Florida Certified General Contractors

Looking to Hire a General Contractor?

Our site offers tips helping you know what to look for when hiring residential or commercial contractors.

No matter where you are located in Florida, you should find this site helpful to plan out your project and help you select a contractor to work on your project.

With Florida's recent exceptional economic growth and it being a well known dream location for retirement the booming market has caused many of the world's greatest general contractors to relocate to Florida.

Contracting Research

Before hiring a general contractor do research to determine what materials need to be used, what needs to be done, and the best way to do it. Ask local hardward stores, local business inspectors, lumber yards, real estate agents, and your friends. Also ask your friends if there recommend any specific Florida contractors. Word of mouth is an important avenue to explore when gathering up a short list of potential contracting partners.

Things to Look for in a General Contractor

  • Communication: Are they good at communicating with you? If not then they may not be good at giving you the service you deserve. They may not be able to communicate with sub-contractors well either, and that can lead to an inefficient, slow and over-budget project.
  • Contracts - Project Dates, Details & Responsibilities: Before signing a contract or letting contstruction begin make sure you know
    • who is responsible for getting the needed building permits
    • when they will start and end work
    • the project budget
    • payment dates and schedule
    • cleanup details
    • also get an exact description of the project scope, to include a list of materials being used
    • make sure any verbal promises are in the contract
  • Itemized Bills: A quality general contractor will know how much value they create. They should not be afraid to give you an itemized bill. Typically general contractors tack on 10 to 15% to the construction costs for their management time and services.
  • Reputation: Obviously a recommendation from trusted friends goes a long way, but also be on the look out for things that might indicate questionable behavior, like
    • requiring over 30% payment up front
    • refusal to give an exact quote before work begins
    • lack of insurance or contractor registration number
    • unmarked vehicles
    • high pressure sales tactics

Thinking of Becoming a Contractor?

Our site also offers tips about contracting, including

In addition we highlight some of the fastest growing towns and cities in Florida, which may help you decide the best FL location to launch your contracting career or expand your business.