A
general contractor is
responsible for the day-to-day
oversight of the construction site,
and management of vendors and
trades. In addition, keep
communication between the general
contractor and the involved parties
open and clear throughout the course
of project.
Before
starting a job, the general
contractor must first visit and then
assess the site. As a result of
this, a price also called an ‘’estimate’’.
The
general contractor considers the
cost of materials, equipment as well
as the cost of labor to provide the
owner with an approximate price for
the project.
In
these contract documents, the
contract agreement includes budget,
the general and special conditions
and the plans and specification of
the project that are prepared by a
design professional such as an
architect.
Responsibilities
A
general contractor is responsible
for providing all of the material,
labor, equipment, (engineering
vehicles and tools) and
services necessary for the
construction of the project. In
order for the general contractor to
get these tasks done, is by hiring
more specialized subcontractors to
perform certain portions or even all
of the construction work.
Depending
on the size of a project, the
following responsibilities may
include:
• Filing for building
permits,
• Securing the
property,
• Providing temporary
utilities on site
• Managing personnel on
site
• Providing site
surveying and engineering
• Disposing/Recycling
of construction waste
•Monitoring schedules
and cash flows
• Maintaining accurate
records as construction progress
History
In
the United Kingdom and certain
former British
Commonwealth countries the
term 'general contractor' was
gradually superseded by 'main
contractor' during the early
twentieth century. This followed the
practice of major professional,
trade and consumer organizations
issuing standard forms of contract
for undertaking the variety of
construction works spanning the
whole spectrum of the industry. It
was and is usual for the term main
contractor to be used and defined in
all these contract documents, and as
a result the term general contractor
became an anachronism.
General
contractors that conduct work for
government agencies are typically
referred to as prime contractors.
Requirements
for Licensing
There
are no set educational requirements
to become a general contractor,
although most employers do prefer
that you have a bachelor's degree.
Some general contractors obtain
bachelor's degrees in construction
science, building science,
surveying, construction safety etc.
General
contractors usually start out as
regular construction workers. While
gaining work experience, they learn
about different aspects of
construction, including masonry,
carpentry, framing and plumbing.
Aspiring general contractors network
with subcontractors and may learn
the management skills they need to
run their own company.
Depending
on the state, the requirements will
vary from passing a written exam on
topics such as contracting and
construction law or require a
bachelor's degree for licensing.
Also, experience in the construction
industry as well as references from
customers, business partners or
former employers are demanded. Some
states go as far as requiring
candidates to prove financing to own
their own general contracting firm.
General
contractors often run their own
business. They hire subcontractors
to complete specialized construction
work and may manage a team of
plumbers, electricians, builders,
carpenters and other specialists.
General contractors build their
business by networking with
potential clients, buying basic
construction tools and ensuring that
their subcontractors complete
high-quality work. General
contractors don't usually complete
much construction work themselves,
but they should remain familiar with
construction techniques so they can
manage workers effectively.
Because
general contractors are usually at
the top of the employment line the
only benefits are the ones that they
buy themselves. However, if the
general contractor works under a
company, getting heath insurance is
a plus.Because the jobs vary in
complexity, they get paid by the
job. Also, some materials cost more
than others. For example, tiling a
bathroom will cost more than putting
siding on a house.
Advantages
One
of the biggest advantages is being
your own boss, as a contractor you
are not required to accept work from
a client. You have the freedom to
pick and choose your contracts which
can result in having a great work
variation. Contractors usually take
projects that last 3, 6, or 12
months, in duration, to gain a
wealth of experience.
Disadvantages
If
you own your own business which is
common in general contracting, then
you must supply yourself and your
employees with some health benefits.
In addition, taking any paid
vacation because you get paid at the
end of a job which leads to another
problem which is not getting paid.
Luckily, if the owner doesn’t want
to pay you, then filing a
contractor’s ‘’lien’’ can help
secure payment.
As a service
Most
contractors are required to be
licensed in every state and may be
required to take an oral and written
exam. License requirements and
coverage vary by state, and may
cover those who contract, bid,
negotiate a price or offer to
construct, supervise, oversee,
direct, alter, repair, install,
improve, move, demolish, furnishing
labour, etc. Various types of
contractor include building
(residential and commercial),
electrical, plumbing, mechanical,
highway, and environmental
remediation.
As an owner
Occasionally
the entity commissioning the
construction of the building chooses
to act as the general contractor. In
such cases, they work directly with
the subcontractors and take care of
the administration and organization
of the various subcontractors.
Under
these conditions the owner takes on
all liability for proper sequencing
of the work, and dealing with the
realities of construction.
Contractors
will acknowledge this with their
cooperation. Owners seldom have this
advantage, and most subcontractors
will recognize the risk of working
with a one time client with higher
bids.
As
an alternative, the owner builder
approach to building its own
residence can have risks and
benefits. As a novice in the
business, the owner builder is
vulnerable to a number of common
mistakes such as overbuilding the
neighborhood, exposure to
liabilities, lack of subcontractor
management skills, and others.
Subcontractor loyalty and discounted
prices to general contractor are not
a rule at all. As the economy
worsens, and many builders struggle
to find work, the owner builder can
pick the best talent at the price
that is only limited to his or her
negotiating skills.
As a business
owner
Main article: Independent contractor
For
legal reasons it can be easier to
hire and also release a contractor
compared to an employee
that has Permanent employment. Large
numbers of business owners choose to
hire contractors because of
uncertainty within their business or
have constraints such as maternity,
illness or other legal factors which
entail that hiring a permanent
employee is not a feasible option.
General
contractor example
An
owner or real estate developer
would develop a program of their
needs and select a site (often with
an architect). The Architect
assembles a design team of
consulting engineers
and other experts to design the
building and specify the building
systems to meet those needs. Today
contractors frequently participate
in the design team effort by
providing pre-design services where
they will help in providing more
accurate estimation of budget and
scheduling during design to improve
the over-all economy of the project.
Otherwise the general contractor is
hired just to build the building(s)
at the close of the design phase.
The owner, architect, and general
contractor work closely together to
meet deadlines and budget. The
general contractor then works with subcontractors
to ensure quality standards in
addition to timeline and budget.
Often there will be disagreements
between the contractor and the
architect over style vs. function.
These arguments may lead to lawsuits
which can potentially prolong or
even stop a project.
