Are you searching for a concrete contractor for a key project that you need to complete? Whether it’s commercial or a private job, this guide will explain everything that you need to know before you commit to this crucial hire.
Whether you’re building a shed pad, completing a patio in your backyard or relaying a driveway, it is a must to hire a concrete contractor! A contractor like this will also be essential for a variety of commercial construction projects.
At US Concrete Inc. we can provide support on projects both large and small. We always aim to ensure that our clients are left one hundred percent satisfied with the completion of a project like this. We understand how important this decision is and the key questions that you must consider when selecting a contractor!
Regardless of whether or not you choose to use our services, we want to make sure that you make the right decision here! Let’s take a look at some of the top details that you need to know before you hire a concrete contractor.
Your Budget
First, you need to think about the budget for your project and how much you have available to spend on a concrete contractor. Ideally, you should make sure that you set a fixed amount that you can afford to pay. This will be important when you are speaking to different contractors and getting quotes for their services.
When you determine your budget, make sure that you are taking all the factors into consideration. Don’t forget that the cost will differ depending on the project that you are completing! The expense for completing a garage floor will not be the same as the cost of a sidewalk.
When you speak to individual contractors, they should be able to provide you with full quotes for their services. The costs here should be completely transparent. There should no doubt about what you are paying for when you choose a contractor! If you are unsure of a particular cost, the contractor should be able to explain it to you in terms that you can easily understand.
You should always arrange quotes from a number of companies. By getting a few quotes, you can make sure that you understand the type of price that you should expect to pay. You’ll be able to avoid overpaying or paying less than you should for a service.
Remember, paying less than the average can be just as dangerous as paying more! It could mean that you are dealing with a contractor that is inexperienced or unable to provide a high quality of service. It may even impact the quality of the materials that are used for your project.
The Project
Next, you need to understand the project you are completing. This will be important when determining whether a contractor has the right level of skill or experience that you need. For instance, we provide a wide range of services to our clients including:
- Shed Pads
- Footings
- Garage Floors
- Rat Walls
- Patio
- Driveways
- Brick/Block Work
These are just some of the options we provide. However, by exploring the services page of a company, you can gain a good grasp on the type of project that they typically complete. This can help you determine if they are the right business for your needs.
You should also consider whether this is a private or commercial project. Some contractors specialize in one or the other. Others will be able to provide their services to both types of clients.
When you are assessing the type of project, you should keep in mind the scale as well. Is the contractor that you are considering able to complete work on larger projects? Are they a suitable choice for the smaller project that you are working on? These are questions that you need to answer before you decide to hire them.
If you are unsure about whether they have worked on a project similar to the one that you need completed, you should make sure that you inquire with the contractor directly. A professional contractor will be able to address any questions that you might have.
Level Of Experience
Next, you should think about the level of experience of a contractor that you are considering using. As a good rule of thumb, a concrete contractor should have upwards of five years of experience in the market. Many of the best contractors will have far more than this.
More experience should provide you with a certain peace of mind. It will inform you that you are using a trusted team that other clients have relied on before.
A major issue with using a new concrete contractor is that they will largely be untested. While they might be able to provide a fantastic solution for you, there is absolutely no guarantee that this is going to be the case.
You should ask about their past experiences too. It’s useful to gain real examples of the work they have completed. Most businesses will have a full portfolio of the projects that they have worked on before or they might have case studies that you can review. If there is nothing like this, then there should at the very least be references for you to explore.
All of this provides evidence of a contractor’s experience on the market before you commit to using their particular service. If a contractor doesn’t have a great level of experience in the area you need, you can still use their services. However, the results could be questionable at best.
Reviews
When you do explore different concrete contractors, you need to make sure that you are thinking about the different reviews that they have received. It’s important that you explore the direct opinions of previous clients. Reviews for businesses like this should not be difficult to find. There should be a variety of different reviews online that you can easily assess yourself.
