• How Curbio Vets Its Subcontractors 

The latest 2020 National Construction Payment Report found that less than one in three contractors reported finishing projects on time and within budget and 70% blamed poor job site coordination for budget and deadline overruns.

With this new report out, we thought it would be a good time to share details about hiring a subcontractor and Curbio’s vetting process. Specifically, let’s delve into how we find our subcontractors, how we’re different than the average subcontractor and how we make sure they’re qualified.

There’s no better way than to go directly to the source and talk to our Chief Construction Officer, James Bruno, to get the inside scoop on Curbio’s subcontracting process. 

James Bruno

James Bruno

Chief Construction Officer

James began doing home renovation work in 1990. Since 1999, he has rehabbed and flipped over 20 properties, including single and multifamily dwellings and commercial properties. He fuses good design with value-priced, but high-quality materials to sell homes for record prices, while maintaining high profits. He uses this same philosophy with his renovation and material acquisition approach at Curbio.

What are the basic qualifications that a subcontractor must have to work with Curbio?  

All  of  our subcontractors must be licensed and insured with a minimum of 5 years of experience in home renovation within the trade required to complete the project.   

How does Curbio search for subcontractors? 

When we recruit our full-time Project Managers, we require that they have  a large network of other subcontractors whom they have worked with and who have been vetted over the years. So, as we enter new markets and expand into existing ones, we are sourcing our subcontractors from a reliable group  with whom our Curbio Project Managers have relationships and prior experience.  

On the rare occasion we do need to source new subcontractors, we reach out to agents who have their own trusted contractors or  look on  review sites. Once identified, we go through a thorough vetting process. 

It’s not very common that we need to source subcontractors outside our Project Managers’ networks.   

Do we ask for references or ask them to show previous project work?  

Yes, of course.  We typically will speak with three references prior to hiring.

What questions  might  we ask a subcontractor to  ensure they’re qualified?

  • How long have they been in business?
  • What type of work do they do?
  • How many crews/team members do they have?
  • Are there any  jobs they’re working on  that we could see?
  • Can you show us your portfolio of projects and materials?

We’ll also check references and their  licensed liability insurance  to  ensure there aren’t citations against them and to verify insurance is current and maintains the liability limits.

Does Curbio require behavior guidelines?

Curbio provides clear guidelines for what our subcontractors can and cannot do. We also have a Curbio Project Manager that makes frequent visits to the project to ensure that the subs keep the work environment clean and safe, while maintaining a high level or professionalism.

How does Curbio handle problems that arise with subcontractors?

Your dedicated Curbio Project Manager is responsible for quality control on a renovation project. In the unlikely event that a sub is not performing to Curbio’s standards, the Project Manager will address the issue.  If it’s found that the sub cannot perform at the level we require, we’ll release them from the project and bring on another subcontractor to complete the scope of work.   

How do our subcontractors get paid?

We’ve streamlined our payment process so that our subcontractors are paid via direct deposit  within a week of submitting an invoice.   

Curbio prides itself on hiring top of the line subcontractors because we believe that agents and homeowners shouldn’t have to worry about vetting or managing the renovation process. That’s why we handle the recruiting and vetting of all subcontractors, so  that  real estate agents  can offer their clients a fast and effective pre-sale renovation experience without taking time  out  of their busy schedules  to manage the projects. 

Our full-time, onsite Project Managers are there each step of the way to manage subs, keep projects on track, ensure the highest quality, and keep you informed via Curbio’s Project Portal. When you work with us, you can rest assured that our Project Managers, subcontractors, and renovations will meet the highest quality standards. To prove it, our work is backed-up the with a one-year warranty.  Find out for yourself and click below to get a free project assessment on your latest listing.

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