Knowledge Corner

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When beginning work on a project, it’s often required that the contractors have surety bonds in place. However, not only can a surety bond protect a contractor, but it can also protect the project owner when there are issues interfering with the completion of a project.

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Shrewd General Contractors (GC) need to consider requiring surety bonds from their first-tier subs. This will help manage a contractor’s risk in any construction project and protect against claims from subcontractors and suppliers further downstream. Establishing and following a rigorous subtrade pre-qualification practice, is a key part of risk management for all contractors. Specifically:

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Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) involve a challenging combination of new relationships and risk transfers for the private sector. While it has significant benefits for its stakeholders, this alternative construction project delivery model is not without risks. A surety company can provide very useful insights to a general contractor in this endeavor.

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Surety bonds are instruments that have been around for well over 100 years, in fact Suretyship, or guarantees, have been around for centuries. While Surety is classified as a form of insurance because of capital requirements, it is treated more like a banking instrument since a contractor must qualify for a “surety credit”.

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Surety bonds are instruments that have been around for well over 100 years, in fact Suretyship, or guarantees, have been around for centuries. While Surety is classified as a form of insurance because of capital requirements, it is treated more like a banking instrument since a contractor must qualify for a “surety credit”.

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In the construction industry, there are times when Contractor default occurs. Unfortunately, defaults are not always foreseeable or manageable. Here are several factors a Surety will review in order to make the decision on whether to retain a defaulted Contractor.

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With the middle of the year and the end of the 2nd Quarter quickly approaching, as a construction firm Owner, make sure you are reviewing your financial statements. The best way for your construction company to grow is to have a clear picture of your finances.

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When it comes to growing your construction company, we often associate success with money. The more money we make, the more successful our company. One of the most important things you can do as a business owner is master your financial health. When you have a clear picture of your finances, you’re able to identify your company’s strengths or weaknesses.

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As in any healthy, productive personal relationship, both partners must be active participants working towards a common goal(s). If one partner is passive and unengaged, it will be detrimental to the relationship as a whole. The same goes for your business relationships. The business relationships that bring the most value are those where both parties are proactively contributing – in good times and in the bad times.

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Every construction project presents a host of potential risks that need to be addressed. Although it’s no guarantee that you can eliminate all of them; you can help manage them and de-risk your business. The best way to eliminate as much risk as possible is to have a Risk Management plan. Risk Management is the practice of identifying & analyzing loss exposures and taking steps to minimize the financial impact of the risks they impose.