Construction & Contractors Blog
If you live near a body of water or plan to establish a business near one, you may need some construction work on the shore or inside the body of water. The best way to conduct such works is by hiring a marine contractor. Marine contractors have specialised equipment such as dredgers, barges and self-elevating platforms needed to complete marine projects. Below are important considerations to make when choosing a marine contractor.
Finding a marine contractor
Marine contractors are not as easy to find as inland contractors. Conduct an online search of marine contractors in your area. You can also seek recommendations from friends or other businesses. For instance, if you need to construct a dock, visit someone with a dock and ask them who built their dock.
Reputation and experience
Before hiring a marine contractor, ensure that he or she is capable of completing the proposed works. Ask him or her to show you similar projects or some of the large construction projects his or her company has completed. Inquire about the contractor's reputation from past clients or look for online reviews.
Evaluation
Contact a few commercial marine contractors and inform them of your proposed development. At this stage, the contractors should physically visit the location of the proposed project and evaluate if they are capable of performing the work. Each of the contractors will them submit a design accompanied by the project specifications, timeline and costs. Alternatively, you can hire a marine engineer to design the structure.
Pricing
If you had hired an engineer to design and provide cost estimates, expect the contractors to quote a higher price than that of the engineer. If you had not, you would have to compare the contractor's designs against their pricing. For instance, a contractor that chooses to use expensive materials might be significantly costlier than one that did not. Ask the contractors of the rationale behind their designs, materials and pricing. Do not go for the cheapest; rather, go for the contractor whose design, workmanship and understanding of the project best pleases you.
Contract
Before any works commence, visit your lawyer and ask him or her to draft an agreement detailing the scope of works, how payments will be made, guarantees offered by the contractor and penalties for late payments and delayed construction. Finally, secure permits from the marine authorities and your local council before commencing construction.
When looking for a marine contractor, evaluate his or her experience, reputation, design and pricing. Ensure that you secure permits and a contract before beginning the project.
Share7 January 2019
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