What Do Contractors Do?
While some home renovation projects are easy enough for you to accomplish on your own, most of them require the service of a professional contractor or construction companies. Though you have probably heard of them, you might ask yourself, “what does a contractor do?” This article aims to answer that exact question.
However, before we get to that, we thought it would help if we first told you what a contractor is.
What Is a Contractor?
An extensive renovation or construction project requires multiple parties who have to work together to be successful. Your project could have a handyman replacing fixtures, a plumber sorting out your pipes, an electrician sorting out your wiring, and more personnel in charge of other tasks. A general contractor is a person in charge of overseeing the project or construction work and everything that takes place on the construction site. Functioning as construction managers, they typically report to the property owner on such things as the construction phase, construction budget, materials suppliers and the status of materials, any necessary licensing requirements, and much more.
What Does a General Contractor Do?
In general, contractors supervise and coordinate every aspect of a construction project or remodeling project. They make sure that the work is completed correctly, in a manner that does not void any guarantees or product warranties.
Licensed general contractors take additional responsibility for the worksite, including providing workers with compensation and liability insurance. General contractors also:
- Manage personnel, vendors, and trades and pre construction elements.
- Act as the central communication point for the parties involved
- Supply the necessary labor, equipment, and material
- Assess project documents
- Secure the supplies and workspace
- Provide on-site utilities
- Apply for building permits
- Maintain accurate records and maintain cash flows
Helpful Reading: Remodeling vs Renovation
Types of Contractors
There are two types of contractors—traditional contractors and design-build professionals. Traditional contractors take the plans that a designer or an architect creates and develops a bid to complete the project. On the other hand, design-build professionals work with you from start to finish. They conceptualize, design, and oversee the entire home remodeling project.
Design-build professionals typically have an in-house team of design and architectural specialists who remain involved throughout the process, just in case design modifications are needed.
Helpful Reading: Builders License vs Contractors License
What Is a Subcontractor?
We cannot talk about the role of contractors without touching on subcontractors. Subcontractors work under the general contractor, performing specific tasks to complete the project. For example, a contractor can hire one subcontractor to handle the roofing and another one to manage the wiring. This can work very well with complex projects, a home improvement project, or any other type of building project. Specialty contractors allow the prime contractor to assign an elevated level of expertise to the building process and generally speaking also increase efficiency by directing specific skill sets within the job site.
Though subcontractors or specialty subcontractors essentially work for the general contractor, they are often viewed as independent contractors instead of the contractor’s employees. Depending on the agreement, the subcontractors might even be responsible for providing their own equipment and materials to complete the task the construction manager hired them to do.
Hiring subcontractors is very beneficial because it lowers project risks and reduces the project’s overall cost.
Hiring a General Contractor
Ideally, you should only hire a contractor when the project you need to complete is too complicated for you to handle. If the project takes weeks to be completed and involves permits, inspections, and different expertise, you need a general contractor.
If you are in the market for a professional and reliable contractor, turn to Brown Building Contractors. We have more than 25 years of experience and can provide you with well-trained, highly qualified experts dedicated to making your house the home of your dreams.
Call us today on 360-515-3380 to find out more.
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