly lowered the weight of referral importance in the buying decision.

Taking this into consideration, homeowners and client need to realize some things:

– online presence can be imitated and not a true representation;

– you typically get what you pay for;

– it takes two to tango.

Let’s break down the above assumptions into a little more detail to showcase how you can prevent falling victim to an unpleasant construction transaction.

ONLINE PRESENCE

With so many options available for the information search phase of the consumer buying decision model, it can be over whelming to validate your findings. You have to ask yourself if the reviews seem too good to be true and if the company is actually completing the work they claim to have done. As a consumer – we recommend having a phone call and / or site visit to really feel out the provider. If they know what they are talking about, their online vision will remain true and not become a blurry cloud of lies during your discussions.

PRICE

We all know price is important, but typically it is focused on too much. Within the construction industry, especially in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), price has become a heavy factor that is diminishing the true value of hiring a professional. Understandably, it is an important factor, but not the only one that should be considered.

A business may offer a better price but have many backend stipulations that you have not yet asked for or are unaware of.  It is extremely important to ask for an expected schedule of completion, how many visits are included within the price, payment schedule and percentages, warranty on the workmanship, and much more. These questions can help save you lots of time, unforeseen expenses, and tons of headaches.

TIME TO DANCE

When we say tango, we don’t actually mean dance. The line is more significant and underlining the condition that both the client and provider need to work with each other. Similar to dancing, you have to work with each other through communication and trust to create a beautiful masterpiece. Without stepping on each other’s toes, it is important for both parties to do their part during this “construction dance”. The client needs to let the contractor lead through experience and knowledge, believe in the process, and be willing listen. The contractor needs to deliver what is expected, communicate, and be responsive among other things. This will allow for a great “construction performance” that will leave both parties happy and others cheering at the workmanship.

Ultimately some things will stick out more than ever. Make sure the general contractor and trade offers experience, has the required resources to complete the job, has great communication, provides value-engineering ideas to make recommendations, and a strong financial responsibility or records.

Are you looking for a contractor? Contact us today so we can explain to you how we can meet and exceed all of your needs!