Best Practices for Managing Subcontractors

Managing subcontractors is a mixed bag. Do it correctly, and your project will hum along beautifully. However, if there are errors, your project might run over time and budget. Identifying potential risks allows you to avoid problems and maintain excellent relationships with subcontractors. Knowing what to look out for can also make the entire project enjoyable.

Embrace Your Role as Project Manager

When you work with a general contractor and subcontractors, you become the project manager. While this puts you in control of the project, it also means that you are responsible for its financial stability, risk management, and adherence to quality and safety standards. When managing subcontractors, it is up to you to ensure that materials are on hand and the project progresses by coordinating the subs' tasks.

Do Your Due Diligence When Selecting Subcontractors

Working with an uninsured or unlicensed subcontractor creates problems. It is up to you to verify the company's tax identification number, liability insurance certificate, and state licensing as applicable. During selection, determine whether you and the subs you are interviewing have similar work priorities. For example, are they schedule-driven or more laid back? While laid back might make them easier to work with, they could hold up your project.

Pay Your Subcontractors on Time, Every Time

Effective subcontractor management means paying the bills you get on time. Your subs will have financial needs, such as paying their employees, buying materials, and providing transportation. Remember that these businesses have other clients and projects in addition to yours. Working for a project manager who always pays on time is human nature. If you make a mistake here, your construction project timeline will have problems.

Of course, before you can commit to paying regularly, you must have a firm grasp of the budget you are working with. Manage it proactively. Plan for supply chain problems that result in higher materials costs. Have money in the budget for increasing labor costs. Most importantly, plan for overruns that could jeopardize the project if you budget too tightly.

Communicate Clearly from the Start

One of the most important construction project communication tips is clarity.

• Establish scope. Subs need to know the scope of work processes they are expected to perform. For each subcontractor, this means knowing the timeline they have to work with and when specific benchmark events will occur.
• Address quality. The quality of work should, of course, be excellent. However, "excellent" is not something you can easily communicate. Therefore, address quality control measures that you will implement to ensure that all subs are doing their jobs well.
• Make contingency plans. The weather may turn foul, interrupting the project's timeline. While the work is ongoing, you may need to modify the project's scope. Raw material pricing variations may make changes to the work a necessity. Have plans in place to address potential issues before they crop up. Most importantly, communicate these plans to the subs.
• Plan for dispute resolution. The longer the project continues, the higher the likelihood of conflicts. You need to have plans to handle problems between subcontractors and between subcontractors and you. Examples might include mediation or arbitration processes.

Stay on Top of Project Progress but Discourage Rush Jobs

Determine how the subs will communicate their progress to you. Some project managers have had excellent success with daily reports outlining projects completed and currently in the works. Study these reports daily. Sometimes, you may pick up on scheduling conflicts that could happen in the future. To meet project deadlines, be aware of these conflicts before they occur.

When a sub runs behind, it may be tempting for them to cut some corners regarding job site safety. It is up to you to communicate that this is not acceptable. Reiterate frequently that your subs must follow all job site safety protocols. Remember also to require tool safety. While the job might be faster if a saw's safety was disabled, it would also be much more dangerous and potentially illegal. Do not allow subcontractors to go down that road.

Have a Contingency Plan for Each Sub

You selected potential subcontractors with great care. You verified their track record and committed to monitoring subcontractor progress. At some point, one of the subs you handpicked let you down. Do you want to give them another chance or bring in a replacement? When you have a contingency plan that allows you to bring in another company, you have options. If you depend on the one sub to do the work and continue the project, you do not.

Write it Down; You Will Not Remember It.

It has nothing to do with failing memory. However, when managing subcontractors, there are so many moving parts that it is difficult to keep track of each one. Write down what you observe and are told. Many general contractors invest in industry-specific software to track subcontractors across multiple job sites. If you anticipate doing more work with subs, finding software that works for you could make your project much easier to track.

Get the Help You Need Before Closing the Project

The project is done, and you are ready to give your subs their final payment. Are you sure? Before the project winds down, we recommend you bring in help to assess adherence to building codes and do quality control sampling. Assuming you applied for permits during the project, the city inspector will be your first line of defense. They can see things that you, as a layperson, may not notice.

It is also a good idea to spend a little extra and hire a general contractor to inspect the project's final week. They know what to look for. While these may not be code violations, they are typically cosmetic issues or little annoyances that will bother you for years. Catch them now and have them dealt with before you dismiss the work crews.

Working With Experts in the Field is Always a Good Idea

Acting as the project manager is a rewarding experience that you can undertake with just a little help. Of course, when you need expert deck waterproofing services, look no further than West Coast Decking & Waterproofing. Having served SoCal for over 30 years, we are the company you can trust. Call us today to schedule an appointment!