How do I go about finding a general contractor?
I'm looking to start a new building sometime in the next 12 months.  However I have no idea how to find a general contractor that's reputable in my area.

Should I just go to random businesses up and down the street and find out what GC they used?  It's not like you can find a bunch of online reviews for commercial GCs.
[{"id": "fpwki2r", "text": "A good place to start is lumber/building supply houses, not HD or lowe\u2019s though.\n\nI also advise checking out other construction sites and speaking to owners/reps about the contractors they are using and see if they are happy with their choice.", "replies": [{"id": "fpwnbvs", "text": "To your first point - that *really* depends on where you are. I was a GC and shopped 90% at HD/Lowe\u2019s. When I went to the local lumberyard the only guys there are the \u201cgood ole\u2019 boys,\u201d ya know the type.. don\u2019t know what a building permit even looks like, their catchphrase is \u201cI don\u2019t know what the building codes are, but I\u2019ve been building shit this way for 30 yrs,\u201d only works for/pays in cash, etc..\n\nHD and Lowe\u2019s don\u2019t get anything better or worse than lumberyards; everyone just thinks their lumber is shit bc they\u2019ve gained popularity in the past 20 or so years and the quality of lumber has gone down in the past 20 years (or so my father says). But guess what, it\u2019s shit everywhere! And that applies to all materials, and shops (electrical and plumbing supply houses). \n\nSo, in summary, this is **at best** geographically dependent advice.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}, {"id": "fpwvoy3", "text": "I\u2019ll second this, I run a fairly large new construction lumber yard in the northeast. Make sure you ask the right questions. Speak to the general manager and make sure he is a \u201cpro yard,\u201d that is he isn\u2019t focused on mom and pop hardwood sales for hobbyists or repairing screens. You can do this by asking for a list of customer references based on the size of your project, asking who does his engineered products / truss design, and asking what a typical commercial account\u2019s payment terms look like.\n\nSecond piece of advice is to ask him for a list of a few customers he\u2019d recommend, then do the same thing with other pro yards in your area. If any name comes up twice it\u2019s a good sign that the GC will be reputable and that he\u2019s paying his bills on time, which generally means he also pays his subs on time so you won\u2019t be getting any surprise liens for material or subcontractor invoices.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "fpwm4le", "text": "The best way is always from personal recommendations. Look for buildings going up or ones that have recently that match what you want and find out which GC is doing the work then try to speak with the owner. On the commercial side, you\u2019ll see some specialization like you do with brokers. Some focus on MF, medical office, retail, interior build outs, etc. Make sure their past work aligns with your goals. A bad GC can ruin your project so choose wisely.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "fpwm9by", "text": "Your local permitting center will also be a good place to find contractors that pull permits.  Ask them for references.", "replies": [{"id": "fpwq19c", "text": "Dont be surprised if the local city or county staff don\u2019t give recommendations. It\u2019s considered unethical to show preference to certain contractors or make recommendations. I would go with the above advice and go with personal recommendations from those in the industry.", "replies": [{"id": "fpws3jf", "text": "You can just hang around there and talk to the contractors that show up to pull permits.", "replies": [], "depth": 3}, {"id": "fpwwrri", "text": "They won\u2019t give recommendation (it\u2019s a liability thing) but they usually will provide a list of all Licensed GC\u2019s that are in the area. From there you can begin to do more research on each", "replies": [], "depth": 3}], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "fpwtf7n", "text": "If  what your trying to do isn\u2019t above your pay grade,be your own GC. Whatever mistakes you make will be the cost of learning.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "fpwtob4", "text": "Google search &gt; decent reviews &gt; pics of similar project on their site &gt; call and feel good about the conversation\n\nGet three bids from different contractors\n\nIf an architect drew your plans, they will have good relationships with contractors as well, ask them to request bids for you (multiple contractors bid on the same date/time)", "replies": [{"id": "fpwy1l6", "text": "Just as a word of caution, I hired the best-reviewed GC with the lowest rate and had a nightmare experience. I even called references. Turns out, they're good at online marketing and manipulating reviews but they suck at GC work. On the flipside, I bet many good GC's don't have much in the way of online reviews. My anecdotal experience is that online reviews are NOT the way to find a good GC. This was for residential but I think my lesson applies here too.", "replies": [], "depth": 2}], "depth": 1}, {"id": "fpxm66i", "text": "If you\u2019re doing work in a commercial building and you\u2019re leasing the space, your building ownership / property management team probably has preferred GCs that you\u2019ll either be required to use or bid to. If this is completely new construction or you own the building, start with a reputable project management company who can help you through the RFP process. Don\u2019t try to manage this yourself unless you\u2019ve done it before and have a relationship with the contractor.\nAlternatively if you\u2019re building anything you should have an architect helping you put together drawings and permits and they will definitely have contractor relationships. For consultants you should always have your PM and architect on board before the GC. GC only comes in when you have drawings they can price.", "replies": [], "depth": 1}, {"id": "fpy5atm", "text": "What type of building?", "replies": [], "depth": 1}]