HOW TO CHOOSE AN EXCAVATING CONTRACTOR YOU CAN TRUST

What To Check Before You Hire Anyone

You're looking for a contractor for your residential or commercial project - someone who can do site work, land clearing, excavation or pole barn prep in Middle Tennessee.

But it can be hard to know who to hire. If you're a home owner, you're trusting a contractor with your home and your property. That takes a lot of trust. If you're a contractor or a government agency, you're looking for someone who will get the job done right the first time and won't create more problems than they solve.

Here's what actually separates one contractor from another.

1. Make Sure They're Insured

This is the starting point, and it is not just a formality.

If you hire someone who is not properly insured, you can be held liable for damages they cause. You could even be held liable if one of their workers is injured while doing work for you.

So ask for a certificate of insurance, and do not feel awkward about asking. Any legitimate contractor expects the question and can produce one.

But don't make the mistake many people make and assume that because a contractor carries insurance they'll do good work. Insurance has nothing to do with work ethic. With some contractors, good luck finding them after the job is done - especially if you have a question or a problem.

2. Make Sure They Understand The Job

Make sure the contractor has actually looked at the scope of the project and understands what needs to be done. You can tell a lot about a contractor just by talking with them and seeing how well they listen.

If they spend more time telling you how great they are - and how they've done this kind of work hundreds of times - rather than taking the time to listen to what you need, that tells you something. They're treating your project like any other project, and they won't give it the attention it deserves.

3. Ask Whether They Understand The Impacts Of The Work

This is the one most people don't think to ask about, and it's where the expensive mistakes live. Site work has consequences that show up months or years later:

• Improper backfill can cause water to drain toward your foundation. That can mean foundation cracks, a wet basement, and a lifetime of expensive problems.
• Demolition done wrong can damage buildings that were supposed to stay, create a safety hazard, and cause environmental damage.
• Bad grading or land clearing can cause soil erosion, water running onto neighboring properties, and runoff that damages the environment.
• Standing water from poor drainage breeds mosquitos and makes it hard to grow anything.

As the property owner you can end up with land problems, water problems, angry neighbors, and in some cases lawsuits or fines - from work done by a contractor without the right experience.

Your contractor should know these impacts, know how to eliminate or minimize them, be informed on environmental rules, and care about doing the work correctly.

4. Look At Their Equipment

You want a contractor who has the right equipment for the job - and equipment that's in good working order.

It's frustrating to have your project delayed because a contractor didn't spend the time or money to maintain their machines. Beyond the delay, poorly maintained equipment is a safety risk.

Ask what they'll be bringing and whether they maintain it themselves. A contractor who does their own maintenance can get back up and running quickly instead of waiting on a service company.

5. Ask About Work Ethic

This is where you really start sorting out the competition. You wouldn't think things like:

• showing up on time
• maintaining the schedule
• protecting the surrounding property and buildings
• cleaning up when the job is done

...would be hard to find in a site work contractor. But they are.

When you're working with big, heavy equipment, a crew that isn't paying attention to the surrounding property will eventually damage something. And it's surprising how many contractors don't consider cleanup part of their job - which leaves you with a mess to deal with after you've already paid.

6. Ask Who Actually Does The Work

Ask who is actually doing each part of the job. Most site work contractors bring in specialists for certain scopes - trucking and concrete are common ones - and there is nothing wrong with that as long as they tell you up front and stand behind the whole job. What you want to avoid is finding out on day one that nobody can give you a straight answer about who is responsible for what.

What You Should Expect

Can Any Contractor Really Do All That?

These days it can be hard to find a contractor who does all of it. But there are still some who care about you and about the quality of their work.

It doesn't matter whether it's a residential project, a commercial project, or a government project - at Champion Contracting we understand that we work for you. Our job is to give you the best quality and timely service possible. If that means going the extra mile, that's what we do.

We've been doing this since 2000, we're insured, and we don't rest until the job is complete, the area is neat, and you're satisfied. We leave your grounds in pristine condition no matter what services we do for you.

We also won't pretend every job is perfect. Sometimes unexpected situations come up. You can count on us to go the extra mile to make sure you're satisfied.

Call us for a quote on your next project. You can reach Champion Contracting at 931-345-4330.

Want to look around the site first? That's fine too. Here's what we do:

Excavation · Grading · Land & Lot Clearing · Tree & Stump Removal · Driveways · Demolition · Backfill · Culverts · Storm & Yard Cleanup · Hauling · Pole Barn Site Prep

If you're not sure whether we can help with what you need done, call anyway. We may still be able to help.