4 Questions to Ask your Contractor Before Your Dental Office Expansion
Posted by HJT Design
The relationship you have with your contractor plays an important role in the quality of work you will receive during your dental office expansion.
You need a contractor who understands your needs and has the right experience in dental office expansions.
During the preparation process, take your time to interview different contractors and evaluate their offers.
In addition to the technical experience, you need someone who understands the workings of a dental office and is willing to help you realize your dreams for the clinic.
The questions you ask at this stage will influence every aspect of the project, including timely completion of the work.
Asking the right questions can save you time and money in the long-term.
Do you have any experience in dental office work?
The work that goes into a dental office expansion is quite specific; you need somebody who understands the workings of a dental clinic, the layout of different equipment and the basic functionality of different rooms specific to dentistry.
While there are many contractors in the market who can help you with the job, finding somebody with dental office remodeling experience will save you from having to micromanage every aspect of the job.
Additionally, contractors with dental office experience have systems and controls to ensure they give you the right estimations on time and budget.
These contractors understand the requirements of a dental office; they will work to make the project as successful as possible.
Do you have a list of references?
Whatever experience a potential contractor presents must have solid backing from satisfied clients.
Ask for a list of references, and do your due diligence to ensure the contractor has a good record of accomplishment.
Speak to other dentists or dental office managers to assess their overall satisfaction with the work delivered and their experience with the contractor.
Your questions should touch on issues such as communications, their ability to stay on budget and on time and their professionalism.
Will you provide the permits and follow up on inspections for this job?
Once you get a contractor to help you with your dental office expansion, they should handle all the details of the job.
Most of the work that goes into a dental office expansion will require special permits and inspection from different construction authorities.
Your contractor should handle all the details; such as making a list of the necessary permits and visiting the relevant authorities to get the permits.
In case you need to pay for the permits or for the inspection, they should include these fees in the original quote, to avoid asking you for extra money once the project begins.
What is your timeline?
A dental office expansion will help you grow; however, it should not last long enough to send your clients away.
Depending on the nature of work required, you should have an estimate of the amount of time it will take to complete the work and how it will affect your normal operations.
Your contractor’s timeline must be close to your original estimate.
They should provide you with a concrete timeline, and dates for specific milestones to help you track their progress.
During the interview process, ask your contractor for a detailed payment plan, with specifications by date of after completion of milestones.
One of the leading dental office construction companies, HJT Dental Designs, specializes in providing the solutions you need to grow your business.