THE WIKI COMMUNITY

Friday 1 October 2010

Bonding For Construction: Assuring Payment And Performance For Construction Projects

By Socrates De Souza

When you look at the construction industry there are a lot of risks that can surface. One of the biggest revolves around the financial side of things. Anytime the company doesn't perform and meet deadlines it can cost them tons of time and money. Plus their reputation is tarnished, so additional losses down the road are evident. One way to overcome this obstacle is by getting bonding for construction.

What do I need to know before applying for bonds?

In order to get bonding for construction there has to be assessment from a crediting firm or financial institution. Their job is to calculate the project's overall risk, your track records for completing projects, and what type of financial stability is there. Once everything comes together an underwriter will then decide whether or not the bond should be issued.

The government mandates projects to have bonding for construction if the agreed payment reaches a particular amount, so be prepared with as much supporting documents as possible.

What is the significance of bid bonds?

When getting bonding for construction you need a bid bond. It's a requirement that produces an agreement between the project owner, bonding company, and the contractor.

The owner enjoys having this because he/she won't have a problem getting funded for the entire operation.

The contractor deals with being locked into a certain price for the contract, and if it is not adhered to the owner can then replace the contractor if necessary.

Keep in mind; bid bonds have to be submitted upon bidding. If they are not then the bid might not be approved. So be prompt and you won't have any complications or delays.

Why is a performance bond important?

Erring contractors have a tendency to not deliver work on time if they're handling multiple projects simultaneously. Project owners stand to incur losses, especially if their clients depend much on the structures to be erected. A performance bond guarantees that the owner or developer won't shell out money for switching contractors in completing the task, provided that the original contractor fails to deliver.

In the end it means the contractors have to perform or else. It's one of the major reasons why erring contractors wind up with the short end of the stick. Plus, they may not be paid for the work that has already been completed.

Is there a need for a payment bond?

In a construction project, a contractor hires suppliers and subcontractors to perform critical tasks, such as operating tractors or determining the types and number of equipment necessary. Some contractors, for whatever reason, fail to deliver the operational fees to their staff. This circumstance highlights the need for a payment bond.

This compels the contractor to pay his staff an agreed amount, and if he or she doesn't you would have a good court case. Plus, his overall image as a professional will be tarnished. The end result is a loss of clients.

Bonding for construction is almost a "must have" piece to the construction business puzzle. It's a complex process to monitor the progress of several different jobs, but if your finances are covered you won't have to worry about the work that is done by hired help.

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