Hiring a Commercial General Contractor? Don’t Forget to Ask These 7 Important Questions.

Snyder Construction Group prides itself on serving Southwest Missouri and surrounding states with commercial general contracting services for all types of development projects, from multi-family housing and retail to education and healthcare.

Today, we highlight seven important questions to ask a commercial general contractor before you hire one.

1) What does the process look like in the beginning?

Development projects take time to complete. Planning is the first step before any boots hit the ground and the first shovel of dirt flies through the air. A robust preconstruction plan is the most important part of any project. It establishes a budget, schedule, and procurement details within the timeframe of your project.

It’s also critical that all of these aspects are monitored and maintained from start to finish.

The answer your commercial general contractor gives to this question gives you some insight into who the company is. You want a company that's actively working on at least some contracts. If the contractor isn’t going to be busy working on any projects six months from now, you can follow up with another question as to why.

Winter is no excuse. Good commercial contractors will be busy throughout the year.

2) Who will work on my project on a daily basis?

This is where great planning comes into play. We will outline a schedule of the project and who will supervise the project from start to finish. That way, you'll always know who is in charge or working on-site and when.

Communication is vitally important to any commercial construction project. Snyder Construction Group will outline, to the best of our abilities, who is at your construction site throughout the build.

3) How often will you update me on the progress of my project?

The answer to this question is two-fold.

First, your chosen commercial general contractor should outline the work to come during the planning stage every three weeks at a minimum.. The on-site superintendent oversees the day-to-day operations of your development. You, as the owner and developer, can contact the project manager any time with questions, comments, or concerns.

Second, you will know precisely how you will receive communications from your construction team. You can specify when and how you want someone to communicate with you based on your priorities.

We believe communication is absolutely vital to every project to make sure we handle everything up to your expectations, and great communication and collaboration builds trust.

4) What subcontractors will work on my project?

Commercial general contractors understand their valuable trade partners and what they bring to each project, from concrete companies, framers, and roofers to electricians, plumbers, and site subcontractor. You will receive a list of all subcontractors we hire before your project begins.

5) What is the payment schedule?

The best commercial general contractors discuss payment terms during the planning phase of your project. You will have no surprises when it comes to when payments are due and how much those payments are.

6) What problems do you anticipate, and how will you mitigate them?

While we all want plans to work perfectly, excellent planning takes into account unexpected things that will happen. The weather might cause delays. Once we start digging at a site, there might be an underground tank 10 feet beneath the surface that didn’t show up in a site study. Materials were delayed due to shipping snafus beyond our control. Materials arrived at the site damaged, broken, or they’re the wrong items.

We can’t anticipate everything. Delays or setbacks can still happen. But with proper planning and execution, we streamline your project to overcome delays and deliver great service. We clarify our internal processes with you upfront, so there's no confusion on the process.

7) How will you protect my company’s interests?

Everyone your commercial general contractor hires should be fully insured. The general contractor on the project also carries insurance.

We also communicate with you regularly, give you references from clients, and create an open, collaborative effort with your team.

Talk to Snyder Construction Group Today

If you are interested in partnering with Snyder Construction Group or receiving consultation on a current project, we’d be happy to connect with you.

Contact us online, or call (417) 887-6897.