MEP is the abbreviation for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing facilities that are the backbone of any construction activity. Be it building a house or an office or simply laying sewage pipes, MEP engineers are crucial everywhere. From decision-making to cost estimation, construction administration, documentation, building management, and building maintenance, an MEP contractor does it all. 

However, not every contractor is trustworthy, and hence, this business witnesses a lot of suspicious clients. Therefore, we bring to you a list of things that you should consider when shortlisting MEP companies.

Need for MEP Companies

Before we hop on to the list of suggestions, let us explore all services that the three distinct MEP engineers provide.

Mechanics is all about the application of problem-solving solving techniques to design and manufacture objects. Mechanical engineers are needed on construction sites to ensure that the machinery required for construction work is available and working properly. The first thing they need to do is to have a quality check of on-site equipment. They need to assign operations of different machines to skilled laborers. Other works of a mechanical engineer include ensuring the safety of workers working with machines, keeping records of wear, tear, and repair of equipment, supervising the proper installation of machinery, and sitting for meetings. They majorly deal in air handling units, fresh air handling units, fan coil units, split & package units, cooling towers, pumps, VRV, ecology units, duct cleaning services, chiller installation, and chiller maintenance.

An electrical engineer engages with the works of electricity primarily. Nothing works without electricity, therefore an electrical engineer handles power generators, LV panels, switch gears, MDB, SMDB, MCC panels, lighting, and cabling. He is needed for construction site management, contractors management, and construction reports and documentation. The first job takes up most of the time of an electrical engineer. It involves understanding the needs of the project, supervising designs and applications, ensuring the quality of equipment and safety of workers, making cost estimates for different purchases required, and overlooking the functioning of electrical equipment like CCTV cameras on the site. 

A plumbing works engineer has to start by reviewing the feasibility of construction. Their main work includes the supervision of water tanks, water pumps, booster pumps, drainage systems, manholes, gully traps, etc. They are responsible for the complexities of actual construction work such as site plans, floor plans, diagrams, etc. They are most closely associated with the workers in guiding and directing them. They also attend meetings with the clients to update them about the work. Overall quality check of all raw materials is also done by a plumbing work engineer. They provide technical assistance to the whole project. Hence, the plumbing works engineer is the one who does the most amount of the work. They, in a sense, supervise all other work. Therefore it is important to look out for the best plumbing services in Dubai when you plan construction.

Firefighting and fire alarm services are needed on sites too.

Technical Expertise

There is no specific degree or certification course that gives a qualification to an MEP contractor. However, when hiring an agency, make sure to be in touch with the heads of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing departments. You can calculate if the employees of MEP companies have technical expertise by knowing if these heads have at least done their graduation in respective courses. If not a degree, a minimum requirement of 3 years of work experience is another important indicator of expertise. You can test their technical knowledge by asking them specific questions about their areas of claimed expertise if you want to be a little more convinced about it. 

Reasonable Quotations

Quotations are stated prices at which a contractor is willing to sell his services. Take quotations from at least 4 to 5 contractors to get a basic idea of the prevailing prices. Do not settle for a contractor who is charging abysmally low prices. He may quit the job mid-way without providing a refund. Worse, he may use poor-quality raw materials making the construction susceptible to future damage. In other cases, he may simply not employ any professional but get the work done by unskilled labor. It is better to go with the contractor who states prices near the average cost. However, if you plan to make an exceptionally beautiful building, you may go ahead with one charging exponentially high prices. Just make sure you have done a proper cost-benefit analysis beforehand and that they are serving value for money.

Negotiation

You should always negotiate with the contractor to get the best prices. It may seem like one or two dirhams per square foot won’t make much of a difference, but it does. When the area measures 200 square feet, every small reduction will amount to significant monetary relief. However, do not trust a company that allows an extreme amount of negotiations. Settling for low cost involves risks at the end of MEP companies. High reductions mean that the contractor somehow just wishes to get the job. There are chances that the contractor will abandon you mid-way. This can be quite upsetting and troublesome as getting a new contractor will mean paying double the amount. If he does not abandon you, he will use poor-quality raw materials. At best, he may overcharge you for different commodities not included in the 1 lakh package.

Conclusion

These tricks will most probably help you locate some good MEP contractors in Dubai. Just remember to have a good background check and comparison of at least 4 to 5 different companies before settling for one. Look for the best plumbing services in Dubai because electric wires and elevators can be fixed even after the construction is completed but drains won’t be made again. The panacea for choosing a good MEP contracting company is to check its google reviews. The reviews have to be recent. Read at least 10 reviews and see if the ratio of 7:3 is met or not. 7 positive reviews, as opposed to 3 negative reviews, is an indication that the contractor can be hired. We hope these tips will help you construct your most beautiful possession.