Building A Relationship With A General Contractor

By Nancy K. Crevier

Even in the heat of summer, carpenters pound nails, roofers tack down shingles, plumbers connect pipes, and electricians are shockingly busy. For the homeowner who is not handy, though, summer offers a lot of time to ponder projects and think about which of those building professionals is going to be hammering out a new addition or kitchen next fall.

Two local general contractors with businesses in Newtown offered pointers homeowners can take to ensure that any building project moves along and results in a happy outcome. Picking out a general contractor is a vital part of the building process for anyone planning to take on a project outside their own skill levels, said Frank Corlacurcio and Bruce Goulart, each with more than 30 years of general contracting experience. Both men’s businesses specialize in additions and remodeling, and complete building projects, as well.

When a job is big enough that it is going to involve several building professionals — carpenters, drywallers, plumbers, electricians — it is time to get a general contractor, said Mr Goulart.

“The general contractor is there to hire and coordinate the different contractors and to make sure that the work is completed on time, the way the homeowner wants it done,” he said.

Not only does the general contractor see to those things, said, Mr Corlacurcio, but making sure that the subcontractors are there when they are needed and that the proper materials are on site on time are other responsibilities of the general contractor.

A homeowner must have an architecturally engineered floor plan to present to the contractor, said Mr Corlacurcio, in order for permits to be issued and for the workers to understand what the homeowner wants. “A legitimate contractor will try to make a customer happy,” said Mr Corlacurcio.

When a homeowner is ready to hire a general contractor, these professionals suggested investigating licensing, insurance, and reputation, and getting referrals from the general contractor as the best ways to determine which general contractor to hire.

“See how long a contractor has been in business in the area,” suggested Mr Corlacurcio, “and ask to see photos of work they have done, or go visit a work site.”

“The very first contact you have with a general contractor should tell you about that person,” Mr Goulart said. “You do have to go by your instincts a little bit, too.”

Questions For The Homeowner

Questions a homeowner should ask themselves, said Mr Goulart, before entering into a contract include: Did the general contractor return your initial call promptly? Did the general contractor come to your home and look at it? Was the general contractor on time for any appointments?

“Ask yourself, ‘Would I feel comfortable having this person in my home? Does he put me in a comfortable place?’ This is so important, because the general contractor and the subcontractors he hires are going to be in your house from very early till very late for many weeks,” Mr Goulart said.

Nor should homeowners merely ask for references, he added. “Check them out. I am amazed that hardly anyone ever calls the references. They just don’t do it, and I don’t know why.”

Finding a good contractor can be as easy as asking a neighbor or trusted acquaintance who they used for a project, said Mr Goulart. “If someone you know is happy [with a general contractor’s work], you will probably be happy, too.”

For newcomers to an area, who may not know neighbors or have contacts established, contacting local business owners who are knowledgeable about local building professionals is an option for finding a general contractor, suggested Mr Goulart. “New residents do have to do a little more work, but they can get names, check the references, and then, go with a gut feeling.”

A written contract is another essential before embarking on a big project, said Mr Corlacurcio and Mr Goulart. The contract clarifies when the project will begin, an estimated finish date, project costs, and a payment schedule at the very least.

“Some of these contracts can be 15 to 20 pages long on big jobs,” said Mr Corlacurcio, “but the homeowner needs to read, review, and approve the contract.”

The written word staves off a lot of potential problems, but Mr Corlacurcio and Mr Goulart said that it is vital to have a good line of communication between homeowner and general contractor as the job progresses. Discuss the plans and any potential changes before work begins and give the general contractor a good idea of how the finished project is envisioned beyond what is on paper. If there are crucial dates — weddings, graduations, vacations — that will impact the work schedule, the homeowner needs to let the general contractor know up front, said both men.

“Talk is cheap,” Mr Corlacurcio stated. “Delays on a job can be due to homeowners making changes when work is underway. If the change involves something major, like a load-bearing wall, that’s an architectural change and it needs to be done quickly and approved in order to continue work. Try to think about these things ahead of time and talk them over with the contractor,” he said.

Communication Pays

“From day one, have good communication,” urged Mr Goulart. “The little things that a homeowner may not think count, really do. Changes along the way are inevitable, though. I’ve never had unreasonable requests at reasonable points in a job. The more preplanning the homeowner and general contractor do, though, the less dramatic the changes will be,” he said.

Building is a stressful time for homeowners, what with the disruption to the daily schedule and the noise, Mr Goulart said, and prior bad experiences with unscrupulous or incompetent contractors can put people on edge to begin with. “Every contractor is different, but I don’t even ask for money until the entire job is completed. Money is always an issue with remodeling and addition jobs. Everyone agrees and says they are willing to pay more for a quality job, but until they see that they are getting what they are paying for, nobody really wants to [pay].”

“Most horror stories are caused by a homeowner taking on the job of general contracting for themselves and not being able to coordinate a project. It gets long and drawn out, there are delays, subcontractors don’t show up. It can be a mess. The other time homeowners end up unhappy is when they insist a contractor cut corners or rush a job. Nobody ends up happy,” Mr Goulart explained.

Establishing trustworthiness, communicating clearly, and having plans and following them can avoid many of the pitfalls of building, said Mr Corlacurcio and Mr Goulart.

With good attention to preplanning and a good relationship, “You can make 99.9 percent of the people happy,” Mr Corlacurcio said.