Contracting companies can either cause real headaches, or be a joy to work with. But how do you go about selecting the cream of the crop for your property maintenance needs and before it’s too late?
Before you even think of hiring your next property maintenance and painting maintenance supplier, you may want to use the following criteria to evaluate and shortlist a few good candidates:
Think ‘Legal’ and ‘Protocol’
You don’t want to partner with any property maintenance and painting maintenance suppliers that don’t have their legal and work safety ducks in a row, that’s for sure. First do your homework and ask the following: Do the contracting companies you are considering have the necessary occupational health and safety policies and procedures in place to prevent things going wrong? Do they have a system in place for when things do go wrong? This is vital in any building project work, especially when working around vulnerable population groups.
Does the company conduct internal risk audits and assessments, train all its staff in work safety behaviours, report incidents and then implement steps to prevent reoccurrences? Moreover, is the company appropriately insured and do they have the necessary legalities in place as a buffer for both you and them in the event of an accident, injury or damage to your property?Think ‘Networks’
It is always good to know the quality of work that contracting companies have already delivered, so don’t be scared to call around and get the appropriate input from the companies’ references. Where else have they done work? We suggest that you choose at least five other places who have dealt with the company and give them a call. Or go and visit the properties they have worked on to see the quality of their maintenance work for yourself. You may learn something that could really encourage you to hire them – or scare you right off.Think ‘Experience’
How long has this business been going? Contracting companies that have stood the test of time are a safe bet. If they have been around for more than 30 years, then they have managed to keep in business via word-of-mouth marketing channels and not through any fancy sales gimmick. They are not a flash-in-the-pan deal and customers clearly trust them.Think ‘Track Record’
Have the contractors worked on similar projects? Contracting companies, like Higgins Coatings, that specialise in certain project types, generally know their field of work back-to-front. They have a better idea of their customer's needs and pain points, as well as the parameters in which they will be expected to work.
Contact us for more information on our occupational health and safety policies and procedures or to talk about the painting and maintenance solutions we can offer you.
