5 Qualities of a Good Contractor

February 9, 2021
Engineers shaking hands

What are the qualities of a good contractor?

  1. Good leadership skills
  2. Excellent communicator
  3. Knowledgeable
  4. Adaptable
  5. Effective

Before you find a contractor for any building project, knowing what to look out for is important. There are several qualities of a good contractor that may not be present in others. Think about it: The contractor will be influential in determining the success of your project. They’re not only there to oversee its completion, but also to ensure that all operations are running smoothly and no unexpected outcomes happen. Bad hires can also harm your building project, which is why you need to set high standards before hiring a contractor.

First, you have to find out if the contractor has the following attributes: good leadership skills, excellent communicator, knowledgeable, effective, and adaptability. Only then can you be sure that your project will be in good hands. Read on to learn more.

Good Leadership Skills

If you’re working on a large-scale project, chances are your contractor won’t be the only person present in the worksite. Instead, there will be other people — from electricians, architects, estimators, plumbers, equipment operators, and so on. You’re not expected to handle all of these individuals, but rather this job falls on your contractor who knows how to make good use of their leadership skills.

With this quality, your contractor can effectively supervise any personnel working under them. They can direct the start of projects, make changes to the design as needed, and ensure that all building requirements have been complied with.

When building workers see that a contractor has this quality, they’ll also be more likely to trust that person and work according to the latter’s directives. As you may already know, poor leadership and management are just some of the causes of project failures. Make sure that you hire someone who can perform in this regard.

Excellent Communicator

Contractor and engineers looking at blueprint

Communication is important in all industries, especially in construction. This is one of the deciding factors on how successful a project will be. When everyone is working on the same page, costly mistakes and work hazards can be avoided.

When your contractor is an excellent communicator, they’re able to express their expectations from the project. Any person they’re supervising won’t have difficulty in understanding what the contractor wants, and the rationale behind their actions.

More than just that, the contractor will also be the point-person in processes like equipment and materials supply, applying building codes, and adjusting expenses. They are able to establish good working relationships with all third party groups involved in the project, not just with their own people.

Knowledgeable

Supervising any kind of construction project is no easy task. This is why becoming a good contractor entails being knowledgeable about various issues related to the job, not just in project planning, but also in monitoring, management, legal duties, and the like.

For example, in project planning, a contractor would first have to determine if the project can be done. They know what to look out for when gauging the buildability of the design and to make sure that no ecological harm is done to the environment.

Aside from planning, a contractor should also know how to properly delegate tasks to the team. This person understands that there is a systematic process that everyone should follow. They can set objectives and assign roles to the right people in order to get the job done.

Adaptable

Contractor and engineer looking at a building

While the contractor may set a target deadline for the completion of the project, more often than not, this is considered the ideal. Unexpected situations are bound to happen and may lead to delays, budget blowouts, inadequate supply of materials, and many more.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that the entire building project will already fail. It only means that adjustments by the contractor have to be made. They have to be flexible and adaptable enough to determine an alternative cause of action in the event that these circumstances happen.

To give another example, there may be changes in the initial design of a project that turned out to be impossible to do in reality. An adaptable contractor would be able to make the right modifications, while still ensuring that the project retains its quality.

Effective

Good contractors don’t just simply rely on their own knowledge and skills when they’re on the job. What sets them apart from the rest is their effectiveness, or the ability to optimize every small detail about the project for maximum efficiency. This simply means that they’re able to use technology and other resources at their disposal to the best of their abilities.

Whether it be in equipment procuring, planning, execution, or making adjustments, good contractors use only efficient techniques that can create positive outcomes. As much as possible, they don’t want to rely on outdated processes that can slow down the operations and can cause unnecessary project delays.

With an effective contractor, the other key players working on the project will also benefit. They’re essentially able to march to the beat of the contractor’s drum, making sure that everything they do is up to par.

Key Takeaway

In this guide, you’ve learned about some of the qualities of a good contractor — they’re adaptable, effective, knowledgeable, and have good communication and leadership skills to manage a team. Don’t make the mistake of making cost-friendly, yet bad hires since you’re only doing your project more harm than good.

In need of professional contracting services? Cross-Link Electric & Construction Corporation can provide you with the right team for any kind of project! Click here to learn more about our services. You may also get in touch with us for inquiries. We’d be more than happy to help you out.