Anyone who has ever attempted a DIY project knows how quickly things can descend into chaos. You might come across unexpected repairs that require additional materials, time, and work. Something could go wrong and you might accidentally cause more damage. Even if everything goes right, completing a building or renovation project is still a stressful process because of the amount of planning and organization required—not to mention the actual labor involved.
If you’re a seasoned do-it-yourselfer or a newbie who knows they aren’t ready to take on the whole project alone, you should consider hiring a general contractor. Especially if you have a really big project, like adding a room or redesigning your kitchen, a general contractor brings expertise and connections to the table. Instead of hiring multiple people yourself, such as plumbers and carpenters, you can hire one person to handle it all. That kind of knowledge and expertise can be helpful for staying on the building schedule and within budget.
General contractors handle the hiring of subcontractors (like electricians), the ordering of materials, and all the paperwork in the building project. They bring all the expertise you need, combined with all the organizational skills required for a big project. A general contractor will ask you what you want and need and then bring you a plan fully outline with cost estimates, building schedules, and all the permits you need.
If you have a big building project coming up, you should consider hiring a general contractor for their professional expertise.
What a General Contractor Does
A general contractor is in charge of overseeing the day-to-day operations of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communicating important information to everyone involved in the building project. The general contractor is a manager and usually a tradesman that is employed by a client. They are usually referred to a client by the project’s architect or engineer to be in charge of the overall coordination of a project.
The general contractor is in charge of assessing the project-specific documents. These documents refer to the bid, proposal, or tender documents that outline the agreements between the client and the hired workers. The bid form, drawings, timelines, charts, and price breakdowns are included in these documents, and they must be attended to before the project can actually start. This paperwork covers everything from contracts, cost of conditions, materials, and labor to give the client a price for the project.
Other than organization and communication, the general contractor is in charge of providing all the material, labor, equipment, and services that are needed for a project. This includes applying for building permits, securing the property, managing workers, disposing of construction waste, maintaining accurate records, and ensuring safety on the job site. General contractors often hire specialized subcontractors to help with the construction work but still assume responsibility for the work performed by those subcontractors.
When You Need To Hire a General Contractor
When it comes to home remodeling, general contractors are in charge of keeping everything running smoothly on the construction site. Important bid documents, information that needs to be communicated, keeping workers safe and on schedule, and finding specialists help can all be daunting for someone just trying to complete a home renovation project. This is when a general contractor is helpful. They will keep everything organized for you so all you have to worry about is what your house will look like when it’s done.
For legal reasons, it can be easier to hire and to release a contractor compared to a permanent employee. They also give the client access to specialist skills, flexible hiring and firing, and lower costs. General contractors get paid by taking a percentage of the overall cost of the completed project. This percentage is usually between 10 and 20 percent of the total cost of the job including materials, permits, and subcontractors.
The owner, architect, and general contractor work closely together to meet deadlines and stay on budget. The general contractor frequently participates on the design team with the architect and engineers by providing pre-design services like budget estimates and figuring out scheduling requirements. If you're starting a building project you will want the help of a general contractor, especially if this is your first project. They will keep everything running smoothly and keep open lines of communication between everyone to ensure the project gets done safely and on-time.
How to Hire a General Contractor
A general contractor is in charge of their own business and has built their reputation strictly on customer satisfaction. You can often rely on reviews and word-of-mouth to find a good, reliable general contractor. Choose from a variety of large and small contractor businesses and get at least three different bids so you can ensure you’re picking the best one.
General contractors will give you an estimate of how long the job will take and how much it will cost. If they are slow or late on delivering this estimate to you, take it as a reflection on their general work ethic. The general contractor is also in charge of ordering supplies, but call the suppliers and price-check to make sure you aren’t getting overcharged. Paying attention to how straightforward and prompt a general contractor is can ensure that you get the most reliable one.
Once you have selected some general contractors to get an estimate from, make sure you are clear about what you want so you get a proper estimate. Make sure you show up for all meetings on time with the general contractor and make your payments on time. They are your employee and they are also in charge of many aspects of the project, so make sure you show them the respect they deserve.
A general contractor can make your building project painless by taking care of all the details for you. As long as you stay informed, communicate about expectations, and make payments on time, the general contractor you hire will be happy to take care of it all for you.
