How FEVA vets a contractor
Before a contractor works on a property we manage, we look at the things that predict how the job will go: the firm’s experience with comparable work, its standing and insurance, how it communicates, and how its proposal holds up to a careful read. We compare proposals on scope rather than on price alone, because the cheapest number is often the least complete one.
- Verification of experience with comparable properties and scopes
- Review of insurance and standing before engagement
- Line-by-line proposal review and scope comparison
- Clear written scope so there is no ambiguity about what was agreed
Oversight while the work is done
Vetting protects the owner at the start. Oversight protects the owner every day after. FEVA supervises work on site, verifies that what is being installed matches what was specified, manages changes deliberately rather than by surprise, and confirms completion before anyone is paid. Owners are informed throughout without needing to be present.
Why this matters more in New York
New York City properties carry building rules, permitting requirements, and municipal standards that a careless contractor can violate on the owner’s behalf. Our contractor oversight is tied directly to our compliance work: the people we bring in understand the environment they are working in, and we make sure the work leaves the property in good standing.
Questions about contractor oversight
Do you have your own contractors, or do you use the owner’s?
Either. We maintain relationships with contractors we have supervised before, and we are equally comfortable vetting and managing a firm the owner already trusts. In both cases the standard of oversight is the same.
Can you review a proposal I have already received?
Yes. Proposal review is often the first thing a new client asks us to do, and it is frequently where we add the most immediate value.
Do you supervise small repairs, or only large projects?
Both. The same discipline applies whether it is a service call or a full renovation — vetted vendor, clear scope, supervised work, verified completion.
Further reading: How Contractor Vetting Protects Owners During a NYC Renovation