Hiring a Contractor
Choosing a Commercial GC in Cherokee County: 10 Questions
Ten questions every owner should ask before hiring a commercial general contractor in Cherokee County. Skip these and you risk delays, change orders, and worse.
Hiring a commercial general contractor is one of the highest leverage decisions on any project. A good GC protects your schedule, your budget, and your reputation. A bad one quietly burns all three. If you are evaluating contractors in Cherokee County or North Metro Atlanta, here are the questions that actually matter.
1. Are you licensed and insured in Georgia?
Ask for the Georgia general contractor license number, general liability certificate, and workers compensation certificate. Verify them. This is the floor, not the ceiling.
2. How many projects like mine have you completed in the last three years?
You want someone who has done your specific use type in your jurisdiction recently. A great office GC is not always a great restaurant GC.
3. Can I see three recent projects and talk to those owners?
Photos are easy. References are not. Call the references and ask what went wrong and how the GC handled it.
4. Who will run my project day to day?
The person who sells the job is rarely the person who builds it. Meet the project manager and the superintendent before you sign.
5. How do you price?
Lump sum, cost plus with a guaranteed maximum, or open book. Each has trade offs. What you want is a GC who can explain when each makes sense for your situation.
6. How do you handle change orders?
Ask for an example change order from a recent project. Look for clear pricing, schedule impact, and an approval workflow that protects both sides.
7. What is your schedule and how do you protect it?
A serious GC has a baseline schedule before construction starts and a recovery plan when things slip. Ask how they manage long lead items and weather days.
8. Who are your key subcontractors?
The GC is only as strong as the trades behind them. Ask who handles MEP, who handles structural, and how long those relationships have been in place.
9. How do you communicate with owners?
Weekly project meeting, written meeting minutes, photo updates, shared schedule. If the answer is "we will text you," keep looking.
10. What does your warranty cover and for how long?
One year is the industry standard. Some GCs offer more on specific systems. Get it in writing.
The Nobo standard
We are a family owned commercial general contractor based in Canton. Licensed and insured. We work for property owners, investors, brokers, and developers across Cherokee County and North Metro Atlanta.
If you are interviewing contractors, we want to be one of them. Reach out and we will respond within 24 hours.
