Within the construction industry, there is an old story about a three-legged stool. Each leg represents something that owners want: quality, on-time completion, and the project to be constructed within budget. If you fall short on any one of the three, the stool can’t stand up. 

We understand how important the three components are. We also understand if the project can’t be built for the budget, the other two won’t matter because the project will never get off the ground.

In today’s economy in Middle Tennessee, it takes a lot of effort and great relationships with subcontractors and suppliers to get good pricing. We have excellent estimators on staff who estimate projects every day. We know when we are selected to build a building, our clients can be assured they are paying a very fair price.

Here’s why: We worry hard early.

This may sound counterintuitive, but we prefer to worry about a project early. We are able to head off problems that may arise and be better equipped to handle construction changes midstream. Though we know every project inside and out, we still approach each job with the dedication and attention it deserves. We worry in the early stages of a project to discover the needs and desires of our clients, providing us with clear goals and making each following step that much more successful.

We study the design drawings and go to great lengths to know what all of the components of a new building or renovation should cost. We are good at providing early schematic design budgets. As the design begins to develop, we continue to get input from our subcontractors and material suppliers on what their scope of work should cost, and we compare this data to previous jobs of a similar nature. This enables us to give our clients real-world estimates as the design evolves.

When the design is at a stage where we can get hard bids from subcontractors and suppliers we then go get multiple bids on each component—site work, concrete, masonry, steel, roofing, wood, doors, hardware, windows, painting, flooring, ceilings, toilet accessories, fire sprinkler protection, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning), plumbing, and electrical—and those are just a few of the components that go into every significant construction project.

A successful project requires a great team. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link—we make sure that our team has no weak links. At our company, delivering a quality project on time and within budget is just the beginning. We know these are the absolute minimum qualifications a general contractor should have. And, because any general contractor can build a building, we know we have to be different from the others to provide the level of service and satisfaction that we know our owners deserve. 

Apart from the three legs of the stool, we feel there are other important factors that go into choosing your building partner.

Experience

There is no replacement for experience. If a contractor has years of successful projects under his/her belt, you know your project will run more smoothly. Owners who focus on price instead of other factors often find out the hard way. They choose the lowest bidder, rather than the contractor with the most experience in building their type of project. Choosing the lowest bidder does not ensure you have chosen the contractor with the most experience or the highest standards to build your type of project. So, always choose the contractor that has the most success doing what you need them to do. Dow Smith Company has more than 30 years of experience building healthcare facilities, commercial buildings, and churches. From new, ground-up construction, to renovations, to interior build-outs, we have “been there, done that.”

Transparency

As an owner, you should know how much your project will cost—the real costs. We are transparent with our bids. What this means is that we share with you all of the bids we have received from our subcontractors and suppliers. We then make our recommendations on what bids should be accepted, working with you so you understand the costs. This allows us to value engineer your project by bringing the scope in line with your budget. Again, we keep our owners apprised of all of the numbers and options so decision-making is easier for them.

Stewardship

We use and invest wisely in what has been given to us. This includes our employees, our subcontractors, our vendors, and other resources. We also realize that every client is a gift and we do everything in our power to protect that relationship. Stewardship is one of our core values. It is part of our company’s DNA.

Safety and Cleanliness

What happens on the job site has a direct effect on our clients. We choose to invest a lot of time and training in safety because it is our goal to have every one of our employees and subcontractors go home safely at the end of the day. And, cleanliness is just as important to safety as it is to the reputation of our company and yours. Safer construction companies have lower MOD rates and lower insurance premiums. Those savings get passed along to our clients. So, choose a contractor that places high importance on keeping the job site safe and tidy because it will affect the bottom line.

Relationship

Do you like your contractor? Have you established a level of trust and comfort that can be sustained throughout a project that will likely take months to complete? These are important points to consider before you select your contractor. Our entire team understands that communication and rapport with our owners is the key to the success of the project. 

So, how does an owner choose the right contractor?

Owners should choose their contractor based on demonstrated capabilities, experience, honesty, and reputation within the community. They should research who the best contractors are for the type of project they plan to build and interview those contractors BEFORE the design stage. Why? A competent general contractor will provide accurate cost estimating, value engineering, and other technical construction expertise through the concept and design stages that can help ensure the success of the project from the very beginning.

The right contractor will also work with the architect to achieve the design the owner wants— one that can actually be built on the chosen site within the owner’s budget. If the owner chooses to employ the design-build method, the process can be even more simplified by bringing the architect and the contractor under a single contract. This eliminates any adversarial relationship between the two. The result: owner, architect, and contractor working as a single team.

A contractor who knows that their future (and repeat client) work can be earned based upon quality workmanship, excellent communication, and performance rather than their skill at low-balling an estimate is a contractor who will deliver a successful project on time and within budget. A sturdy three-legged stool.

When owners follow this path, they end up gaining a partner who is just as much interested in the owner’s success as their own.