10 Mistakes to Avoid When Choosing Construction Specialists

Choosing the right construction specialists - contractors, architects, engineers, manufacturers, or suppliers - is one of the most critical decisions in any project. The specialists you select directly affect cost, schedule, quality, and overall project success. Making the wrong choice can lead to delays, disputes, budget overruns, and compromised safety.

Here are 10 mistakes to avoid when selecting construction specialists, with practical guidance for ensuring your team is capable, reliable, and aligned with your project goals.

1. Focusing Solely on Price

The mistake: Selecting a specialist based only on the lowest bid.

Why it’s risky: Price alone does not reflect the quality, experience, or reliability of a specialist. The cheapest bid often results in cutting corners, using inferior materials, or delaying work to stay profitable. The downstream cost of rework - missed deadlines, or safety issues - far outweighs any upfront savings.

Example: A contractor wins a commercial build by underbidding competitors. Later, they submit multiple change orders for essential work that was omitted in the bid, increasing project costs by 20%.

How to avoid it: Evaluate specialists holistically. Review experience, past project outcomes, references, project management capability, and problem-solving skills alongside pricing. Ask for itemized proposals to compare value rather than just the total number.

Tip: Consider the long-term cost of mistakes versus short-term savings.

2. Skipping Background Checks and References

The mistake: Hiring without verifying licenses, certifications, insurance, or past performance.

Why it’s risky: Specialists may misrepresent experience, lack insurance, or have a history of disputes. Without verification, you risk substandard work, legal issues, or financial liability.

Example: A subcontractor hired for electrical work is unlicensed in your state. Work fails inspection, requiring costly corrections and delaying occupancy.

How to avoid it: Request licenses, bonding, and insurance certificates. Ask for a portfolio of past projects and contact at least three references. Whenever possible, visit previous job sites to see the quality and timeliness of their work.

Tip: Check online reviews and industry associations for complaints or accolades. These often reveal patterns not visible in proposals.

3. Ignoring Compatibility and Communication

The mistake: Assuming skill alone guarantees smooth collaboration.

Why it’s risky: Misaligned working styles, unclear communication, and delayed responses can create misunderstandings, errors, and friction, even among top-tier specialists.

Example: A project engineer delivers designs late because they were unaware of on-site schedule changes. The general contractor loses critical time coordinating subcontractors, causing delays.

How to avoid it: Meet specialists in person or virtually before hiring. Assess responsiveness, clarity, and willingness to collaborate. Consider cultural fit with your organization and ability to work under pressure.

Tip: Establish communication protocols upfront, including frequency of updates, decision-making authority, and escalation paths.

4. Overlooking Scope and Contract Details

The mistake: Not defining project deliverables, timelines, and responsibilities clearly.

Why it’s risky: Ambiguity in contracts or scope leads to disputes, missed deadlines, unexpected costs, and quality compromises. Oral agreements or informal emails rarely protect either party.

Example: A supplier delivers products that do not meet your project’s specifications. They claim the contract did not define exact standards, forcing redesigns and causing delays.

How to avoid it: Develop comprehensive contracts detailing scope, materials, performance standards, milestones, deliverables, payment schedules, and procedures for handling changes or delays.

Tip: Include a formal approval process for any modifications to prevent scope creep or misalignment.

5. Underestimating the Importance of Specialist Networks

The mistake: Ignoring a specialist’s network of subcontractors, suppliers, and industry contacts.

Why it’s risky: A strong network ensures timely access to quality materials, reliable subcontractors, and rapid problem-solving. Specialists with weak connections may struggle to source materials, schedule subcontractors, or resolve unforeseen challenges.

Example: A contractor is unable to secure specialty steel on schedule because they lack reliable suppliers, delaying the structural phase.

How to avoid it: Ask about key partnerships, supply chain reliability, and the specialist’s ability to assemble a trusted team. Confirm that subcontractors and suppliers have a proven track record.

Tip: Evaluate whether the specialist can handle multiple phases of your project efficiently with their existing network.

6. Failing to Verify Technical Expertise

The mistake: Assuming a specialist's experience applies to every project.

