THECONTRACTOR"Dalia Sadany Ask Magazine's design consultant, Chief Designer, Founder of Dezines Architecture & Interiors, Managing Director & Partner of Divine Contracting is dwelling into the world of Architecture, Interior Design, and Contracting."

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In the previous article, we voyaged into the world of “The Architect”, the main artery in the body of any construction. We discussed their role in the building process, how to choose and deal with him, their fees and the documents you should expect from them during the proper sequence of execution.

In this article, we will venture into the less dreamy, more aggressive hectic world of “The Contractor”. Their role is by no means of a lesser importance than that of the architect. Simply because no matter how professional the architect is, and the designs he prepares are brilliant; as well as fully detail and mirror the client’s visions, yet they are still ideas on paper;only an experienced contractor can interpret them properly into reality with the upmost quality and perfection.

What is a Contractor?The contractor executes the architect’s designs. He turns your dream home from a conceptual design into reality. In doing so, he or she is responsible for the day-to-day management of the construction site; as well as providing all the equipment, materials, and services required for

the construction of the project. The contractor hires specialists to do different jobs. These specialists, better known as the subcontractors are responsible to the contractor who in turn is responsible to the owner. The contractor is the “last man out” of the project. He or she takes care of all the finer details and takes responsibility for your overall satisfaction. More importantly, the contractor ensures that the project is completed on time and within budget.

What does a contractor do?1- Bid: The tender is treated as an offer to do the work for a certain amount of money (lump sum), or a certain amount of profit (cost plus). The tender that is usually submitted by the competing contractors is generally based on a bill of quantities__ where approximate quantities of materials, parts and labor costs are itemized. It generally shows the cost estimate in square meters for walls, number of doors and windows, etc

2- Work: The contractor hires sub-contractors; as well as individual workers. The Contractor hires, schedules and pays the subs. When you hire a Contractor, you only have a contract with him not the subs. A good Contractor has an extensive network of relations with all types of subs. He has worked with many subs ,and knows the best in terms of quality, cost, and ability to deliver on time. He also knows how they work and is able to deal with them. It is because of this ongoing relationship, the Contractor makes sure that he gets a high quality job from the subs. At the same time, the subs are confident of dealing with a construction professional that will pay them on time and bring future jobs.

Types of ContractorsThere are different types of contractors. All the criteria that we are going to discuss later -how to choose, work with and pay a contractor - are the same and apply to all of them;

Credit of Photography Ahmed Mleeg

All site photographs are from actual Dezines’ projects

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1- There is the construction contractor; the individual or firm responsible for the construction of buildings, land excavation, soil treatment, laying the foundations, columns, beams, slabs; as well as wall brick work.

2- There is the finishing contractor, the individual or firm responsible for executing all the finishing work such as plastering, electromechanical, floorings, tiling, painting etc….

3- There is the landscape contractor, the individual or firm responsible for executing all hardscape and softscape. He could execute the pool with its electromechanical or sub it to a separate firm under his supervision.

4- There is the General contractor who would perform all of the above.

“Why Hire a General Contractor?”An experienced general contractor provides countless benefits:

• They know how to manage subcontractors and integrate tasks;

• Contractors are in this business neck deep, so they may introduce you to ideas you haven’t considered;

• One point of contact for any questions and concerns will make your life easier. Having the project managed reduces the stress of having always to be available, favourably by one person allows you to concentrate on product selection, and focus on fine details; as well as monitoring the process.

• A general contractor's experience allows ease of execution, and reliable problem solving.

• Key knowledge of all aspects of construction, and how to co-ordinate the different stages and trades involved is imperative to a smooth experience.

• Connections with material suppliers mean better pricing and faster service.

What does a Contractor deal with?Building a house requires 30 to 50 different tasks depending on the complexity of the design. These tasks are spread over the construction process where some tasks run concurrently, while others overlap. Since construction requires the integration of these tasks, the management of subcontractors is an essential part of the Contractor’s job.

Below is a diagram that clarifies the number of sub-contractors involved in the construction of a house.

How to choose a contractor?There is no shortage of contractors in all fields in Egypt, but they are not household names. They generally don’t advertize themselves so you have to do some homework. I always prefer personal recommendations myself. Start with your architect first, ask for his preferences. If for any reason that doesn’t work: ask friends, relatives, neighbors, colleagues etc. If you have good work experience with subcontractors, then ask them too, but make sure, they had some former satisfying experience with them. One

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solving, teamwork, time-management and budgeting skills. Having rapport with your contractor is very important. You can usually determine that at your first meeting. Ask questions about their past projects, their clients, qualifications. and

other venue I would highly recommend is driving around your area to look at homes having work done. You can also check professional magazines, which could be a good source of information. Surfing the net should be your last resort.

