Choosing the right construction company can be a tricky process. Luckily, you can follow a rather easy checklist to weed out the real professionals from the lasso-wielding cowboy contractors. Safety and financial stability are at stake. Here are 5 things to check when hiring a construction company for a job on your property.
Are They Properly Insured?
It is vitally important that you check whether the construction company you are hiring is correctly and comprehensively insured by a provider like kbdinsurance.com. No construction project is completely free of risk, and insurance helps to mitigate the financial uncertainty that is inherent in such risk. Everything from worker accidents to property damage can cause financial detriment, and if the construction company is not insured then the financial cost of these incidents can end up falling at the property owners’ feet. You don’t want to have to go to court to claim compensation from a construction company. If they are insured correctly, this never has to be the case.
Do They Hire Union Workers?
Unions are immensely important in the construction industry. Unions are bodies set up to help protect the rights and safety conditions of their members. Non-union workers suffer from far higher rates of accidents and mishaps than their member colleagues. Although union workers typically demand slightly higher pay than non-covered workers, they are far more likely to be competent at their job and have the power to challenge employers that are running unsafe sites. Always hire companies that use union workers for a job. As well as the practical benefits of decreasing accidents and improving conditions, the hiring of a union workforce is a good indication of the trustworthiness of a construction company.
Are They Experienced?
You’ll be wanting to hire a construction company that has experience with similar projects to your own. It is not too hard to figure out whether a company is sufficiently experienced in the field. As well as asking the company representatives themselves, you can look for consumer reviews mentioning the kind of tasks that the company has been hired for. Hiring an inexperienced construction company is a very poor idea if you are in any way adverse to risk.
Are They a Member of a Trade Organization?
There are a great many construction trade organizations in the United States – each relating to a different construction speciality. Construction companies that want to join one of these organizations must meet rigorous standards, which makes hiring a company that has membership a far safer bet than hiring one without. Most trade organizations hold lists of their members, which can make picking out an accredited company very easy.
Do They Have Registered Specialists in Their Ranks?
Always pick a construction company that has registered electricians and plumbing specialists on hand. If you don’t, you may have to foot the bill for the hiring of 3rd party specialists during the project, and this could end up being expensive.