Seeking A Great General Contractor in Columbus, OH – Any Ideas?

Question

Hi Everyone!

I'm an out-of-state investor about to close on my first investment property. It’s a 2,184 sq ft duplex built in 1925, located in a C grade neighborhood of Columbus, Ohio. I'm budgeting around $30K to $50K for the rehab.

If anyone knows a couple of great licensed General Contractors in Columbus, I’d love to hear about them. Preferably GCs with solid experience rehabbing older homes and working with out-of-state owners.

I’d be grateful for any names or contact info you can share.

Thanks for your help!

Wayne B.

Marc Rice · Answer

Sure, I can share with you my go-to contacts. Happy to help!

Thomas Franklin · Answer

I suggest that you interview, at least three General Contractors and ask the following questions. In addition, I strongly recommend that you verify all licenses and Insurance Policies.

1. How many homes have you rehabbed and/ or renovated? What was the magnitude, of your projects?

2. How many projects is your company currently undertaking?

3. Do you work with Investors that need to adhere to strict timelines and scope of work?

4. Do you have multiple Sub Contractors, for similar trade skills, such as plumbers, electricians, flooring crews, painters, etc.?

5. Would you provide a copy of your GC License, your Certificate of General Liability Insurance, and your Certificate of Workman's Compensation Insurance?

6. Are you bonded?

NOTE:

To be “bonded” means the Contractor must purchase a Surety Bond, which serves as a form of Insurance to protect the Contractor’s Customers if he or she fails to complete the job properly or fails to pay for permits, subcontractors, or other financial obligations.

7. Are all of your Sub Contractors Licensed and have Workman's Compensation Insurance? Would your Sub Contractors be willing to provide such information, or would you be willing to sign a waiver stating "All your Sub Contractors have Workman's Compensation Insurance?"

8. Do your Sub Contractors have the ability to verbally communicate, with English Language Only Speakers?

9. Do you pull all necessary permits?

10. Do you provide a written warranty, for all labor? If so, what is the length, of the warranty? (a minimum of 1 year)

11. Do you provide all applicable warranties, for materials?

12. Who is in charge of the job site, to ensure timelines are met and the Scope of Work is properly completed?

13. How do you handle dirty work such as debris disposal and clean up?

14. Would you be willing to receive four draw payments that would correspond to four phases of the rehab project?

15. Would you provide references, from past clients?

If the General Contractor that you are interviewing does not provide you their GC License, their Certificate of General Liability Insurance, and their Certificate of Workman's Compensation Insurance, this should be a Red Flag, for you telling you to move on to another GC.

If the General Contractor that you are interviewing does not give you specific answers, to the other questions, this should be a Red Flag, for you telling you to move on to another GC.

You should contact their Insurance Company and verify all Policy information such as, but not limited to the Policy Number, Coverage Limits, and the policies’ date of expiration. In addition, you should also visit your state’s Department Of Business And Professional Regulation and check the GC’s License that it is current and valid. You should also check, if any complaints, liens, lawsuits, etc. have been filed against their license. Vet! Vet! Vet!

Michael Smythe · Answer

You won't want a GC on a Class C renovation for $50k.

You'll want to find a PMC or knowledgeable agent that can also be your Project Manager, guide you on creating a SOW that makes sense to Maintain to the Neighborhood and provide you with pics/videos proving proper completion before final payment.

Expect to pay 15-20% for this, which is cheaper than the 35%+ a GC would typically charge (they hide most of their markups in materials).

Wayne B. · Answer

Hey Jimmy,

Thanks for your tips about Facebook groups, permits, Knob & Tube wiring, and foundations. I'll follow-up directly with you. Thanks for leaving your contact info. Talk with you soon.

Jimmy Lieu · Answer

Hey Wayne, welcome to BP and congrats on locking up your first deal—that's a huge step! Columbus has been an awesome market for a lot of us investors, especially with older duplexes like that in C-grade neighborhoods where you can still get strong cash flow and equity upside with the right rehab. Totally understand the need for a solid GC, especially if you’re out of state. When I moved here from Portland in 2020 to invest, I went through a few contractors before finding the right ones, and what helped most was networking through local Columbus investor Facebook groups and BiggerPockets threads like this. Also, if you’re working with a local property manager or agent, they usually have tried-and-true contractors they’ve worked with regularly. For older homes, make sure whoever you go with is familiar with city inspections, permitting, and the quirks of 100-year-old properties—things like knob-and-tube wiring or foundational surprises come up often. Happy to connect and answer any questions you have!

Seeking A Great General Contractor in Columbus, OH – Any Ideas?

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