The Real Risk of Using Unverified Contractors in Commercial Buildings

When it comes to commercial property management, every decision that’s made has considerable weight behind it. From compliance to tenant satisfaction, there’s a thin margin for error for risky decisions. One of the most common but overlooked risks is hiring unverified contractors for important facility tasks.

While it may seem like a cost-saving endeavor of hiring an unverified contractor, it could spiral into costly problems that result in damage to your facility, its components, and even your reputation.

At City Wide of Boston, we match commercial property managers with verified contractors. Here’s the risk involved with choosing ones that aren’t verified:

Liability from Start to Finish

When you hire a contractor and they arrive on site, their work and conduct becomes your liability. They may lack the proper licensing, insurance coverage, and current certifications. If an incident occurs like damage to your property, a safety violation, or even an injury, you could be subject to legal action, regulatory fines, and even insurance issues.

Risks of Compliance in a Regulated Property

Commercial properties adhere to strict compliance guidelines. With systems like fire suppression, elevators, the electrical infrastructure, and HVAC units all require qualified professionals to service them. An unverified contractor may not have the proper credentials, may have outdated maintenance methods, could be unaware of code requirements, and could result in an inspection failure.

Low Bid Equals Low Quality

As a property manager, you’re incentivized to find ways to save on overhead costs so you can utilize your budget for upgrades and enhancements. However, you shouldn’t skimp on contractors. Going with a low big contractor could have hidden costs like cutting corners, inability to meet demands and deadlines, could potentially abandon the project, and could require rework after you’ve paid for the job.

Impact on Reputation

When you have tenants, it’s important to keep them satisfied so they continue with their lease and avoid the downtime of having empty space listed. Tenants expect reliability with their commercial space. If there’s recurring maintenance issues, unfinished projects, and rotating contractors, it can erode their trust in you and your abilities to manage the property. This could lead to them leaving for a different commercial space.

Don’t Risk it with Emergency Situations

If there’s an emergency situation like an electrical failure, burst pipes, or even storm damage, having verified and reliable help makes all the difference. You’ll want to not only choose someone reliable, but also someone who can prioritize. An unverified contractor may only prioritize based on their expected payment. Having a pre-vetted network helps you reduce issues and ensure quality, compliance, and efficiency.

Let City Wide of Boston Help You Find Verified Contractors

At City Wide of Boston, we match commercial property owners with verified contractors to handle the varying needs of their facility. Whether it’s a custodial team, handyperson services, window washing, snow removal, or utility maintenance, we can match you with a reliable, compliant, and verified contractor to get the work done.

Dealing with issues with unverified contractors? Let City Wide of Boston help you. Contact us today!