Home improvement

How to Select a Multifamily General Contractor

Clare Louise 3 years ago 3 min read

Getting yourself the best general contractor can be hectic and especially when it’s your first construction project. Whether you’re a developer yourself or merely looking to invest in a development project, it’s critical to understand what a contractor does and, more significantly, how to choose a skilled, professional contractor who will do the work right. At the end of your project, you will want to be proud of the final outcomes. Therefore, you have to ensure you get yourself the best multifamily general contractor who can diligently and professionally deliver the best services. The following article will give you a hint on how to select the best general contractor for your next project.

Roles of a general contractor

Multifamily and commercial contractors, like general contractors for single-family homes, are in charge of practically every stage of the construction process. This usually entails:

Design: A general contractor will work with the architect on a project to offer changes and enhancements that will save time and money while also lowering risks and potential safety issues.
Permitting: For a building or renovation project, a general contractor is usually in charge of getting all necessary city and county permits.
Hiring subcontractors: A general contractor would typically obtain bids from numerous subcontractors, ranging from plumbers and electricians to flooring specialists and security installation companies, in order to identify the one that offers the best mix of price and quality.

What to Look for in a Multifamily General Contractor

The following tips will help you get yourself the best multifamily general contractor for your next project

Conduct research. A developer or investor may want to explore online, contact other developers for advice, or even identify local homes they like and then look up the contractors who worked on them in city or county records. If they’re using construction financing, they should also inquire about which general contractors their lender recommends. Quality builders often have their hands full in today’s busy construction market, so developers should be aware of general contractors who advertise directly to potential clients.
Start early: Obtaining the necessary approvals from a municipality for major multifamily construction projects can take up to 9 months. Choosing a good general contractor early on in the process might help speed up the process because they are familiar with the permit approval procedure.
Make a thorough project description: The easiest way to acquire an accurate cost estimate and work timeline from a general contractor is to provide a detailed project description.
Obtain proposals from a number of contractors: Contractors should submit at least three competing bids for smaller projects, according to investors and developers. For larger projects, it might be a good idea to get 5-6 quotes, although this depends on the number of firms available in the area. When there are more bids, there is usually greater competition, which means lower prices.
Checking references: As an investor or developer, checking references is an important aspect of your due diligence. You can identify the contractor’s working style in addition to checking that previous clients haven’t had any severe concerns with them. It’s crucial to ask precise questions here, such as how long it took a contractor to respond to their calls and whether the project was completed on schedule and on (or under) budget. You might even want to call past clients (or even former workers) who were not provided as references to get a more complete picture of their reputation and abilities. If a contractor does not provide references, make sure to ask for them, and if they are unwilling to supply them, you might want to search elsewhere.
Prioritize communication: One of the most critical parts of a great general contractor is communication, and finding one that suits your communication style is crucial. While some clients may require daily updates, others may be okay with a check-in every few weeks, so you’ll want to make sure a contractor is willing to be flexible when it comes to communication. This is particularly critical during the planning stages of a project, when a general contractor may be required to attend zoning board and city council meetings in order to get the necessary permits.