It is common for customers to ask their builder to use a commercial contractor with whom they have an established relationship and to allow that commercial contractor to purchase their own materials, supplies and surface protection. Owners often do this to establish an apparent environment of responsibility and trust. However, this is often detrimental to the build process. Builders buy from their suppliers and select subcontractors based on positive lessons learned through previous experience, as a builder’s reputation is vital to continued success. Allowing the builder to use familiar subcontractors and vendors is in the owner’s best interest.
Purchases from experienced and reliable suppliers
Allowing a builder to purchase from pre-tested vendors provides assurance that all products are reliable, consistent, dependable, and pose no threat of harm to a customer’s home. Builders turn to established vendors precisely because they can vouch for the reliability of the products purchased and because they truly feel that using these products is in the best interest of the homeowner. What good is protecting a newly installed carpet with a discounted temporary carpet film when it leaves a residue on the new carpet? The additional cost spent cleaning the carpet is significantly greater than the savings of five or ten dollars.
In an effort to save on material costs, homeowners will frequently search online and search for multiple vendors to provide necessary accessories for their homes. People are often unaware of the complexities and risks involved in sourcing their own products. It is common for small plumbing, lighting, etc. parts to be ordered separately. In addition to creating time delays, this can present the risk that the products ultimately ordered will not meet the needs of the project, leading to breakages and tremendous damage to a home. If in an attempt to save a little on a remodel, a homeowner may inadvertently order a sink that doesn’t meet a home’s water pressure limits. This can result in flood damage to a home that cannot be covered by any warranty. The best way to minimize any risk in home remodeling is to allow the builder to buy from proven vendors.
Subcontractors selected by the builder
There are even more compelling reasons to use regular subcontractors. Builders rely on subcontractors as much as employees; business partners are an integral part of the builder’s team. Therefore, builders tend to award major contracts (the wiring for a custom home, for example) only to subcontractors who have proven themselves. With proven operations, accurate bids can be put together quickly and the builder understands and trusts the quality promised by those bids.
Builders often evaluate subcontractors over the years. Subcontractors are initially placed to complete small jobs to assess their skills. However, even once a subcontractor has demonstrated great ability, it is still evaluated on metrics such as how available they are to the contact, how accurate their bids are, how well they work with the client and the builder, and how well their work is held together over a period of time. period of years. Additionally, allowing the builder to choose subcontractors allows both the subcontractor and the builder to coordinate efforts, such as the use of temporary surfacing to protect the home from dust and damage.
Ultimately, it is in the subcontractor’s best interest to complete the job to the best of their ability. Completing projects professionally and thoughtfully ensures future work for the subcontractor. A builder who uses an unproven subcontractor risks losing his control over the quality of the building. As such, any problems caused by painters, contractors, and customer-purchased products cannot be avoided with the builder’s due diligence. Perhaps the homeowner-suggested painter failed to protect the newly installed hardwood floor from paint splatter, resulting in an expensive resurfacing. Any of these problems will reflect badly on a builder’s reputation, and a builder’s reputation is the foundation for winning work in the future.
Builders prefer to buy from certain vendors and use specific subcontractors because they believe it is in the best interest of the homeowner. If the builders don’t do the best job possible, they will soon be out of a job.
