Hiring an HVAC contractor vendor for a construction project is a task combination in cost control and finding the best service for the work. On the one hand, project management wants to make sure the expenses stay on track with what was estimated for the particular construction element. And that includes staying within a budget that is lower than what the project manager has as the highest cost allowable because he or she is keeping back a buffer for surprises. On the other hand, the contractor needs to have the skill-set, team and know-how to do the job right, efficiently and on time. That kind of combination in a vendor doesn’t just get picked up with the first contractor that walks in the door. It takes a bit of looking and vetting. Otherwise, mistakes are going to turn into hard lessons about how to hire an HVAC contractor the right way.
The worst thing any construction project can do is to take the lowest bid just for the sake of cost control and nothing else. This kind of contracting award is a sure-fire way to end up with sub-standard work, a vendor who is brand new to the market and doesn’t really have their feet wet on the job, or a firm that might disappear with payments before the job is over. Or it could be all three. Low-bid contracting almost never produces the best skill for the job. Granted, no one wants to pay a premium or top dollar when it can be avoided, but some additional criteria for choosing the right contractor beyond just price is a must if the project manager wants to see the construction done right, on time, and without a big mess in the middle of it.
Every contractor being seriously considered should be fully researched and checked out before executing any agreement. That means obtaining their licensing information, reviewing the relevant licensing board records and looking for a pattern of problems if it exists. Construction project managers will save themselves a lot of headaches too by going a little further and doing a few review checks as well. If a potential vendor has been a problem, that pattern of behavior is going to show up on a Google search, a Better Business Bureau report or a similar complaint site. While one complaint may not make a default decision, it can help trigger a few questions to follow up with. A vendor who knows they are being checked out is either going to have a good explanation or will back out, saving everyone’s time.
Any HVAC team coming into a construction project with their salt should have no problems providing a resume and portfolio of prior construction experience as well as certification of its team’s training. Without this documentation, it’s almost impossible to know if anyone on the team has any experience. Projects have to stay on schedule, and HVAC teams will be expected to be ready and do their part within schedule. A lack of experience or technical training will slow things down considerably and hamper the rest of the project waiting for the HVAC vendor work to be completed.
Hiring a new construction HVAC contractor doesn't need to be rocket science, but a project manager does need to be prepared to ask the hard questions and vet people accordingly to ensure the right company when hiring an HVAC construction company. All it takes is one bad apple in the mix to tie up a construction flow badly, delaying work by weeks and even months overall. Don't let that happen to your project on your watch.
