What Should You Look For in a Main Contractor?

A main contractor takes responsibility for the whole project rather than a single trade. That responsibility is what you are buying, so assess it directly.

Questions worth asking

• Who is my single point of contact, and how often will I hear from them?
• Is the scope of works written down, and what is explicitly excluded?
• How are specialist contractors selected and coordinated?
• How are variations priced and agreed?
• What is the programme, and what are the key dates?
• How is quality checked before handover, and how is snagging handled?
• What documentation and certification do I receive on completion?

Warning signs

• A price with no supporting scope
• No named point of contact
• Verbal variations with no written confirmation
• No programme, or a programme that never updates