ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Hunter Ward, the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains’ 2025 Builder of the Year, explains how homeowners can evaluate general contractors before beginning a project.
A general contractor is the person responsible for keeping a new home construction or remodeling project on track. They manage schedules and budgets, coordinate trade contractors and handle day-to-day communication, acting as the hub for everything happening on a job site.
When a general contractor handles those responsibilities well, projects feel organized and predictable. When they don’t, small issues can pile up fast: unclear pricing, trade contractors showing up out of order, delayed decisions or change orders that arrive without much explanation. That’s why choosing the right general contractor is one of the most important decisions a homeowner will make before starting a new build or remodel in Western North Carolina.
To learn more about how homeowners can select the right contractor, we spoke with Hunter Ward, Vice President of Ward Enterprises & Ventures, LLC and the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains’ 2025 Builder of the Year. Here, Ward lists five signs of a good contractor.
1. Communication is intentional from the start
In the residential construction industry, poor communication can be costly, leading to delays, budget overruns and avoidable mistakes. It can also be incredibly frustrating for clients. Because of this, understanding how a general contractor communicates from the very beginning is essential.
Ward says a lot can be learned from how a contractor responds to an initial inquiry.
“A response within 24 hours or so is a good sign the builder has infrastructure in place to communicate with clients,” he explains.
Ward notes that some general contractors use project management software, such as Buildertrend, to help organize communication with clients. While not every contractor has the capacity to invest in a digital platform, they should have a clear system in place to keep homeowners informed.
2. Pricing and contracts are explained in plain language
It can be tempting to focus only on the bottom line when reviewing bids from general contractors. But price only tells part of the story.
According to Ward, homeowners should have a clear understanding of how pricing is structured, including what’s covered in the estimate and how changes are handled once construction is underway. He suggests asking contractors to review their bids line by line and point out where costs might shift, whether from material choices, unexpected site conditions or client-driven changes.
Ward also encourages clients to work with an attorney to review the final contract. That extra step can clarify expectations and prevent surprises once construction begins.
3. They welcome questions and expect to be compared
A confident general contractor won’t rush a customer into a decision. Instead, they expect clients to ask questions, compare options and take the time to understand how different builders run their projects.
Ward recommends focusing those early conversations on practical details like billing practices, change orders and day-to-day decision-making. How clearly a contractor explains these topics can reveal a lot about how prepared they are to manage a project.
Asking the same questions of multiple contractors is also a good idea.
“You’ve got to interview more than one general contractor to find someone who’s most suited for how you want to approach the project,” Ward says.
4. They don’t let mistakes slide
Before signing on the dotted line, clients should ask about a contractor’s quality control process, from how punch lists are managed to what happens when a trade contractor’s work doesn’t meet expectations.
“A lot of contracting is providing the oversight and having tough conversations,” Ward says. “Sometimes, you’ve got to go to one of your trade contractors and say, ‘We’re going to have to tear some of this tile out. This isn’t square. I know you can do better than this.'”
Ward says the best contractors aren’t afraid to pause progress and require fixes when something doesn’t meet standards.
“That’s what you pay your contractor for—making sure everything is perfect on the job site,” he says.
5. Their track record is easy to verify
A solid general contractor doesn’t make potential clients hunt for proof of their work. Photos of completed projects should be readily available on the contractor’s website or shared upon request, and contractors should be comfortable connecting prospective clients with past clients who can speak to their experience.
“A good contractor will have two or three folks you can call,” Ward says.
For homeowners who want an easy way to compare builders side by side, the Western North Carolina Parade of Homes is a valuable research tool. Hosted annually by the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Parade showcases new and remodeled homes from builders across the region, many of which can be toured in person each October or viewed virtually year-round.
“When you’re a good contractor, you leave people feeling good about the experience, and they want to see your business succeed,” Ward says. “We participate in the Parade every year, and I’ll have past clients stop by, stand in our homes for hours and talk to visitors about their experience. We never ask them to do that. It just comes from treating people the right way.”
