Have you ever heard the phrase “What you don’t know won’t hurt you!” Typically, this is referring to issues surrounding foods such as hot dogs or that fast food burger. Often times, you may not want to know what the kitchen looks like or who is preparing your food, on the other side of the kitchen doors. You just want to enjoy your meal and not think about the who, what, where and when it was made. (Please do not get me wrong, the vast majority of restaurants in our area take great care to prepare your food in the best and most sanitary way!)
If you have ever hired a contractor for a construction project in the past you probably were presented a minimally worded description of the proposed work with a number at the bottom of the page. There was no description of what areas of the project that made up that final number. You were expected to sign the contract without knowing how the costs were broke down. For instance, heating, cooling, and ventilation may be very important to someone in your home or to your business due to allergies or a manufacturing process. This may be an area where you want a higher percentage of resources allocated to so you can be sure you get the results you are looking for. Another example may be your wall or flooring finishes. You may not need a high-end finish on the walls, but you need a very durable floor. You need to be given the opportunity to put the resources into the areas that impact you or your company the most. A successful project will start with you being able to make decisions based on resource allocation. At MJI Building Service you will always be provided with that cost breakdown, so you have all the information!
You should also know who is working on your project. Are the subcontractors reputable and known in the industry? Do they have the experience and manpower required to complete the project? A good general contractor has established relationships with their subcontractors or have vetted them and have a comfort level with their skill level and manpower. You should be comfortable with the judgement of your general contractor, although asking for that list is always a good idea. You may also have some subcontractors that you know and trust that you may want included on the bidders list. Although, the general contractor will need to be sure that they are qualified to do the proposed work. It is always good to bid with someone you know and trust, before contracting them for your project.
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MJI Building Services wants our customers to know all the details. You need to know the makeup of your project cost and what you are exactly getting for your dollar and who is doing your project. Our “Transparency” extends from the initial budget spreadsheet through the final invoice. In this way you know what you are getting and where the costs are and who is working on your site. Our goal is to change the saying from “What you don’t know won’t hurt you” to “What you do know will help you”.