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When you’re seeking a contractor for your new medical practice in the United States, you’re going to want to hire someone who has the competence, the reputation and the pricing that will put you in the most competitive advantage possible in the marketplace.
In most respects, you want to choose a contractor for your medical practice in much the same way you would a contractor for any other type of project. Selecting the right company to work with is key to entering the marketplace in the most competitive position you can.
So what can you do to increase the odds that you’re choosing the right contractor in your local market? While nothing is 100 percent certain, there are many steps you can take to increase the likelihood that the contracting company you choose is what it seems to be.
Let’s take a look at a few of these steps right now:
You want to make a splash in your local community with your new medical practice. One of the best ways of demonstrating your commitment to the area is by hiring a local contractor to do the work for you.
Local contractors have a better understanding of local building codes and they also have more of a vested interest in the community. They likely also have relationships with the local chamber of commerce and other organizations, particularly if they’ve been around for any length of time.
Another advantage to hiring local is that a nearby company is easy to reach should problems arise or if you just want to discuss matters of importance.
So shop local and put a local company to work for you. Just be sure to complete the vetting process as you normally would to ensure that you’re pursuing the best option.
While it’s good to hire a local contracting company, you still want to pursue multiple estimates when doing so.
Talk to several contractors in your area and request written estimates from three or four of them. Just be certain that each company is creating an estimate based on the same information so you can make accurate comparisons during the vetting process.
It’s not always a good idea, however, to accept the lowest estimate. In fact, if the estimate is too low, it could be a warning that something just isn’t right with the estimate or the company, or both.
Examine things like timelines, building materials, work methods and more when comparing contracting companies during this process.
You’re talking about the future of your business and a good amount of money here, so take your time and be relatively certain you’ve made the right choice before moving forward and signing a contract.
If a company is pressuring you to make a decision by a certain date, be concerned and extra cautious. You need time to read the fine print, to check references and to do your full due diligence before making a commitment of this magnitude.
Also be careful about working with companies that require a larger than expected deposit up front. This isn’t normal and should only be accepted if and when you’ve done your homework and have no doubts as to the legitimacy of the contracting company in question.
Just as you would with any other major decision, be sure to follow up on references and gauge the quality of work the contractor has done in the past.
Don’t just take their work for it. Make the phone calls, drive by the job sites, talk to people in the community. Knowledge is power, especially when you’re talking about spending hundreds of thousands or perhaps even millions of dollars.
Also consider checking with the local chamber of commerce and the Better Business Bureau to see what additional information you can gather on the company you want to establish a working relationship with.
When you’ve selected a contractor to work with, be sure to get everything you’ve agreed to in writing and then have a lawyer look over the contract before signing it.
Be sure that things like the work that will be done, any payment schedules, the estimated timeline and more are included in the contract.
You don’t want any ambiguity here. Be sure all of your Is are dotted and your Ts are crossed before officially moving forward with the project.