9 Questions You Should Ask Before Starting Construction Work

A tested way to ensure that your construction is doomed for failure is by not asking any relevant questions. Knowing what to anticipate before construction starts will aid you in better preparation for the process.

The following are nine questions you should seek answers to before starting any construction work:

1. How big is the construction industry?

Construction in the UK alone is an annual £110 billion industry and contributes 7% of the GDP. Approximately, 3/4^th of construction output is private sector while the rest goes to the public sector. There are three primary sectors:

• Commercial and social (about 45%)
• Residential (about 40%).
• Infrastructure (about 15%)

Moreover, nearly 60% of the construction output is newly built while 40% is maintenance and refurbishment.

2. What is my construction schedule?

Remember, a schedule is much more than a start and end date. A well-thought-out schedule outlines tasks and timelines to give you a broader perspective of deadlines for things such as countertops and tile. Also, it will give you a yardstick to know if things are slipping by a few days.

3. How my general contractor will communicate with me?

Today, all the means of electronic communication are at your fingertips. This gives you a fair idea about how you would like to receive updates on your construction work. Furthermore, your general contractor would also be having their specific ways to communicate such as emails, cloud-based schedules or perhaps phone calls. You need to ensure that both of you understand the mode of contact to avoid any future miscommunication.

4. What part of the construction work concerns you?

There is always something unknown about a construction project that is likely to cause an instant change of plans. For example, your expected metal building cost is turning out to be more than your earlier estimates. However, the odds are that your general contractor already knows about it. Therefore, talk to them about it to devise strategies to handle what could be ahead. To your contractor however you should always be priority and they should want to help you along the way, this includes by helping you save money as well.

By investing in a company whom are great at understanding the importance of building regulations and value the planet by having energy efficient products, you know automatically their best interest is you and helping you save money for a better lifestyle. An example of a company who are known for doing this is ArmstrongSteel. They overtake competition by offering the best quality metal buildings at the lowest prices to all customers. 

5. What to do if there is a change order? 

Even if there is a change order, it can be incorporated into your construction contract without much effort. A widely used method to document change orders is in writing, where the difference in the price and scope of work are noted as well as signed by the contractor and the client.

6. How my contractor will let me know if I need to make a decision? 

There are multiple ways to organise a list of decisions — from worksheets to lists, to sticky notes on a calendar. However, all these methods focus on one thing only - giving you a direction about when to decide on something. Therefore, asking for deadlines will ensure that you can make timely decisions, and shop for materials to meet your general contractor’s schedule.

7. How do I reach the construction team after hours? 

The option to SOS your contractor on an emergency basis is just as necessary as your contractor being able to contact you. Therefore, exchange your work, cell and landline numbers to avoid creating an unavailability crisis on top of a construction site emergency.

8. How regularly should I meet my builder?

Setting meeting schedules with your general contractor in advance is admissible. However, you may have to accommodate out-of-schedule future meetings because let’s face it, you cannot plan everything. You need to plan for all these future provisions as some builders may charge you for requesting more of their already allotted time.

9. What kind of documents will I get when the project is done? 

The documents you will receive once the project is finished would be the typical end-of-construction paperwork such as marked-up plans, lien releases, structure detailing plumbing and other utilities, and duplicates of inspection reports.