How to Hire a General Contractor for a Private Development Project

Hiring a general contractor for a private development project is one of the highest-stakes decisions in the process. The GC controls the schedule, the subcontractor relationships, the quality of execution, and — in large part — the final cost. Getting this decision right is not a matter of finding the lowest bid. It is a matter of finding the right operator — whether your project is on Kiawah Island, in Mount Pleasant, on Johns Island, or anywhere across the Charleston and Charlotte markets.

Verify the License Before Anything Else

In South Carolina and North Carolina, general contractors are required to be licensed by the state. The license is searchable online. Verify it before you have a substantive conversation. An unlicensed contractor cannot legally pull permits in Charleston, Daniel Island, Seabrook Island, or any other jurisdiction — which means your project either proceeds without permits — a serious liability — or stalls when the issue surfaces mid-project.

Beyond the state license, verify that the contractor carries general liability insurance and that their subcontractors carry workers' compensation. Ask for certificates of insurance, not verbal assurances. If a worker is injured on your property in Sullivan's Island, West Ashley, or Summerville and the contractor is not properly insured, the exposure falls on you.

The Bid Is Not the Budget

The lowest bid is almost never the best value. A contractor who bids low wins the job and makes up the margin through change orders, material substitutions, and schedule delays that cost you money. This pattern is so common in the construction industry that it has a name: low-ball bidding. It is not a secret, and it is not a coincidence. It is particularly prevalent in high-demand markets like Mount Pleasant, Isle of Palms, and Wild Dunes, where competition for jobs is intense.

The right way to evaluate bids is to compare them line by line — materials, labor, allowances, and contingency. A bid that does not include a contingency line is not a realistic budget. A bid that uses vague allowances for major line items is not a fixed price. Ask for specificity, and be skeptical of bids that are significantly below the others without a clear explanation.

Ask About the Crew

The quality of a GC's work is the quality of the crew that executes it. Ask directly: who does the work? Is it employees or subcontractors? If subcontractors, are they the same crew on every project, or does the GC pull from a labor pool? The answer matters. A consistent crew that has worked together across many projects — from Folly Beach to Summerville, from James Island to Daniel Island — produces better results than a rotating cast assembled for each job.

At Harborview, we use the same subcontractor crew on every project. They know our standards. They know our expectations. The quality is consistent because the people are consistent.

The Contract Is the Relationship

A well-written contract protects both parties. It defines the scope clearly, establishes the payment schedule, specifies the change order process, and allocates risk appropriately. A contractor who resists a detailed contract is a contractor who prefers ambiguity — and ambiguity in construction always costs the owner money. This is true whether the project is a custom home on Seabrook Island, a renovation in West Ashley, or a new build in the growing Johns Island corridor.

Review the contract carefully. Understand the payment schedule and what triggers each payment. Understand the change order process and what requires written authorization. Understand the warranty terms and what they cover. If anything is unclear, ask. If the contractor cannot explain it clearly, that is information.