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Your contractor decides whether your project finishes on time, on budget and to the quality you paid for. Before you sign, use this checklist to compare contractors fairly and avoid costly mistakes.
1. Verify the License and Grade
Ethiopian contractors are registered by category — General Contractor (GC), Building Contractor (BC) or Road Contractor (RC) — and by grade, from 1 to 10. The grade sets the size of project a contractor may legally undertake. Ask for the certificate of competency, check that it is valid, and confirm that the category matches your project.
2. Check Relevant Experience
A contractor who has built warehouses is not automatically the right choice for an apartment block. Ask for a list of similar completed projects with client contacts, and visit at least one finished building or road. Speak to a past client about quality, communication and how problems were solved.
3. Assess the People and Equipment
Ask who will actually run your project: the project manager, the site engineer and the foreman. Check their qualifications and experience. Find out whether key equipment is owned or reliably leased — delays in equipment quickly become delays in your schedule.
4. Ask About Quality and Safety Systems
A professional contractor can show you a written quality plan, explain how materials are tested and present a site health and safety plan. If they cannot describe how they check concrete strength or compaction, be cautious.
5. Compare Proposals, Not Just Prices
The lowest bid can become the most expensive project once variations and delays are added. Compare scope, specifications, schedule, exclusions and payment terms line by line. Ask each contractor to explain any item that is much cheaper than the others.
6. Insist on a Clear Contract
Your contract should define the scope, the bill of quantities, the schedule, payment milestones, the procedure for variations, the defects liability period and how disputes will be resolved. Never rely on verbal promises.
7. Watch for Red Flags
- No valid license, or a grade below your project size
- Pressure for a large advance payment without a guarantee
- A vague or incomplete BoQ
- Reluctance to let you visit their sites
- No written progress reporting
The Bottom Line
A good contractor welcomes these questions. Take your time, check documents and choose the partner who is transparent, capable and accountable.
Eng. Dawit Bekele, Technical Manager
Civil engineer with 15 years of building and road construction experience across Ethiopia.
