Working with a General Contractor: How the Job Runs

On most of our jobs the owner's first surprise is who shows up to the site walk. It is a principal of the company, and that same person answers the phone for the next six months. Here is how the rest of the relationship works, from the first walk to the keys.

Who you are dealing with

You do not get handed off. The principal who walks the site and prices the work is the one who runs it, and you get that person's cell number. Questions about money, schedule and quality get answered by someone who can actually decide, usually on the same call.

How the price is built

We price from your drawings and your site, not from a rule of thumb. The proposal lists what is included, what is excluded, what is a placeholder still waiting on a selection, and the date the space turns over. Because our own crews handle framing, millwork, stone, tile, drywall, paint, roofing, glazing, concrete and excavation, a large part of that number is labor we control, which is why it tends to hold.

Before the first crew arrives

Pre-construction is where we buy back schedule. Long-lead items get ordered. Submittals go to the architect. The permit is filed and tracked. The schedule is built backward from your opening date with the FF&E delivery and the inspections already on it. If the building stays open during the work, the phasing plan is settled here, including hours, noise and how guests or customers are protected.

A week on site

Expect a set day for the walk. We go through the building together, look at what was installed, check it against the schedule and note anything that needs a decision. You get a short written update afterward: what was done, what is next, what we need from you and by when. You should never have to call to find out where the job stands.

When something changes

Walls hide things. Selections change. When that happens you get a written change with the cost and the schedule effect before the work is done, not on the next invoice. Small field fixes that move no money and no dates just get done.

The last thirty days

This is where jobs are won or lost, and it is where we put the most attention. Inspections are booked in sequence. FF&E is received, staged and installed by our crews. The punch walk happens with the principal beside you, every item on one list, and the list gets worked to zero. Closeout documents, warranties and lien waivers are in your hands when the keys are.

What we need from you

Decisions, on time. Selections approved by the date on the schedule. One person on your side with authority to say yes. When those happen, the date holds.

If you are comparing builders, ask each one who will be on site every day and who will answer the phone. Then send over your plans and we will show you how the job would run from the first walk to opening day.