1. Is the company licensed and classified?
Ask for a valid commercial registration, the classification certificate from the relevant authority where the project requires it, and the tax registration certificate. Do not deal with an entity that cannot issue a tax invoice in its own name.
2. What similar work has it done?
Ask for three projects similar in type and size, with before-and-after photos and, where possible, a previous owner you can call. A contractor who specialises in villas is not necessarily right for a restaurant inside a mall.
3. What does the quotation include and exclude?
A good quotation lists items by quantity, unit and specification, and states the exclusions plainly: MEP works, furniture, equipment, authority fees. A single total with no breakdown is not a quotation you can compare.
4. Who supplies the materials and who approves them?
State in the contract whether supply is by the contractor or the owner, how samples are approved before purchase, and what happens when an approved material is unavailable.
5. How is the payment schedule built?
Payments follow progress, not dates: a reasonable advance against a guarantee or undertaking, then stage payments against completed and accepted work, with a retention released after final handover and the warranty period.
6. What is the programme, and what happens on delay?
Ask for a programme by stages, not just an end date, and fix the delay penalty and its cap, together with the legitimate grounds for extension such as late owner approvals or design changes.
7. How are changes managed?
Any change in scope is recorded in a written variation order stating the price and the effect on time before the work is done. Verbal changes are the first source of disputes on the final account.
8. Who supervises quality on site?
Ask who the responsible site engineer is, whether stage inspections use checklists, and how hidden work such as waterproofing and first-fix services is recorded before it is covered.
9. What is the warranty after handover?
Define the warranty period for each type of work, what it covers, the response time for repairs, and whether manufacturers’ warranties on materials pass to you.
10. Is the contract written and clear?
A short, clear contract beats a long one nobody reads. The minimum: scope, price and its basis, duration, payments, changes, warranty, and how disputes are settled.
The rule: do not compare the numbers; compare what each number buys. The cheapest offer with a missing scope is the most expensive one at handover.
We offer a free initial review of the drawings and quotations you receive, and send back a written list of gaps before you sign.
