Construction and renovation are complicated processes as there are multiple processes involved and numerous workers required to accomplish them. To make it a little easier, a general contractor is hired, and he guarantees the timely completion of specific projects.
A general contractor can be an individual working all by herself or an employee-packed company that takes complete control of the construction project. He helps to organize everything regardless of whether it’s either a large commercial project or a small residential one.
A general contractor can be understood as a typical project head who designates budgets, handles the project, specifies deadlines, hires team and subcontractors to work undermine, etc.
The state licenses these GCs to conduct their business. Though not every state requires them to be certified, and rules vary from place to place. These licensing requirements differ in different states, even cities and county jurisdictions. Hiring a licensed GC is advised as they handle many legal and regulatory duties in various construction processes. So, check their necessary licenses and permits before starting a project.
Table of Contents
Responsibilities Of General Contractors
The general contractor is like a one-stop shop for all the mobile parts required in a construction building project. As an in charge of a construction project, a general contractor coordinates with subcontractors and other workers, with a vision of turning plans into an accomplished project. Hence, he manages the worker’s schedule, paperwork, and ordering resources.
His day-to-day work varies depending upon the project, but he has some general duties to perform almost every day, like-
- Overseeing the quality of the work being done by the hired tradespeople.
- Arranging subcontractors like electricians, plumbers, carpenters, etc.
- Making sure that these people follow the processes and meet deadlines.
- Providing all materials required for the project.
- Supplying necessary labor.
- Providing other resources like necessary equipment, vehicles, and tools.
What Do General Contractors Do?
General contractors do much more than just supervising a work site. They ensure that all tasked projects are being done in the planned way and before deadlines. They work with the construction design team, workers and the project owner. He acts as a liaison and hence communicates with all involved organizations and individuals in the building project. Skim through to learn the general manager’s basic duties.
Project Coordination
It’s the general contractor’s duty to assemble all the essential data like the budget, deadline and other allowances. He coordinates crucial development and implementation of construction data, examines needed material, tools and labor, suggests valid project alterations, and sees legal and regulatory needs.
Project Management
A general contractor looks after all the management needs of the job site, including funds management, purchasing, payment processing, sourcing, hiring, and personnel payments.
Project Targeting
The rest of his duties involve assuring workers’ safety, guaranteeing a constant supply of equipment and materials, interacting with clients regarding any changes or giving constant updates, and checking construction progress. The construction process must abide by the planned timeline, and to ensure this, a general manager comes into play.
Reinforce Safety Requirements
The general manager is the one who hires other workers, so he is responsible for their good health and security on the work site. For this, he implements various measures and safety procedures to raise awareness for usual safety concerns. Ensuring proper equipment usage and preventing misuse can eradicate the potential chances of onsite accidents. The general manager should supervise the team during emergencies and related onsite concerns and report them to the supervisory faculty of the client.
How Is General Contractor Different From Subcontractor?
Though people are baffled between the two, the major key difference is that the general manager interacts with the hired team, whereas the subcontractor doesn’t, and GC is their boss for that duration. In addition, the GC works directly with the client, whether a homeowner or a commercial developer.
Another big difference is that subcontractors are skilled in some specific fields like a plumber in fixing appliances, an electrician skilled in insulation, a carpenter in woodwork, etc. Still, contrarily, GC had wide duties to look after the entire project like new construction, renovation, and repairs.
So, a GC manages the overall project site and its planning. In contrast, subcontractors are specialists, so they get indulged in some specific jobs on the construction site, depending on their skills.
When Should You Hire A General Contractor?
Residential work may not always require a general manager as you can directly align with subcontractors in small-level tasks. However, if it’s a massive project requiring months to finish, legal permits, and a team of subcontractors, hire a GC. These professionals keep all other workers on track.
You will hire a “General Contractor Agreement” initially when hiring a GC. This format outlines all his roles and duties, with details like construction data, materials, labor and other specifications for the project.
Make sure that it keeps payment and price relevant details too. In case of any modifications, the contract will be amended. Moreover, it should have an entire depiction of the work, like details of warranties, preparation process, and replacement options. Finally, there must be a mention of an estimated completion date for the project.
These legal contracts are very important and will defend you against unexpected bad situations. If your work isn’t completed before the deadline, you will at least have some legal recourse at your fingertips.
Conclusion Drawn
A general contractor is like a one-stop shop for attaining various services needed on a construction site. It includes supplying resources, hiring labor, managing projects, looking after the team’s safety, and considering legal formalities and whatnot. Their duties vary from day to day, and roles change at every step. On a simple note, GC must be highly capable of managing issues and making well-informed decisions in everyday life. In addition, they should be well acquainted with the industry knowledge and necessary updates for construction projects.
A GC is a vital part of an enormous construction project. Hire him, and he will accomplish the rest of the jobs for you. No stress about finding good subcontractors for small jobs. He takes responsibility for all the workers in the field and tackles the complete financial picture.
Leave a Reply