Wondering how to choose the best build-out construction company?
When you are ready for a build out in your retail business or necessary tenant improvements, asking the right questions of a contractor up front is key to securing the best build-out construction company.
When asked, Titus Contracting says whether you are in Lakeville, Burnsville or any other Twin Cities location, communicating your vision of the project is key to getting an accurate bid on the project.
How do you go about choosing the best company for build-out construction in Lakeville or anywhere else in the Twin Cities building project?
When asked, Titus Contracting says whether you are in Lakeville, Burnsville or any other Twin Cities location, communicating your vision of the project is key to getting an accurate bid on the project.
How do you go about choosing the best company for build-out construction in Lakeville or anywhere else in the Twin Cities building project?
9 tips When Seeking the Best Build-out Company in the Twin Cities
Coming from Titus Construction Company’s year’s of experience, here are out top insighte on what to look for:
1. Ask for recommendations from other business owners or tenants. References from local businesses that have done tenant improvements can be a great way to find a quality contractor.
2. Is the contractor insured? Make sure the build-out construction company has all the proper insurance such as liability and workman’s comp. For example, Titus Contracting is fully insured (and licensed and bonded – which are two other things you should look for when hiring a build-out construction company!).
3. Is the contractor easy to communicate with? You want to work with someone who is going to keep you in-the-loop and notify you quickly of any changes. Also, you may want to ask for a meeting with the project manager to ensure your communication expectations are understood from the beginning of the project.
4. Is your contractor knowledgeable? You will know on the walk-through if they are just trying to close the deal or are they offering good suggestions and design ideas for your project? Do they have a project manager that will be working with designers and architects during a build-out?
5. Ask for references, just like when you are hiring a new employee, you should always check the references of any build-out construction company you are thinking of hiring to do work for you. Read testimonials on our website or feel free to speak to some of our previous customers.
6. Obtain a written bid with costs. Ask the build-out construction company for an estimate. Make sure you get it in writing and make sure it’s reasonable and fair and they can provide the work within your budget. Getting clear on the entire scope of the project, materials, permit fees and actual construction costs up front will ensure a positive relationship from the get-go.
Remember the cliché – “you get what you pay for.” Don’t be afraid to spend the extra money for a contractor who is better qualified or who you feel more comfortable with.
Believe it or not, it could actually save money in the long run especially if the least expensive contractor cuts corners or skimps on quality materials.
Titus Reputable contractors will provide you with a written estimate before we they begin any work outlining everything that was agreed upon.
7. Confirm with the contractor who is responsible for obtaining the building permits
8. Transparency. The company you hire should also be willing to answer any questions you have and address all your concerns. This is one of Titus’ strengths. We take a great deal of pride in customer service and in helping our clients understand the entire build-out construction process from start to finish.
9. When reviewing contractors, you may check to see if they are a contractor with excellent reviews on Google, Houzz, or Bluebook as examples.
How New Tenants Choose the Best Build-Out Construction Company
In today’s digital world we let our fingers do the walking and with that said, you might do an online search that looks like this: How to choose the best build out construction company in Lakeville. Before you randomly do an online search for a Minneapolis metro construction business or the best build-out construction company, here are some things new tenants should know.
1. Many building owners provide some tenant improvement allowance. You want to get clear on what allowances are included up front and what improvements you may want to make over and above the allowance provided by the landlord.
2. The allowance typically covers cosmetic improvements like new paint, carpet and possibly redesign of walls and partitions. Tenant improvements should be negotiated in writing and if the cost of the buildout exceeds the landlord’s allowance, it’s up to the tenant to cover the difference. This is when you work with a trusted contractor to provide you a bid based on the scope of work on the entire project and what you will pay for above the allowance.
3. Upgrading your new space has many benefits as we wrote about in our article, What is an Interior Build-Out? How Would My Business Benefit?
In addition to the tips we mentioned above, being a leader in the Twin Cities construction industry has enriched our experiences so that we are able to give you more key talking points to discuss with your contractor.
Additional Points for Discussion When Choosing Your Construction Company
- Schedule a meeting with a contractor for a walk-through of the project. This is your chance to get a feel for the company and ask any questions you may have personally.
- Tenant improvement often require a fast turn-around, does the contractor have a good reputation for scheduling and meeting deadlines? Determine a time frame to figure out the work schedule plan of the task and how long it should take to get the job done.
- Are their penalties to the contractor for not meeting completion deadlines?
- Is the contractor skilled at design to offer suggestions and bring in samples to work with you to get the end-result you want? Creative contractors will bring up ideas that you may not have imagined that will get you the result you want and within your budget.
- Are cost overruns possible and how are they handled?
Conclusion
Choosing the best build-out construction company for your Twin Cities building projects doesn’t need to be a difficult process. We know everyone wants the best value for the money they invest in improvements. When you choose the right one out of many construction companies, you will have a design that works for your company to be productive and comfortable.
Remember, a reputable and experienced contractor will ask you about your business and how you and your employees use the space every day and what’s most important to them. They will work closely with the designers and architects during a build-out to meet the specific needs of the tenant.
Your experienced build-out contractor will offer suggestions based on the number of people using a space and the needs that the tenant may not think of but the contractor will suggest during their walk through such as more or fewer vents, conference room technology, lighting, and ventilation needs, as well as partitions, windows and doors.
These are all great rules of thumb to keep in mind when you’re going through the process of picking out a reliable and trustworthy Twin Cities construction company for your next build-out or tenant improvement project. We take our construction business seriously
