General contractor

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A general contractor is a group or individual that contracts with another organization or individual (the owner) for the construction or renovation of a building, road or other structure. A general contractor is defined as such if it is the signatory as the builder of the prime construction contract for the project. A general contractor is responsible for the means and methods to be used in the construction execution of the project in accordance with the contract documents. Said contract documents usually include the contract agreement including budget, the general and special conditions and the plans and specification of the project that are prepared by a design professional. A general contractor usually is responsible for the supplying of all material, labor, equipment, (engineering vehicles and tools) and services necessary for the construction of the project. To do this it is common for the general contractor to subcontract part of the work to other persons and companies that specialize in these types of work. These are called subcontractors.

General contractors conducting work for government agencies are typically referred to as prime contractors. The responsibilities of a prime contractors working under a contract are essentially identical to those outlined above. In many cases, prime contractors will delegate portions of the contract work to subcontractors.

1 As a service
2 As an owner
3 General contractor example
4 General contractor "sub-types"
5 See also
6 External link

[edit] As a service

Most contractors are required to be licensed in each state and may be required to take an oral and written exam. To check for contractor license requirements, you may contact the National Association of State Contractor Licensing Agencies (NASCLA) Association at: [1]

Contractors are defined in the law by each state and are usually considered those who contract, bid, negotiate a price or offers to construct, supervise, oversee, schedule, direct, alter, repair, install, improve, move, demolish, furnish labor, etc. In addition, there are various types: building (residential and commercial); electrical; plumbing; mechanical; highway; and environmental (mold/lead remediation).

Consumers should always check out their contractor prior to hiring. Important tips may be obtained at: [2]

[edit] 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. More times than not, the risks far outweigh the potential reward of saving the general contractor's fee should all things go perfectly.

Owners considering this approach should keep in mind that general contractors make a living working with known subcontractors. An established General Contractor will have established relationships that will outlast one construction project, and the subcontractors 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.

[edit] 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 can some times lead to lawsuits which most times can prolong or even stop a project. It is best to consult your contractor over the safety, and function of the architects plans so that there is no damage to a buildings structure.

[edit] General contractor "sub-types"

In some states, general contractors for real estate construction are broken into a small number of sub-types. In Florida, for example, a residential contractor, is a general contractor, however, he or she is permitted only to oversee, coordinate, and be liable for codes (i.e., act as a general contractor) for structures up to 4 stories in height.