11 tips for hiring the best road marking contractors
It can be a daunting task to begin a road marking project. It demands insight into an area that you may know very little about. Road markings are not just road markings.
To the random eye, it may appear pretty basic. But it requires a great deal of expertise and keen attention to detail to get a road marking job done right.
Choosing the right materials for your project are of course crucial. Here, a company like Geveko Markings will be able to guide you as they have many years of experience in producing world-class road marking materials for their customers.
When it comes to choosing the right contractor you also want to be thorough in your research since a good application is key in order to get the most out of the material. You may have a few contractors to choose among, but here are some useful tips to help you make the right choice.
You’re bound to get the one that is just right for you, your budget, and your project.
1. Take your time
Here’s one rule of thumb when searching for contractors to handle a project. No matter what business you are in, the first offer you receive is hardly ever the best deal you could get. It’s no different with road marking contracts.
2. Scour the Internet for road marking companies
Here, you get to use the internet to your advantage. Check out the various road marking companies closest to you and their core value statements.
3. Consider their area of specialization
Different road markers handle various types of markings. For example, the kind of markings required on highways is different from those found in parking lots or playgrounds.
Be sure to find out what different company contractors specialize in to streamline your options.
4. Study the reviews from clients on the websites
If you compare the ratio of positive reviews to the negative ones it will give you a good indication of their performance.
Note: Because we are aware that some companies also put up fake reviews that favor them, we advise that you seek the opinions of friends, colleagues and acquaintances too.
5. Find out about their experience and expertise
Most standard companies have their portfolio on their websites which contain information on their staff with their proficiencies and years of experience. Study cases thoroughly to find services that suit your needs.
6. Observe their staff strength
You don’t want to find a team of three people showing up to mark a 50-meter road after you have signed a contract with the company. Aside from efficiency, speed is one of the most important factors in road marking.
A good company should have a large staff to take on projects so most of the hazards that arise as a result of traffic diversion during the project can be averted.
7. Know a little about traffic codes and road marking
At least, know enough to be able to ask pertinent questions from prospective service vendors. You can only demand quality service when you know what it entails.
8. Visit the shortlisted contractors
This will allow you to check out the quality of their materials, tools, and technology.
9. Carefully compare the prices of each contractor
Be careful not to jump at the lowest price demand. Ridiculously low prices may suggest that the contractor cuts corners or plans to use inferior products for your road marking project.
The result of this is wasted time and money because inferior products not only wear off easily, they also spoil roads.
10. Request for and carefully examine their previous projects
Photos of the company’s employees at work and finished jobs will give you a good idea of what quality to expect.
11. Agree to a pre-set payment method with the company
For instance, you can agree to pay 10% of the total fee upon signing of the contract, 25% three times as the project progresses, and the final 15% upon completion of the project.
This will give you an edge in case of a poorly executed task that will need rectification. The final 15% on which you are to relinquish only after the exact specifications of the job have been met will keep the contractor bound to delivering on their promises.
Any serious contractor should be comfortable with this arrangement. If they aren’t, you should move on to a different contractor.
Finally, as you decide the best road marking contractor to hire, don’t forget your intuition. Even after you have made your choice and set up a meeting with the contract manager, pay attention to body language.
Confidence and sincerity are key. You also want to make sure that you are comfortable being around your new contractors as you will be communicating and most likely be spending some time together for the next few days or weeks.
