Why Your Engineering Team Might Be Right (and Wrong) About Picking a Contractor

You’re at a meeting, and everyone is smiling because your town is getting a new fiber network. The plans are ready, the money is set, and the team just picked a contractor to build it. Everything seems great, but deep down, you feel nervous.

Last week, you heard about another town that tried to do the same thing. Their contractor made big promises, but things went wrong. The project was late, it cost way more than expected, and the internet didn’t even work properly when it was done.

You think to yourself: “What if we picked the wrong contractor too?”

Your team is smart. They know how to design the network and figure out the technical stuff. But what if they missed something important? What if the contractor they chose can’t actually handle the job? This project isn’t just about internet it’s about making sure your community has what it needs to grow and thrive. You can’t afford to get it wrong.

Common Mistakes Leaders Make

When picking a contractor, lots of leaders make the same mistakes. Here’s what happens:

1. Trusting Only the Experts: The engineers know the plans and the technical details, but they might forget to check if the contractor is good at solving problems or working with a team.
2. Picking the Cheapest Option: It’s tempting to save money upfront, but the lowest price often means bad work, delays, or even having to pay extra to fix mistakes.
3. Not Checking How They Work With Others: If the contractor isn’t good at talking to people or explaining things, it can cause confusion and delays.
4. Forgetting the Future: A contractor might finish the job quickly, but will the internet system last for years without breaking?

The Hidden Costs

These mistakes can cost more than just money:

• Delays: If the contractor messes up, the whole project takes longer.
• Extra Costs: Fixing mistakes or dealing with poor quality work adds up.
• Angry Customers: People want their internet to work when promised. If it doesn’t, they get upset, and it hurts your reputation.

A Quick Story

One town picked the cheapest contractor they could find. At first, it seemed fine. But a few months later, the workers stopped showing up because they weren’t being paid enough. The internet cables they installed didn’t work properly, and the whole thing ended up costing twice as much to fix. The town’s leader said, “We were trying to save money, but it ended up costing us way more.”

What’s Happening in the Industry

Right now, lots of towns, companies, and co-ops are rushing to build internet systems as fast as they can. But that rush is causing problems:

1. It’s Harder Than It Looks: Laying cables and connecting everything isn’t as simple as it sounds. It takes careful planning, the right tools, and skilled workers.
2. Skipping Important Steps: Some leaders get so focused on finishing quickly that they don’t check if the work is done right.
3. Not Thinking Long-Term: People pick contractors who can finish the job, but they don’t ask if the work will last for years.

Why This Matters

If you don’t pick the right contractor, things can go wrong for everyone:

• Your Team: They’ll be stuck fixing problems and dealing with delays.
• Your Community: People won’t trust you if the internet doesn’t work like you promised.
• Your Budget: Fixing mistakes costs a lot more than doing it right the first time.

Why This Happens

Building a fiber network is kind of like building a bridge. You don’t just want it to look good, you need it to be strong enough to last for years, even in bad weather. But some people pick contractors who build “quick and cheap” instead of “strong and lasting.”

Here’s the problem:

• Engineers look at the plans but might not check if the contractor can handle surprises.
• Leaders focus on price and forget about long-term quality.
• Contractors promise they can do everything, but some don’t have a real plan to deliver.

How Central States Utilities Can Help

At Central States Utilities (CSU), we’ve seen these problems before, and we know how to avoid them. Here’s what we do differently:

1. We Handle Everything: From planning to building, we make sure every step is done right. That means no miscommunication or missing pieces.
2. We Keep You Updated: You’ll always know what’s happening with clear reports and regular updates.
3. We’re Ready for Anything: Whether your project is small or big, we have the workers, tools, and experience to handle it.
4. We Focus on Quality: We don’t just finish the job, we make sure the work lasts for years.

What Do You Do Now

This project is about more than just getting internet. It’s about making your community stronger and more connected. But that won’t happen if you pick the wrong contractor.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Look at More Than Just Price: Don’t pick the cheapest option. Look for a contractor who does high-quality work and communicates well.
2. Ask for Help Early: Involve experts like CSU at the beginning of your project so we can help you avoid problems.
3. Think About the Future: Choose a contractor who will do the job right the first time and make sure the system lasts.

Here’s the question

When this project is done, how do you want your community to remember it? Will they see it as a smart investment in their future, or as a rushed job with problems?

The choice is yours and we’re here to help make it the right one.