Sara Puvis, Agilité Country Head Germany
Five key things to look for when appointing a general contractor
One of the key things we pride ourselves on at Agilité is our local teams – colleagues that are brimming with knowledge of the neighbourhoods they are working in. But, one thing we also have going for us, is a breadth of real-world experience gathered on sites across Europe. From architects to structural engineers, we have a team that comprises our sector’s leading lights – including some that have come ‘from the other side of the fence’.
Sara Purvis, Agilité’s country head in Germany, spent several years’ client-side before joining the team earlier this year – and it’s this insider knowledge that helps us continue to raise the bar as we expand throughout the continent. Sara knows what clients want from their general contractor partners, as well as what it takes to go above and beyond – fostering long-term partnerships and repeat business. Here, she explains some of the key things to look for when it comes to selecting your next GC.
There’s no escaping the fact that every project will encounter the occasional challenge, but the difference between a good and great delivery lies in the general contractor pushing things forwards behind the scenes. Personally, I’ve been on the receiving end of both excellent and, frankly, disappointing contractor performance and there are certainly a few things I learnt to look out for before I ‘swapped sides’.
1. Plan for completion from the start
It sounds obvious, but a surprising number of contractors treat project completion as something of an afterthought. I’ve been in the unfortunate position of walking into a newly ‘completed’ office only to find cables coiled under sofas, holes left unsealed in meeting room walls, and completion documents missing entirely. The space may have been presented as ‘finished’, but for the client, it was anything but.
If completion isn’t embedded into the mindset from day one, it will never be truly achieved – and it’s about more than just physical finish, too. Ensuring that everything, from snags to inspection certificates, is in hand before the handover is important so check there’s a plan for that because, let’s be honest, the memory of a painful, drawn-out snagging process lingers far longer than any earlier success on site.
2. Agree a clear reporting and meeting schedule
As a client, you can’t be on site every day/week – and might be based in a completely different country – but you still want to feel informed every step of the way. Ask your general contractor to share the plan, method and cadence of meetings and reporting – whether it’s a simple weekly update or a detailed monthly breakdown – prior to appointment.
Look out for the reporting plan to be supported by tools such as Procore or HoloBuilder, as they will allow you to virtually walk the site wherever you are – and it’s a game-changer in terms of knowing you’ll be kept informed, in control and able to catch potential issues early.
3. Make sure they speak your language – literally
It may sound small, but it’s hugely important: can your contractor’s site team speak your language? Local teams are great for on-the-ground knowledge, but I’ve lost count of how many times I was promised English-speaking staff in a tender interview, only to discover that the key site contacts couldn’t communicate effectively with our international team.
This isn’t about cultural bias – it’s about communication. If your designer flies in for a site walk and can’t ask a simple question, delays are inevitable. Look for a contractor who can provide not just an English-speaking point of contact, but someone who is present and empowered to make decisions on site – ask for their CVs to be included with their tender proposal, with languages spoken clearly outlined.
4. Attention to detail – and the initiative to act on it
Some contractors are excellent at delivering the big picture, but it’s often the small details that make or break a project. I’ve seen beautifully designed spaces undermined by inconsistent finishes or missing elements that were never flagged – usually because the contractor failed to ask a question or check a spec.
Take, for example, a high-end kitchen fit-out where everything looked perfect – except for the missing tap. The sink was there, the hole for the tap was there, but no one had raised the issue, ‘who supplies the tap?’ and we only discovered it close to handover. A quick query during installation could’ve saved a lot of stress and delay. It’s the same story when design details haven’t been fully resolved. I’ve walked into spaces with raw, unfinished plasterboard edges where a feature should have been – simply because the contractor didn’t raise the ambiguity.
Problems will always come up on site, but what separates a good contractor from a great one is their willingness to take ownership. Rather than waiting for instructions or brushing off the issue as not their problem, the best contractors propose practical, timely solutions. It shows a commitment not just to the job, but to the client – and that mindset makes all the difference, particularly when to comes to the next project you’re looking to deliver.
When your shortlisted contractors send over a list of case studies, as for them to share any lessons learned, problem-solving examples or challenges during the delivery – this transparency is important. Look for testimonials from clients or the opportunity to speak to them directly.
5. Can you actually see yourself working with them?
This last point might sound intangible, but it really matters. When you’re selecting a general contractor, you’re not just buying a service – you’re choosing a partner, an extension of your own team. You’ll be working together closely for months, often under pressure, and you want to know you’re aligned.
I’ve had clients tell me the reason we won a project was simply because; “we could see ourselves working with your team.” That mutual trust, likability, and openness goes a long way – especially when navigating challenges.
We know from experience, the best outcomes come from collaboration. And while it’s tempting to make decisions based on price or programme alone, I’d always recommend digging a little deeper. Ask how your contractor will communicate. What systems they’ll use. Who you’ll be working with day to day. And whether they’re willing to roll up their sleeves and solve problems with you. Because when you find a team that does all that – and delivers the quality and service you expect – you’ll know you’ve made the right choice.