Prince Albert Construction FAQ

Why should I hire a general contractor? Can’t I manage the process myself?
Building a home is a complex undertaking, starting with permits, insurance, and financing the project. Other considerations are organization of trades and the time to dedicate to the project, among many others.

Permits – Miller Contracting will ensure the proper permits are applied for and obtained, and making sure the correct inspections occur.

Insurance – Miller Contracting is covered by WCB of Saskatchewan, ensuring you as the homeowner are not at risk if a worker gets hurt on your property during the construction.

Financing – If you decide to run the project yourself, you are responsible to order all material and pay for it up front, or soon after delivery in most cases.  If you don’t have the funds available, you will not be able to get material.  Also, most trades will expect to get paid as soon as the job is complete, with many asking for an up-front amount before they start working.  Miller Contracting has developed solid relationships with the best trades in the area (after more than 40 years in the business, you would hope so, right?), so we take care of payment to all trades and suppliers.

Trades – speaking of trades, how will you know that each trade you hire is an expert in their field?  When you hire Miller Contracting, you know that everyone working on your project has proven themselves to us, and will provide quality results.  Otherwise, you will have to check references and interview a few of every trade to hire one.  That is very time-consuming.

Time – who has enough of it?  Your project is unique, and in order to get the best possible result, time has to be dedicated to answering questions from trades, meeting on –site, etc.  That time is required every day, and that is time that Miller Contracting dedicates to each project so you don’t have to.  We are your liaison to help you get the home you’ve always wanted!

How are payments made, and when are they made?
Payment terms are broken down in the contract based on progress with a completion date included. Typically, we take a deposit of 10% to begin the project, and the rest of the payments are determined beforehand. Once the work is completed to a pre-determined point, a pre-determined payment is made, typically through our solicitor, with final payment due upon completion. All payments are subject to a hold back of 10% to ensure payment of materials and trades.
How many of your customers come from repeat business or from referrals from existing or previous customers?
We are very blessed to say that over 50% of our customers come to us or are referred to us from customers we’ve performed work for in the past. As you will see when you check our references, there is a reason for such a loyal client base.
What questions should I be asking a general contractor?
It’s important to know who you are trusting with your project. That’s why you should ask things like “How long have you been in business?”; “How many projects have you completed?”; “What do you have in place for insurance to protect me?”; “What type of projects do you specialize in?”; “Can I meet the people who run the company?”