You have invested a significant amount of time and money into a construction project, which means you expect the general contractor you hire to manage the project to complete the project on time and under budget. However, some construction projects fail to meet the standards established by the industry. With the help of an experienced construction attorney, you should learn about the 10 signs that demonstrate that a contractor is negligent.
Substandard Work
The most common sign a contractor is negligent concerns defective, shoddy, and substandard work. The quality of the work completed on your construction project must meet the standards written into the construction contract. If you fail to detail in the construction contract the quality of work that you expect, it will be difficult to prove the general contractor committed one or more acts of negligence.
Inferior Equipment
One look at the equipment used by a general contractor and the team of independent contractors should tell the story about the competency of the crew responsible for completing your project. Failing to use construction equipment that is in mint condition increases the risk of an accident happening onsite.
Reckless Behavior
A construction site is not a place for workers to engage in reckless behavior, which includes operating machinery carelessly and violating standard safety protocols. You should immediately report any behavior to the project manager that violates construction or real estate law.
Lack of Permits
Before the first step of the construction project is underway, property owners must verify every contractor onsite has obtained the required state and federal permits. The lack of possessing the legally required permits represents a red flag that helps you determine whether you need the legal support of a construction attorney.
Cost Overruns
When you hire a general contractor, you expect to receive regularly submitted financial reports that describe the financial status of your construction projects. Any report that shows a project running over budget is a sign of negligence on the part of the general contractor in charge of the project.
Defective Protective Gear
Every worker on your construction project must wear the right protective gear to prevent an onsite accident. Violations of the standards created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are a clear sign the contractor is negligent in managing your construction project.
Visible Defects
From leaky pipes that discharge water to cracks in a structure, you should be able to detect basic defects of a construction project. Hiring a construction attorney during your construction project can help you notice defects.
Not Enough Warning Signs
The general contractor running your construction project cannot prevent every hazard from becoming a safety issue. However, placing warning signs in the right locations reduces the likelihood of an onsite accident costing you both time and money.
Visits from Government Inspectors
A contractor that deals with unannounced government inspections might be a contractor that has a record of violating safety standards. If not addressed, this warning sign can eventually lead to the end of your construction project.
Covering Up Mistakes
Accidents happen on construction sites, and when one happens during your construction project, how the general contractor responds can tell you whether the general contractor should be held legally accountable for the circumstances that led to the accident.
Alves Radcliffe, LLP — Construction Attorney
If you need assistance with an indemnity clause in your construction contract, call Alves Radcliffe, LLP at 916-333-3375 or send us an email. We have over 25 years of combined experience, and serve clients throughout Greater Sacramento, Northern California, and the San Francisco Bay Area.