1. Basing the decision solely on price

Choosing the lowest bid often means overlooking key cost items, lack of material reserves, or savings at the expense of quality.

🧠 Why is this a problem?

A price that’s too low usually means:
– no time or material buffers have been considered,
– the contractor lacks the infrastructure to manage a complex project,
– “extra costs” will arise during construction.

✅ How to avoid it?

Evaluate offers for completeness, experience, safeguards, and cooperation terms
– not just the amount.

2. Failure to review past projects

A website portfolio is not enough. Investors rarely ask for real references, site visits to previous builds, or contacts with former clients.

🧠 Why is this important?

Only verifying past investments allows you to assess actual quality of work, team culture, timeliness, and communication standards.

✅ How to avoid it?

Ask for:
– a chance to visit a completed site,
– contact with a previous investor,
– insight into the actual schedule of a completed project.

3. Vague contract and missing schedule

A contract without a clearly defined scope of work, change conditions, complaint procedures, and detailed implementation schedule is a recipe for conflict and delays.

🧠 What happens without it?

– Project changes lead to disputes,
– no basis for phased settlements,
– hard to settle delays or contractor errors.

✅ How to avoid it?

Insist on a contract that includes:
– precise scope of work (with design attachments),
– schedule with stages and deadlines,
– a clause for communication and change procedures.

4. No dedicated point of contact on the contractor’s side

Without a clearly assigned project manager from the contractor’s side, communication becomes chaotic, decisions get delayed, and errors creep in.

🧠 Result?

The investor doesn’t know who to approach, and information “floats” among teams without accountability.

✅ How to prevent this?

Make sure the contractor:
– assigns one responsible contact person,
– allows direct communication with the site manager or project manager,
– provides regular progress reports.

5. Skipping the execution planning stage

This stage is often undervalued – yet it’s precisely when gaps between project documentation and technical realities are revealed.

🧠 Without solid execution planning:

– installations clash,
– layout mistakes appear,
– time and costs balloon due to firefighting.

✅ What should you do?

Hire a contractor that actively participates in technical planning and has experience in design & build or close collaboration with design teams.

Summary

Choosing a contractor is not the time for risk or intuition. A well-conducted selection process can save tens of thousands of złoty and hundreds of hours.

At Imago Group, we support investors at every stage – from documentation review and execution planning to final delivery of the building.

Want to discuss your project?

📩 Get in touch – one question might help you avoid many problems.