It’s time for a new renovation project and you are excited to hire your construction partner to help with planning, design, budgeting, and execution.
Many commercial contractors in Maryland offer a free consult to hear about your project, estimate a budget, and put together a design plan. This is your time to interview commercial construction companies to see who is the best fit for bringing your remodel to life.
To make the most of this free quote, there are key questions you should be asking your commercial contractor. Learn what questions to ask, why the answers are important, and how to find the best commercial contractor for your new commercial renovation in Baltimore, MD.
Before anything else, you want to confirm your commercial contractor is licensed and insured. They should be able to provide you with a license number and insurance information.
Ask what is covered under the insurance – employee accidents, injuries, property damage, etc. Before any work begins or designs are discussed, you should be working with a reputable company.
Along with license information and insurance coverage, ask about warranties from your commercial contractor.
Warranties may be provided by the product manufacturer, the construction company themselves, or another party. You want to fully understand how long your work is covered for, who to reach out to if there is a problem, and how to get the repairs or replacements done if necessary.
Working with subcontractors can have pros and cons for a commercial renovation project. If your contractor says yes, it is not an automatic reason not to work with them. For a large commercial renovation project, you may not be able to find one company that can do it all, so you want to follow up with questions about their partnerships.
Ask who they subcontract with, what their coverage is, and what services they provide themselves. You want to make sure that any warranties, coverages, insurance, timeline, etc., are cohesive across everyone working on your project. It’s important everyone is licensed, insured, and has acceptable warranties for the work completed.
It’s not a requirement that your commercial contractors have worked on an exact project as yours. However, they should have similar enough experience to bring design insights, timeline estimations, and solution-based troubleshooting to the table.
Ask to see their portfolio of similar jobs and listen to their design ideas, even if this is a new project for them. Make sure their gallery of completed work is in line with what you want.
When discussing your new commercial construction project with renovation teams, ask about their projected timeline for the remodel. Just because a construction company has a faster completion date or earlier start date does not automatically make them the right candidate.
A project timeline should include getting the proper materials, having everything in stock, knowing what to expect, and completing the work. If you need to have business open as soon as possible, it may be worth it to have a delayed start date if the timeline is quicker. Weigh the pros and cons of each timeline as you make your decision.
Almost all construction projects will have a change order at some point during the renovation. Ask your commercial contractors how they handle change orders – getting the new product, project delays, and changes in cost estimate.
Having a smooth and clear plan for change orders will help you be prepared for any cost adjustments or timeline shifts ahead of time. You never want to be in the middle of a project and unsure where to go if the material is wrong or unavailable.
Get an estimated cost from each commercial contractor for your renovation project. The cost should include materials, timeline, workers, warranties, and more.
Explicitly ask about change orders, accidents, unexpected delays, and more. Your estimate should not just fit your budget but be complete, with no hidden fees. An upfront cost with expectations on how that may or may change allows you to prepare for your commercial renovation.
Some commercial contracting companies will want a payment upfront, while other commercial contractors will work in different increments.
Ask about the payment schedule and payment method. Do you pay when the contract is signed or when work begins; do you pay in 33% increments or at the halfway mark; is your final payment sent before or after the final walkthrough and approval? Don’t be left surprised about when you need to have payment ready – know upfront.
Being kept up to date on the commercial renovation is important. You never want to be hunting for information or left in the dark.
Ask if there is an assigned project manager and if you can email, text, or call for answers. Ask about business hours and how often replies are given. Ask if they will update you on changes each day or as they come. Knowing how to receive and send information will build trust and move the renovation along smoothly.
Some contracting companies will have a project manager on-site to oversee the work. Other contractors will have a site coordinator instead.
Ask who visits the job site each day to oversee the work and confirm it is being completed correctly. There should be someone dedicated to confirming all materials, designs, and installations so there is less time going back and reworking a part of the job.
Ask your commercial contractor how you sign off on the work. When possible, you always want to do your final walkthrough with a project manager, owner, or other on-site coordinators who can assist if there are problems.
Remember, this is your renovation for your business – you need to have the final say over the work and clearly sign off on what was done and that it matches what was designed and agreed to.
Marshall Cruz Construction is proud to offer renovation projects for commercial spaces. These can include flooring, acoustic ceilings, drop ceilings, doors, framing, drywall, and more. We are happy to work with business managers to create a complete design that fits the needs of the business while enhancing design, productivity, and comfort.
Everything from educational facilities to restaurants and gas stations, Marshall Cruz Construction is available to help. Get in touch today to begin and learn more about the renovation process for commercial properties in Baltimore, MD.
Based in Baltimore, MD, Marshall Cruz Construction is a quality, professional construction company serving Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia. Whether you’re a company manager in need of new renovations at your business or you’re a project manager completing residential home renovations, we have a crew to help.
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