How your subcontractor can mess up your construction project

Choosing the right subcontractors is vital for any construction project. There is no doubt about it, and everyone knows it. 

Let’s find out how wrongly chosen subcontractors can mess up your construction project.

Using fine prints

They won with the lowest price, but they left it in the contract or your offer’s fine print. When the project begins, they unravel this fine print, and you realize that your subcontractor is not delivering the whole package. In the end, you are left with no choice but to pay for these extras. 

Fishing for change orders

Usually, those lowest bidder subcontractors are always looking for extra work or change orders. Once you step back from the initial plan or some error is found in the original plan, you will face a bill from your subcontractor. 

Jeopardize your plans.

You both have reached an agreement and agreed on a plan. When it comes to execution, your subcontractors start to delay. In the end, you have to cancel your own plans and reschedule everything.

Project budget

The moment you start to reschedule your work, you start to face unexpected costs. Every change in your plan costs something. You have to relocate your people to other projects, postpone material deliveries, and so on. All of that costs money. 

Not providing enough resources

Very often, subcontractors are overbooked. They then spread their people across all the work sites. You end up with less staff than expected and promise that soon the manpower will be increased and lost time will be caught. Usually, those subcontractors can’t catch up with the lost time. 

Quality issues

Very often, bad subcontractors lack equipment because it is in bad working condition, they don’t have enough equipment, or the tools are not for professional use. Also, bad subcontractors will always try to look for alternative materials, which also have lower quality. You can end up receiving a product of lower quality.

Safety issues

Very often, poorly managed subcontractors go the extra mile and avoid safety rules. They tend to avoid weather restrictions, not using proper safety equipment, or lack of it. 

Cash flow issues

If the subcontractor is facing cash flow issues during the project, he can pass this pressure on to you. If his position in the project is large, you can start to feel pressure over cash flow yourself. Because he can ask you to finance his work in advance, you are left with no choice but to help him.

Usually, most of the subcontractors deliver their work according to their promises and your plans. But one single subcontractor who underdelivers can ruin a whole construction project. Because he can then put pressure on the next subcontractors, who should then work after him. Choose your subcontractors carefully and do your research before hiring them. 

Author – Emil Berzins. Follow me on