- Always (try to) know who you’re hiring before you do…
Preparing land for development is no easy task. It requires specialized machines, careful project management, and equipment operators who know the ins and outs of excavation work. Property owners, developers, and municipal leaders can’t afford to simply choose the first excavation company they can find. Instead, read on to find some tips for finding the right contractor for any excavation job.
1. Work With an Established Company
Working with established companies means gaining access to a greater wealth of resources and getting projects completed faster. It sometimes costs more to work with well-established excavation contractors, but clients will be happy with the results. Whether a bid is being requested by a property owner for one small excavation project or a developer that will require ongoing services, it’s best to work with seasoned professionals.
Hiring a small company with little experience can create all kinds of headaches. The contractor may not have the resources required to complete the job on time and may not even have general liability insurance. Even if the contractor seems reputable and knows how to do their job, a smaller, less-established company is unlikely to have the resources or capital required to take on large projects or deal with problems as they come up.
2. Don’t Make Hasty Decisions
If a construction project’s start date is approaching fast and there’s still no one lined up to complete the initial site clearing and excavation work, it can seem like the best path forward is to make a decision quickly and live with the results. Don’t do that. Instead of going into panic mode, do some research into local companies by checking their websites, portfolios, and accreditations.
Taking the time to vet contractors carefully can help to avoid delays once the project has started. While it’s frustrating to feel like this essential decision is being made at the last minute, it’s even worse to choose the wrong excavation company and have to start all over from the beginning halfway through the project when things start to go wrong. Amateur mistakes can hold up a project far more than taking the time to find a professional contractor.
3. Take Everything With a Grain of Salt
Most people know that they should take the information provided by a company about its satisfied customers with a grain of salt, but few realize that the same applies to third-party reviews. It may seem like a no-brainer for a property owner who’s pressed for time to choose the contractor with the highest number of good reviews. While it’s great to learn about other people’s experiences working with the excavation company, it doesn’t necessarily mean the contractor will be the best fit for the job.
The companies with many positive reviews aren’t necessarily the ones that provide the best services. They just recognize the importance of soliciting reviews from satisfied clients, while other well-established and trustworthy professionals might be more focused on simply getting the job done. A company’s portfolio and references will be of far more help than its online reviews.
Get the Search Started
It shouldn’t matter whether clients need to have one small parcel of land cleared or an entire building site prepared for a large commercial structure. Finding the right excavation company is an important task for large- and small-scale projects, alike. Start investigating options and reaching out to local experts well in advance of the project’s anticipated start date.
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