Construction Surety Bonds for Contractors

  • Editorial Team
  • Construction Career Outlook
  • 30 October 2023

Understanding construction surety bonds is very, very important for building contractors. These bonds are often mandatory for obtaining licenses in a lot of states and localities. They actually play a very big part in ensuring accountability, compliance, and financial security in the construction industry.

Contractor Bonds

Contractors often need a specific type of surety bond known as a “contractor bond” to obtain licenses from state and local authorities. These bonds involve an agreement between three parties: the principal (contractor), the surety (bond company), and the obligee (governmental agency). Apart from contractor license bonds, a lot of project-specific bonds may be required for public and private projects.

Types of Construction Bonds

Bid Bonds

These bonds make it so that the winning bidder commits to the contract’s terms and price, with compensation for the project owner if they fail to do so.

Performance Bond 

Guaranteeing the contractor’s fulfilment of the contract’s specifications is what these bonds do.

Payment Bonds 

They help in ensuring that subcontractors and suppliers are paid as agreed upon, preventing mechanic’s liens.

Why Are Surety Bonds Necessary?

Surety bonds serve two primary purposes. Firstly, they hold contractors accountable for actions leading to client financial losses.

Secondly, they are great for providing financial compensation to parties wronged by contractors.