Finding the appropriate fit out contractor in UAE to carry out the task may not look easy at first. Whether you are setting up a company office, a restaurant, or trading establishment, you have to choose the appropriate interior design and contracting company to execute the task. The fit out contractor needs to complete the task within the allocated budget, time and as per the highest professional standards. We’ve listed below some questions and tips to help you make a decision before hiring a contractor.

How long have you been in business and how many projects have you completed?

Experience in the industry makes it easier to overcome issues, and with experience comes knowledge of budgets and timeframes. Only an interior design and contracting company with vast experience has the capability to understand the complexities and requirements of your project. Hence, take time to look at the different projects they have undertaken in the UAE. Have they handled different types of projects such as restaurants, offices, malls, etc..

Tips:

• On the fitout contractor’s ContraFinder profile, check the number of projects section to see which projects they worked on and the quality of their work. Check the project name, project cost, and project year to help you find an appropriate consultant that worked on a similar project you are planning on working.
• Contractors that have next to their name, means it has been hired 3 times and ContraFinder team verified it. The higher number of hires, the better.

Can you provide references and what is your financial standing?

A fitout contractor has to arrange for labor, materials, purchase necessary equipment and fittings to begin working on an interior project. Hence, they need to have good financial strength to meet those expenses upfront and also pay the vendors or suppliers of materials on time. It is good to evaluate their annual turnover, number of projects completed and currently under execution.

Tips:

• On the fitout contractor’s ContraFinder profile, look at the typical project cost to understand the average cost of their projects.
• An interior design and contracting company without adequate cash flow will be unable to complete the task on time as per the standards of the customer.
• Reach out to ContraFinder team, we can assist by providing valuable insights if the selected fitout partner has a good financial standing.

Have you worked on projects which have similarities to my ideas and can you show me some examples of your work?

Even as experience is an important criterion for choosing fitout contractor, expertise also counts. Expertise is the skill in undertaking a task as per industry standards and executing it to perfection. Expertise has to be evaluated on the basis of testimonials and references. Get the client list of the fitout contractor and get their feedback.

Tips:

• Check the contractor’s ratings and reviews section in their ContraFinder profile to see their clients’ feedback on their services. The contractor may have joined ContraFinder recently, so you may not see enough reviews and ratings, don’t worry, reach out to us and will assist you to make a decision as a third party.
• Check the About us section in their ContraFinder profile to see check their clients’ list. And check the projects they worked on. ContraFinder team can assist in arranging site visits of their clients.

What services you will offer and are you aware of relevant current regulations?

It is important to evaluate the type of services offered by the fitout contractor. Do they offer the entire range of services including flooring, walls, electrical, plumbing, networking and other tasks to be done for the interior projects? Or do they outsource the work to third parties? Do they offer maintenance and support services on completion of the project?

Tips:

• You will get the best possible office delivered to global standards if your fit-out partner have an in-house team handling all authority approvals, from construction to completion.
• We encourage the contractors on ContraFinder to post their credentials, licenses, and certifications on the project section. It’s very important that you check their supporting documents.

What are your staffing levels and how quickly you respond to our inquiry?

How quickly a fitout contractor responds to your queries and clarifications show the professionalism and work attitude of the company. The bigger the firm, the more experience will be present among its staff. You need to balance this with the amount of individual care and attention you need – obviously the more the better

Tips:

• Make sure they have the right amount of time to devote to your project. There is no point in them saying they can start in six months when you want to have your unit operational by then. So a breakdown of their commitment over a selected timespan will see if they can meet your timeline with the proper level of commitment and dedication.

Signing of the contract

The fitout contractor should be willing to sign a contract giving details of the deliverables from each side with timelines and payment schedule for completion. They should have a single point of contact to coordinate the work schedule and various issues that may arise during the implementation phase.

Tips:

• Don’t pay all the costs up-front and take note of any company which leaves off the final amount. Not only is this unprofessional, but they might also try and undercut their original quote. A down payment, progress payments and final settlement is the best way forward, with penalties if work is not completed according to the schedule.
• Ensure project costs are fixed and not estimates. Estimated costs can easily overrun making a project’s costs go over budget very quickly.
• ContraFinder team can help you by providing overview advise on the contracts based on our long experience in the industry.