Finding a General Contractor for your franchise location
Congratulations you have signed onto a franchise! Let’s assume you’ve found a site that you’re interested in, and now you’re heading into signing the lease. This is the time when you want to start looking for a general contractor. You do not need a lease in hand to start looking for your commercial contractor. When selecting your general contractor for your franchise location there are some key elements to consider.
Before you get started, you should receive a build-out manual from your franchise Area Director. This document specifies all the design criteria needed to get your space ready for occupancy, guidelines for installation standards on fixtures & equipment, and resources for purchasing materials. Then, you’ll need to select your contractor team for the build-out of your franchise location.
Craftsmanship is key to your franchise success
The general contractor you hire should have a background in the industry in which you are embarking. For example, if you’re planning on opening a restaurant, make sure the general contractor has an extensive background in restaurant builds. Every industry has specifics in which you will want your building team to be knowledgeable in. As a franchisee you have the responsibility of representation of the brand. Your commercial contractor’s craftsmanship reflects how well you represent that brand.
Locally licensed and operated general contractor
Make sure that the general contractor is licensed to do work in that state. This is very important because otherwise they can’t do your work. Always look in the geographical area where your site is going to be built. This will help improve speed in which the job can be executed in.
The general contractor’s past clients
Some things to think about when speaking with the general contractor are their references. Request a list of references. What have they created? Where have they constructed? Next, contact each of the references and ask them about the contractor. Did they have any problems? Were they satisfied with the quality of work that the contractor provided? This is key when selecting your general contractor for your franchise location.
In franchise, time is of the essence
When speaking with or interviewing general contractors for the job, you should take some important measurements. First, consider the time frame. You’ll have X-amount of time to build the site after signing a lease. You must ensure that the general contractor can complete the work within the specified time frame.
Quotes x 3
When selecting your general contractor for your franchise location, we would suggest you get a minimum of three quotes from three different contractors. Once you have the quotes, you can then start to compare them and contrast them against each other. If you’re not comfortable looking at construction quotes, the franchisor would probably be willing to help you and advise you on what to be looking at and how to compare.
Subcontractors team
Local trades or their own team. The trades are the subcontractors that work for the general contractors and are typically people like the electricians, the plumbers, the carpenters, the people that do the work on the job. Many general contractors have their own team so ask them that, or do they go into the market and just start interviewing local trades and ask them if that’s the process that they go through. Either one works. Just understand that in many cases, the local municipality will want a general contractor that has tradesman from the local area.
Ask the Franchisor
The franchisor is probably going to have some suggested general contractors that you to talk to. Take advantage of this information and go speak with these suggested contractors. Presumably these contractors have built the brand/concept before, and the franchisor obviously has some comfort in working with them.
Robert Hakes Construction
Our team has an extensive franchise construction experience as a premier pacific northwest general contractor. We collaborate with franchisees throughout the Vancouver and Portland Metropolitan Areas. At Robert Hakes Construction, we understand how important it is to meet the expectations of franchisors, including specific building requirements. We understand the importance of completing each project on time and within budget.
Our Team
Robert Hakes Construction has the track record and general construction experience required to construct your next location. Each of our superintendents, as well as our detail-oriented project managers, approach each project with a solution-driven approach, which is why you will feel confident in selecting us for your next project. We are an authorized contractor for a number of franchise systems. If we are not listed, we will gladly submit qualifications for approval to the franchisor.
We bring the following aspects to every franchise build:
- PRE-BID SITE SURVEYS Prior to the bidding process, we will conduct a site survey to define and analyze the project scope. This ensures that we can accurately bid on the project and provide realistic budget numbers. It also allows us to discuss feasibility with the client and answer any questions.
- FAST, ACCURATE BIDS Once the site survey is complete, we are committed to providing prospective clients with an accurate bid in a timely manner to keep the project on track. We value your time and money and strive not to waste either.
- NEGOTIATION BUDGET One of the most crucial aspects of a lease negotiation is the tenant improvement allowance. Our goal is to help prospective clients get the most out of this process by providing accurate budget numbers.
- A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH COMMERCIAL LANDLORDS AND DEVELOPERS Over the years, we have established strong relationships with both parties. The most efficient building process occurs when landlords, tenants, architects, and builders work together as a team. Our strong relationships with industry partners are important to us.
- FRANCHISOR COORDINATION In order to ensure that all specs are followed, we will coordinate directly with your franchise project management team. By partnering with a wide variety of franchisors and ensuring brand consistency, we are able to quickly transition and identify the specifications that are set forth for each franchise, ensuring compliance with the guidelines.
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