An Architect Explains How To Choose a Building Contractor

How To Choose a Building Contractor

Paul W. Athineos, RA, NCARB of Arcitects' Rule in New York provides 3 important tips on selecting the right contractor:

People should always remember that if the price sounds too good, then it probably is. When selecting a contractor you should always do the following:

1). Ask your architect if he/she can recommend someone. Generally, an experienced architect will know contractors in the area that do good work and are reliable.

2). Always try to get at least two bids from contractors and no more than three. Even if the contractor is a friend, you should always get another price to make sure the . price is reasonable. When there are over three bids it often becomes confusing to the owner because contractors tend to bid on different materials even though they are using the same plans to give their proposal.

3). Consider hiring the architect to supervise the job. More often than not owners need to work in order to pay for the construction. They don't have time to spend watching the job or the experience to understand if the work is perfomed correctly. When the walls are closed it will be to late to know for sure. No one understands the design/plans better than the architect. Experienced architect + Experieced contractor = Job Well Done
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