Before diving into the list of 10 questions, first ask yourself, “Have I hired or worked with any contractors in the past?” If your answer is yes, take a few minutes to think about what went well and what didn’t. This may generate additional relevant questions to add to those presented here. If you haven’t worked with a contractor before, don’t worry. The 10 questions addressed in this article will do a good job of steering you in the right direction.
Asking these 10 Questions will help determine if services performed by a Los Angeles demolition contractor will run smoothly for me or not.
As you read each question below, don’t forget to jot down how they might apply to your particular demolition project and any other questions they may spark.
QUESTION #1: How Long Has Your Company Been Performing Los Angeles Demolition Services?
This is a very basic and obvious question to ask but don’t hesitate to dig a little deeper. For example, ask about the variety of projects they have completed or how specialized they are in the type of demolition work you need. In addition, some companies will have case studies you can review or references you can contact.
QUESTION #2: Is Your Los Angeles Demolition Company Licensed and Insured?
Verify that a company’s license is current and find out what type and amount of insurance(s) they have. For example, Workers’ Compensation covers employees who get hurt on the job whereas other types of general liability insurance may cover damage that’s accidentally caused to a customer’s property.
QUESTION #3: Can You Describe To Me the Pre-Planning Process Your Company Uses for Los Angeles Demolition Projects?
Make sure that they have planners who are highly trained and experienced and who follow an effective proven process. This will greatly increase the quality of results that are achieved and the probability of you experiencing a high level of overall satisfaction.
QUESTION #4: How Accurate Are Your Los Angeles Demolition Services Time and Cost Estimates?
Find out if they track this and have any current data available. Also ask what it says in their service contract about who pays for unexpected labor hours or additional materials if they fall behind or underestimate what they need.
QUESTION #5: Who is Responsible for Obtaining the Necessary Permits for My Los Angeles Demolition Project?
It’s important to follow all permitting requirements. Clarity on who will take care of them will prevent delays and keep your project in compliance.
QUESTION #6: Who is Responsible for Overseeing the Quality of Work When You’re Conducting Demolition Services in Los Angeles?
There should be a clearly designated person at the worksite at all times to ensure the project is going as planned, details aren’t being overlooked, and problems can be solved quickly if they arise.
QUESTION #7: What Are the Most Common Problems You Have Encountered When Performing Los Angeles Demolition Services?
A demolition contractor shouldn’t be embarrassed to tell you what has gone wrong in the past. What you want to listen for is how they took care of unexpected situations and what they’ve done to prevent the same issues from happening again in the future.
QUESTION #8: What is Your Los Angeles Demolition Company’s Safety Record?
A less than 100% clean safety record isn’t always as sign of negligence. However, listen for and ask about the level of attention placed on safety training and given to their pre-planning job hazard analysis.
QUESTION #9: What Professional Associations or Industry Knowledge Enrichment Activities Are Your Los Angeles Demolition Company Employees Involved In?
We’re all busy but keeping up on new industry standards and best practices is important and can be achieved by interacting with other professionals or participating in in-house or off-site continuing education training.
QUESTION #10: Why Should I Hire You as My Los Angeles Demolition Contractor?
An experienced demolition contractor will know where they fit in the industry and should be able to tell you where they stand in comparison to their competition in regards to price, experience, equipment, safety, track record, customer service, and other areas of importance.
This list is meant to be a jumping off point and we hope it serves you well. Please let us know how else we can assist by contacting a Fast Forward Concrete Cutting team member at (888) 267-1564 or online. We’re here to help in any way we can!