TIPS• Make sure you choose a well established experienced contractor with a good portfolio, so that he would be as resourceful as possible with sub-contractors. So, if the sub-contractors drop out or don’t do their jobs right then their substitutes would be available when needed.

• Make sure that the contractor you choose is capable of working in your area, putting into consideration that small contractors could charge you excess money for travel expenses. Whether bigger contracting professionals would have that point covered due to their various diversified work sites.

How to work properly with a contractor?Good contractors are good project managers. The key skill sets you should be looking for are communication, problem

accomplishments. Try to see pictures of their previous work to get a sense of their abilities and make sure they have done the same work you want done. Whenever possible, visit past clients’ homes to see the contractor’s work firsthand.

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Once satisfied with the cooperation of the Contractor, you can proceed further in getting an estimate of the cost. Get a feel for the contractor when asking for the quotes. If the quote is very detailed, there's a good chance their work will also so be thorough.. If the quote is unorganized and takes a long time to complete, then that could be a sign of what his work habits will be like.

There are no hard and fast rules for the number of estimates you should get. Some people prefer to get a number of bids before making a decision. Others discover after the interview process that there is one contractor they strongly prefer, and consequently only ask that contractor to submit an estimate. What matters is that you feel comfortable you have enough adequate information to make the right choice. As a general rule, with the proper drawings and specifications, three estimates will usually provide sufficient information for you to make a decision.

Tips:Before the work

• Try to stick to reputable credible companies to eliminate future problems that could occur.

• Request a formal bid based on the plans and specifications prepared by your architect.

• Make sure you give the same set of plans to all bidders to make sure you can properly compare the bids.

• Compare the estimate carefully and make sure that everything you ask for is included.

• In your comparison, make sure that the quality level is a constant factor.

• Ask the contractor to submit it in person so you can discuss it.

• Assume that anything not listed is not included in the price.

• Make sure the contractor provides you with a construction schedule.

• Sometimes contractors submit lower tenders to win the contract and get the job. Don’t jump for the lowest bid. It may be unrealistically low. The contractor may not have understood the project, may be underestimating what it will take to complete the work, or simply trying to get a price advantage over the competitors. Generally speaking, if a bid looks too good to be true, it probably is.

During the work• If there are any delays in your remodeling

plans, or if you make any changes, let your contractor know right away.

• If you are in charge of having the material ready, then you should have that material available to prevent any delays.

• Don't stick your nose in the subs work, if you have any comments never go directly to the subs, go to the contractor, he manages them.

• You have to tell your contractor your comments and requests, but you have to also LISTEN, he is the expert.

• Pay right away, don’t delay payments, because that will accordingly delay work,

Interview Questions for Contractors• What is the average number of jobs you

do at the same time?

• Will there be someone on-site and in charge of my job each day?

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• How many projects have you done?

• How long will the project take and give a maximum dead line if I hold up my end?

• Which interior designers or architects did you work with?

• How do you handle change orders?

• Who were your two best and worst clients? Why?

• Who are your top 3 material suppliers?

• How accurate does your cost estimate tend to be?

• From your experience where in the work process does usually mark ups happen, if ever? And by what percentage?

How are Contractors paid?Generally, there are two types of contracts: Lump Sum Contract and Cost-Plus Contract.

A- The Lump Sum Contract: is when the Contractor provides the required contracting services for a fixed price covering the cost of labor, materials, supplies, equipment, and professional consultants to do the job as well as the contractor’s overhead and profit margin.

B- Cost-Plus-Contract: its contract is direct costs and an additional percentage. The calculated cost of Labor, materials, supplies, equipment known as direct costs, added to that a fixed percentage, which covers the fees for the contractor.

Below is a diagram that explains the differences between both methods

Tips

• Make sure the method of payment is clearly clarified in your contract;,as well as the installments, whether related to dates or scope of work.

• Make sure you have a penalty clause in your contract that could protect you in the situation of bad work execution due

to bad quality control or inappropriate choice of the materials agreed on.

• Make sure you have a penalty clause in your contract in case of delay of work that is not due to you; whether in paying or doing changes, and also not due to designer’s alterations.

In the upcoming article we will enter the world of the glamorous Interior designer, and dig deep into all the aspects needed to have a fruitful choice and a successful collaboration with one.

You can reach me at my emailaskdalia@ask.com

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