From a bigger picture point of view the availability of integrated solutions is a good thing because it allows for more service providers to enter into the market and provide the much needed competition in just about every industry, but it does tend to make for somewhat of a double-edged sword because it can also make for a serious drop in standards. In the many sub-industries which fall under construction for example, a highly qualified contractor who does general house work can be just as good as one which has learned the trade through practical experience.
While that in itself isn’t a bad thing, what it could very well mean is that the market could be flooded with a host of average or even sub-par contractors, all of whom charge pretty much the same price to deliver pretty much the same sub-par work. But what sets a good contractor apart from all the average ones?
Meticulous attention to sourcing qualify raw materials is one thing that sets good contractors apart from the many average ones, with the typical course of action characteristic of a good contractor of this kind taking the form of insisting on the best in the finest details which go into their range of tools, materials, etc. The good contractor might insist on sourcing mortar which was mixed by a specific mixer for dry mortars manufactured by a specific manufacturer they trust, for instance, whereas an average one might not give two hoots about the often subtle differences which ultimately make for some big changes in something like the rotary drum mixer they deploy as part of their service offering.
Unfortunately for the end-consumer who is having some contracted work done for them, you can’t really gauge the quality of the contractor you’ve hired until long after the job is complete and the dry walling which has since dried has stood the test of time and had to brave the elements, for example.
So in large part it’s a matter of trusting the word of mouth.