Hiring Subcontractors: How Do You Screen and Vet to Avoid Costly Mistakes and Rework?

Question

At our company located in Mansfield, Ohio, we provide the majority of interior and exterior services. We use all subcontractors, most who typically strictly work for our company.We have had many issues hiring subcontractors who have done bad work, which has caused us to spend more money/time sending other subcontractors back out to fix the mistakes. It is also pushing our schedule back completely. This issue has set back our company in the last year because of multiple different crews. We have a few good, reliable crews, but the workload is too much for them.&nbsp;
What can we do/use to help us with the process of elimination when it comes to hiring?Are there any types of quizzes/tests that we should provide?Any specific questions that we should be asking?Are there any places we may not be thinking of to find reliable subcontractors?

pestfreecanada · Answer

I held off on hiring subs for a long time. I would either do what I can myself or help the client find someone they trusted to do the work needed. I finally found a great GC that I can trust and who does good work. We are both small business owners and are the same wavelength, with similar goals. I found him through a friend who he went to high school with.

Ask your circle if they know anyone who has done good work for them. Someone who was trustworthy, clean, punctual, professional.

Sometimes you are at a clients house and see they had work done, when you look at it you realize it is quality work, no shortcuts and the client was happy with them. So you can ask for their contact and see if you can build a relationship that way too.

I am sure this is harder to do when your looking for a specialist rather than a generalist, but I think the same approach could apply.

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Hiring Subcontractors: How Do You Screen and Vet to Avoid Costly Mistakes and Rework?

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