15 Questions to Ask a Contractor

1. How does your pricing work?

We utilize either a fixed price or combination of fixed fee/cost plus contract.   http://www.customdwellings.com/demystifying-construction-pricing

2. How is your pricing compared to other builders?

When comparing ourselves to similar companies regarding service and quality, we are more than competitive.

3. What are your weaknesses?

We are a small company and we all ‘wear different hats’.  It can make things challenging, but also allows us to adapt and change quickly.

4. What differentiates you from your competition?

We are a husband-and-wife design/build team with all the design and construction management done in house.

5. What warranty do you provide and what is your philosophy on warranty?

We follow the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association one-year warranty, but always encourage clients to contact us, if they run into problems.  We want to know of any issues, and can often still help, even if technically out of warranty.

6. What was your worst building experience with a homeowner and what did you learn from it?

Telling a client their sewer back up wasn’t our fault, only to find out later that it was.  I learned to gather all the facts and ensure a problem is solved before speaking too soon.

7. How long have you been in business?

We are currently in year 18 of being in business in Marietta, GA

8. How long have you been building?

I started working in construction 28 years ago and for custom home builders and remodelers 25 years ago.

9. What is your education?

Russell –  Mercer University BBA ‘98 and Stephanie – Georgia Tech BS ARCH ‘99

10. How many projects do you have going on at a time?

It varies from month to month, but typically 1-3 projects are in production at a time

11. How do you handle changes?

We use an industry specific project management software to communicate and approve change orders.

12. Who is going to be supervising the construction process?

Day-to-day activities on the job site will be managed by one of our project managers.

13. Can I meet the person who will be the project manager?

Absolutely!  Though we may not have selected the specific project manager yet we would love to have you meet the team.

14. How often do you come to the job?

My goal is to visit each job site at least once per week and more often if the opportunity or need arises. Our Project Managers handle the day-to day on-site activities but as a business owner I stay in the know for every project we have in the build phase.

15. Do you have your own crews or use subcontractors?

We use sub-contractors for all but minor punch out work. It is better to leave the skilled work to those who specialize in their given trade and when it comes to plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, it is a requirement for permitting.

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