As a General Contractor, there are a lot of things on your plate. You have to find the best lenders, fund control companies, and much more. We hate to add another step to your list but this one is essential: Building strong relationships with your subcontractors. It may seem simple but there are a few steps you can take to ensure you are making the most of your relationship.

Building a Strong Relationship During the Bid Process

When you are bidding out a project, ensure that the invitations to bid you send out are easy to understand. Include as much data and information as possible, as well as all the documents required to submit a bid. The scope of the work should be clear, and everything should be written up to prevent sub bidding on work that others may assume is part of their bid.

Make sure that any due dates or prequalification request are communicated as far in advance as possible. If possible, hold a site visit or pre-bid meeting so that you can answer any questions. Respond to questions and inquiries as quickly as you can. If you want quality subcontractors then you have to be a quality general contractor.

Building a Strong Relationship After the Bid Has Been Awarded

Once you have awarded bids, meet with all the subcontractors you have awarded for an in-depth review of the project. Talk about daily reporting, safety meetings, and how you will communicate information. Instruction everyone to bring issues or complications to you so that they can be taken care of quickly. The clearer you can be about roles and expectations, the better able a subcontractor will be able to provide exceptional work.

Building a Strong Relationship During Construction

It is all about communication. Check on all subcontractors and ask them how the job is going. Be open to hearing the truth about things you may not know about. Keep subcontractors in the loop if there are anticipated or real changes to the schedule or scope of the project. In short, communicate so that when issues arise, they feel that they are ready to handle them.

Building a Strong Relationship After Construction

Once the project is completed, talk to your subcontractors about the job. Allow them to be honest with you about any issues that arose. Ask them how a job could run more smoothly in the future. Ask them what tools or resources they could have been provided that would have made their jobs easier. This gives them a chance to air any grievances and also shows that you respect their work and their opinion.