The Benefits of Professional Project Management
When starting a construction project, your first step should always be to hire an experienced general contractor willing to take on the risk that your project presents. Throughout this blog post, we’ll highlight some reasons why hiring a professional general contractor is the best thing you can do for your project’s ultimate success.
Continue reading for helpful information regarding the expectations you should have throughout a construction project and why working with a professional general contractor is always an advantage.
Detailed Consultation Process
Consulting with the general contractor you’ve hired is the process of telling the contractor in detail about the job they’re about to take on. Every aspect of the project will be discussed at length throughout the consultation, including the timeline, budget, costs, etc. A detailed consultation process is always the first step in a construction project, and there are many reasons for that.
The most important reason to begin with a consultation is that it’s the process of the client and the contractor getting on the same page so they can complete the job with total success. A consultation establishes trust between the two parties, opens lines of communication, and ensures that everyone is working with a common goal in mind.
Organization of Ideas
General contractors have a great deal of experience in construction projects. When you hire the right contractor, you’re committing to working with someone who knows the ins and outs of the process, has seen all the common pitfalls before, and can steer you towards success in every aspect.
Your general contractor will help you organize the project by taking your ideas and making them buildable. They organize the worksite, hire subcontractors, schedule workers, order supplies, and do everything needed to make the idea on paper come to life. General contractors are good at making your project a reality and getting the job done by any means necessary.
Helpful Suggestions
Most of the time, ideas aren’t fully fleshed out before the general contractor is hired. Most clients have a rough idea of their project but not a complete plan. The general contractor’s job is to clarify the process and give the client manageable suggestions to improve the project.
For example, here at Sherhill Construction, we’ve completed many projects and know what works and what doesn’t. If you present an idea to us that needs adjustment, we’ll point your project in the right direction towards success. Maybe this means changing your materials or bringing in a specialist to complete a particular aspect. Whatever we need to do, we’ll ensure we’re always working in our client’s best interests.
Risk vs. Reward
An often ignored but equally important skill that a general contractor brings to the table is the ability to manage risk vs. reward. Regardless of your project, there is a massive amount of risk involved. Hiring a general contractor allows you to mitigate and minimize those risks through their expertise, experience, and relationships with subcontractors and other specialists. You’re paying your general contractor for organization, communication, and proper resource allocation throughout the process, helping lower the risk that your building project won’t work out.
Forecasting the Job Timeline
By assessing various factors, a talented general contractor like Sherhill Construction will be able to forecast how the project will go and how long each aspect will take. This skill enables us to create an accurate timeline of the project.
Of course, certain factors can never be predicted—personal matters, weather, and other things outside our control can and often do affect project completions. However, beginning from a baseline as accurate as possible means a general contractor can help you plan for the future and be braced for any surprises.
Managing Expectations
The general contractor you hire will be very experienced with many jobs under their belts. They’ll therefore be able to provide information to the client throughout the project and help them manage their expectations and frustrations with the building process.
A general contractor is an expectation manager par excellence. Because they’ve seen so many projects, they’ll be able to communicate with clients what they should expect. They’ll let you know whether something can be done because communication is critical in this line of work!
Taking Responsibility for the Construction Project
In taking on a new job, the general contractor effectively takes responsibility for the job, including the risks and liability. Fortunately, any reputable general contractor will have the right insurance and licenses to mitigate any potential financial risks involved in the construction.
Being a general contractor is being a project manager. There are many moving parts in a construction project, and with them come many risks. Your general contractor will take full responsibility for those risks so you can rest easy throughout the process.
Finding the Right Subcontractors and Specialists
An experienced general contractor like Sherhill Construction knows all the best specialists and subcontractors in the area. We’re always able to bolster the success of our projects by hiring tried-and-true specialists for specific parts of the job that require individualized focus. These aspects might include plumbing and electrical work or specialized custom carpentry. We’re on a first-name basis with these specialists and can always ensure our clients receive the top workmanship.
We also know all the area’s best materials suppliers, so we can secure the right materials without massive delays holding up the construction. Both of these factors will play into the success, and the quality of the results of your project and are yet another advantage of working with an experienced general contractor.
Dealing With Inspections and Permissions
Potentially one of the most significant delays you could face on your project will have to do with safety and inspection agencies. The general contractor you work with will handle the inspection and safety agencies' inquiries, providing what these agencies look for and ensuring that all their requirements are met.
In Conclusion:
Working with one of the best local general contractors enables you to complete your construction project without unnecessary stress, time, and money spent. The contractor you choose is being hired to manage that stress for you—that’s the greatest advantage of hiring a general contractor.
A general contractor is an all-around specialist in the building. They’re well-versed in all construction areas and will work for you to ensure the process goes smoothly. If you’re embarking on your own project and looking for the right contractor for you, we encourage you to get in touch with Sherhill Construction at (437) 500-3700.