In a Nutshell, the Problem is…There is No Clear Answer to the Question
Last week I wrote about what’s missing when rebuilding after a disaster. It turns out that it’s the same thing that’s missing in everyday construction.
There’s simply a lack of good construction contractors.
So, what does it mean to be a “good construction contractor”?
As I was searching for ideas and answers to this question, I found very little and I mean, VERY LITTLE about it. Apparently, either nobody knows what it takes, or everyone assumes everybody already knows.
In my web search I found one article that spoke to it and one that kind of spoke to it.
The one that kind of spoke to it listed the following…
Signs of a good contractor –
- Clean record, within reason
- Responsive and punctual
- Listens to your ideas
- All hired work is accompanied with written contracts
- Provides written estimates
Are you kidding me? Doesn’t this go without saying. And what about a clean record, within reason. This is a little concerning.
Signs of a bad contractor –
- Licensing abnormalities
- Habitually late or doesn’t return calls
- Avoids permits, zoning and building codes
- Speaks poorly of clients and associates
- Many lawsuits against them
These are definitely signs of a bad contractor.
The better of the two articles spoke about construction workers, not contractors. It listed 12 skills, several of which would also fit for a good contractor. Those were…
- Skills specific to “actual construction” – Need to know the things required to do the job they’ve been hired to do.
- Problem-solving skills – Every construction job has unexpected problems that pop up. It’s important to be able to find solutions to keep production moving forward.
- Reading and analytical skills – Contractors need to be able to read blueprints and scopes of work and understand them.
- Listening skills – Talking is easy, but listening is critical to comprehending what the customer wants and what they don’t.
- Communication skills – Being able to communicate both verbally and in writing are important to successful construction projects.
- Decision making skills – The problem-solving skills will be no good if no decision gets made. It doesn’t mean that every decision is going to be the right one, but no decision is definitely the wrong one.
- Organizational skills – This is one of the most important (and often most lacking). Time spent looking for missing tools, materials, papers, etc. leads to an unfocused project and cost time and money.
- Technological skills – This is a newer skill that is becoming more and more important. The day of the fax is about gone. Computers, tablets and smart phones are how information is being shared…and it’s only going to increase.
- Skill of working well with others – We need to remember that we’re all trying to accomplish the same thing. Working together as a team rather than fighting and not getting along is not productive or healthy.
This list is a good starting point, but it’s the lack of information on this topic that’s so concerning. It’s no wonder there is such a huge divide between construction customers and contractors.
A “good construction contractor” seems to be a rare and undefined treasure.
I’m going to continue digging to uncover what it takes to be a “GOOD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR”.
If you have any thoughts about what you think a good construction contractor is, share your thoughts in the comments below.