Construction & Contractors Blog
The general contractor is one of the most ubiquitous figures in the entire construction world. If you've never worked with a general contractor before, though, you may wonder what this person's role is. A general building contractor will manage several aspects of your project so let's look at each.
Centralization of Other Contracts
Normally, a build involves many subcontracted tasks. Think about everything that's hiding inside the wall of a typical house. If you took the wall out and left behind everything else, you'd probably see electrical wiring, air ducts, relay cables for control systems, insulation, studs, and pipes. Each of those systems represents a job that a separate subcontractor had to do.
A general contractor serves as the centralizing force on a project for people who handle all of these other trades. The general contractor finds subcontractors, signs deals with them, and coordinates their actions. For example, a contractor may have to figure out the timing to make sure all of the wires and pipes go into the walls before the drywall and painting contractors come by to button things up.
Point of Contact
Customers are bound to have questions about projects as things unfold. The general building contractor represents your main point of contact. If you need to ask how things are going, that's a topic to discuss with the contractor. Likewise, if there are time or budget issues, the general contractor should be the person to reach out to you.
Compliance, Permits, and Reports
Most projects have to comply with at least a minimal set of local, state, and federal building standards. The general contractor is the person who has to coordinate compliance efforts. If you need a permit for construction work, for example, the general contractor should learn what the permitting rules are for your location and acquire appropriate documents.
Similarly, you might need to file reports supporting your compliance efforts. A homeowner building near a major body of water, for example, may have to submit reports showing what they did to prevent polluting the water. The contractor will usually find a qualified professional to study the situation, make recommendations, and produce reports. Likewise, the contractor will be the one to digest any studies and determine how to make the work comply with the rules.
Supplies
In many cases, the general contractor will be in charge of acquiring supplies. They will have to direct the timing and placement of materials so things don't sit around too long. Also, they need to make sure the materials will be there when a particular subcontractor needs them.
To learn more, contact a company like Scott Hedrick Construction, Inc.
Share21 September 2022
There's a common misconception that all construction workers and contractors do the same job. On one hand, this is kind of true. Construction workers and contractors all built things. However, most people in this field have a specialty. Some hang drywall. Others paint. Still others know how to pour foundations or install roofs. While some construction workers and contractors move from field to field throughout their careers, others spend their career honing one particular skill. Either approach is fine, from our perspective. What we really care about is the excellent work that these workers do, and that's what we plan to feature on this website.