If you can’t find reviews, then you may want to contact the company and ask for referrals from previous clients. This will, again, help you ascertain whether the contractor has a list of previous clients who are pleased with the work that they completed.
If a contractor has zero reviews from previous clients, this might be because they are fresh on the market. However, you should approach a contractor like this with caution. They could also be hiding negative reviews that they have from past clients.
You check a few different sources for reviews including Google, Yelp and even Facebook. Social networks are a smart place to check for negative reviews as businesses won’t be able to avoid the mentions of their brand. A quick search here should inform you whether there is any negative buzz surrounding a business.
Remember, a couple of negative reviews are common for any business. However, you should approach with caution if there is a clear pattern of prevalent issues with the service that is mentioned through reviews. The issues in question could include workers showing up late, poor quality final results, and problems with safety standards on the worksite itself.
Health And Safety
Whenever you hire a contractor to complete work on a project, you always need to think about health and safety. You need to ensure that you are protected in case anything goes wrong with the project, or in the case that anyone gets injured.
First, you should check with a contractor to make sure that each of their team members has health and safety training. You might assume this is a given. However, you would be amazed at how many contractors put health and safety as a secondary priority. As such, it’s important to ask about this directly and potentially get written approval through something like an email.
Next, you should explore what type of coverage is in place from the business. You need to make sure that the contractor has the correct insurance coverage! Typically a contractor should have general liability insurance as well as workers compensation. These two different types of coverage will guarantee that you don’t have to worry about being left in trouble financially if something does go wrong.
You should also gain a written agreement that if there is a problem with the project, the contractor will work to resolve the issue. This will provide you with the security you need that a job will be completed to the highest standard of quality and that you will be completely satisfied with the results. If a company is unable to commit to an agreement like this, it should make you question whether they are the right business for your needs!
It’s definitely worth exploring where your liability begins and ends in this type of situation. You need to understand what you are accountable for in terms of an incident that occurs with your project. You may also want to contact the insurance company of a contractor to ensure that their coverage is active and valid for the job in question, just to be on the safe side!
Ideas For Your Project
Don’t forget, there are a lot of benefits and reasons to hire a concrete contractor for a project. First, it provides a transfer of liability. If something does go wrong it will be up to them to fix it. This means that you don’t need to worry about correcting an expensive mistake!
It’s also worth noting that pouring concrete will never be a single person task. Even moderate-sized jobs will require multiple people for the work here. While you could use friends or family members, it’s unlikely that they’re going to have the level of experience or knowledge to complete this job the right way.
With a contractor, you should be able benefit from their advanced knowledge. They should be able to provide you with ideas about the best ways to approach your project. They should understand what is going to look good and how to guarantee that the results will last in the long term.
When you meet with a contractor, you should always feel comfortable enough to ask them questions. Test their knowledge on your project! They will typically have suggestions about the best way to approach another contractor.
If you don’t have a great level of communication with a contractor, this could cause an issue. They should be honest with you and willing to tell you whether your goals are realistic and attainable.
Planning Permission
It is absolutely vital that you think in terms of planning permission and what approval is necessary before you can start work on your project. This will differ based on the work or project you are completing.
If you have any doubts here, then you should be able to speak to your contractor about this. They should be fully aware of the different requirements depending on both the job and location.
If they seem to have no knowledge of different requirements for a job, this could be another red flag. It might suggest that they are inexperienced or untrustworthy. Perhaps they haven’t completed work on as many projects as suggested previously.
A contractor may not handle permissions for you and ensure that they pass through without a hitch. However, they should be able to give you key advice and ensure that you know where you stand before you even think about completing work.
Get In Touch
As you can see, there are numerous details that you should consider when you are choosing a concrete contractor. If you take these factors in mind, you will be able to make an informed decision and ensure that there aren’t any issues with the services that you choose.
If you would like more advice, please make sure that you contact us today. A friendly member of our team will be able to assist you and answer any questions that you may have. Our aim is to guarantee that you are one hundred percent satisfied with the services that we offer!