Why it’s risky: Each project has unique technical requirements. Specialists lacking the specific expertise may deliver substandard results or create safety hazards.

Example: A contractor skilled in office construction is hired for a biotech lab with complex HVAC and lab-grade requirements. Their lack of specialized knowledge causes installation errors that require costly remediation.

How to avoid it: Review portfolios, certifications, and case studies. Ask detailed technical questions about materials, construction methods, codes, and best practices relevant to your project.

Tip: Look for specialists with experience in projects of similar complexity, scale, and industry type.

7. Ignoring Safety and Compliance Records

The mistake: Neglecting to review safety history, OSHA compliance, and risk management practices.

Why it’s risky: Unsafe practices increase the risk of accidents, fines, insurance claims, and project shutdowns. Safety violations can also damage your organization’s reputation.

Example: A subcontractor with numerous OSHA violations may lead to site accidents, halting work for days while investigations occur, and increasing insurance premiums.

How to avoid it: Request safety records, compliance reports, and proof of ongoing training programs. Verify adherence to local building codes, OSHA standards, and environmental regulations.

Tip: Make safety a contractual requirement, not just a preference. Include penalties for violations or non-compliance.

8. Overlooking Financial Stability

The mistake: Hiring specialists without assessing their financial health.

Why it’s risky: Financial instability may lead to delayed payments to suppliers, inability to secure materials, or even abandoning a project midstream.

Example: A supplier goes bankrupt during a critical phase of construction. Finding a replacement at the last minute increases costs and delays completion.

How to avoid it: Review financial statements, credit references, bonding capacity, and cash flow history. Ensure the specialist can handle the project’s scale and financial demands.

Tip: For large projects, consider specialists who are pre-qualified through bonding or financial vetting programs.

9. Failing to Plan for Flexibility and Contingencies

The mistake: Selecting rigid specialists who cannot adjust to changes in scope, schedule, or materials.

Why it’s risky: Construction projects rarely proceed exactly as planned. Specialists unable to adapt cause delays, disputes, and budget overruns.

Example: Design changes in a renovation require additional structural supports. A contractor unwilling to adjust schedules or methods causes cascading delays across subcontractors.

How to avoid it: Discuss how specialists manage unforeseen issues and changes before hiring. Include contingency clauses and flexible timelines in contracts.

Tip: Build a culture of proactive problem-solving and clearly define change-order processes.

10. Overlooking Reputation and Professional Ethics

The mistake: Ignoring a specialist’s reputation and track record for integrity.

Why it’s risky: Specialists with a history of disputes, legal issues, or unethical practices can damage your project, brand, and legal standing.

Example: A subcontractor with multiple past litigation cases is hired. Conflicts with other vendors delay approvals and erode team morale.

How to avoid it: Research reviews, past client comments, industry forums, and trade associations. Ask about past legal issues, disputes, or ethical concerns. Favor specialists with a strong record of professionalism, transparency, and accountability.

Tip: Reputation often reflects reliability. Trust your network and industry contacts when evaluating specialists.

Final Thoughts

Selecting the right construction specialists is a strategic decision that impacts every phase of a project - from planning to completion. Avoiding these ten mistakes - focusing solely on price, skipping due diligence, ignoring communication, overlooking contracts, underestimating networks, failing to verify expertise, ignoring safety, overlooking financial stability, neglecting flexibility, and disregarding reputation - can dramatically improve project outcomes, reduce risk, and increase efficiency.

Partnering with experienced advisors, like RWA, ensures you connect with the most qualified specialists, make informed decisions early, and prevent costly mistakes before they happen. Proper planning, management, and specialist selection are not just smart - they are essential to achieving predictable, successful, and high-quality construction projects.

Author: Randy Woodard, CEO - RWA

Randy Woodard & Associates (RWA) is a construction project planning and management firm with more than 30 years of hands-on industry experience. RWA helps commercial, industrial, institutional, and residential clients reduce risk, control costs, and deliver better project outcomes by aligning clients with the right strategies and construction specialists before problems arise.

Contact Randy Woodard - randy@randywoodard.net to discuss how RWA can save you time and resources on your next project.