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General contractors in Charlotte NC Call 1 Home Services 704-614-3420

General contractors in Charlotte NC Call 1 Home Services 704-614-3420

Go No further. We can take care of all your home needs.

But there are a few things to know before you hire.

About General contractors.

Description

Whether you are building a Paragraph 79 House somewhere tucked into the countryside, or you are undergoing home improvements within your own home, you will need trained tradesmen to get it done. A General contractor is employed by the client, on the advice of the Architect or the Architectural technologist. A general contractor must first assess the project-specific documents (referred to as tender documents). In the case of renovations, a site visit is required to get a better understanding of the project. The contractor will then calculate a price, also called an estimate. The general contractor considers the cost of materials and equipment as well as the cost of labor to provide the owner with an approximate price for the project.

Contract documents include a budget, any general and special conditions, and blueprints and specifications prepared by a design professional such as an architect. In many instances the general contractor is the project engineer orproject manager for construction projects.

[edit]Responsibilities

A general contractor is responsible for providing all of the material, labor, equipment (such as engineering vehicles and tools) and services necessary for the construction of the project. The general contractor hires specializedsubcontractors to perform all or portions of the construction work.

Responsibilities may include applying for building permits, securing the property, providing temporary utilities on site, managing personnel on site, providing site surveying and engineering, disposing of or recycling construction waste, monitoring schedules and cash flows, and maintaining accurate records.^[2]

[edit]UK and Commonwealth usage

In the United Kingdom and some British Commonwealth countries the term ‘general contractor’ was gradually superseded by ‘main contractor’ during the early twentieth century. This was the term used by major professional, trade, and consumer organizations when issuing contracts for construction work, and thus the term ‘general contractor’ fell out of use.^{[citation needed]}

General contractors that conduct work for government agencies are typically referred to as prime contractors.

[edit]Licensing requirements

Licensing requirements to work legally on construction projects vary from locale to locale. In the Unites States, it is the states’ responsibility to define these requirements. For example, in the state of California, the requirements are stated as follows:^[3]

“With a few exceptions, all businesses or individuals who work on any building, highway, road, parking facility, railroad, excavation, or other structure in California must be licensed by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) if the total cost of one or more contracts on the project is $500 or more.”

[edit]Licensing qualifications

There are no set educational qualifications to become a general contractor, though most employers prefer a bachelor’s degree. Some general contractors obtain bachelor’s degrees in construction science, building science, surveying, construction safety, or other disciplines. To help out with construction safety, you can always visit sites like Raken to be taught safety tips and how this technology can work for you when on site.

General contractors often start out as construction workers. While gaining work experience, they learn about different aspects of construction, including masonry, carpentry, framing, and plumbing. Aspiring general contractors communicate with subcontractors and may learn the management skills they need to run their own company.

Experience in the construction industry as well as references from customers, business partners, or former employers are demanded. Some states require candidates to provide proof of 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 need to be familiar with construction techniques so they can manage workers effectively.

In the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, there has been implemented a new Contractor Licensing program that requires various contractors and skilled trades to obtain licenses to do business within Toronto, even if they run their business outside the city. And in Ontario, it is mandatory that General Contractors who offer electrical services clearly state that they “only use ESA/ECRA Licensed Electrical Contractors”.

[edit]As a business owner

Businesses may choose to hire contractors over employees for a variety of reasons. For legal reasons it can be easier to hire and to release a contractor compared to a permanent employee. Additionally, business owners may choose to hire contractors because of economic uncertainty or other factors that make hiring employees impractical. Other reasons include access to specialist skills, flexible hiring and firing, and lower costs.^[4]

The first step in vetting a general contractor is to perform a contractor licensing lookup to ensure the contractor is properly licensed to perform the work. Most states in the United States have free online license check databases available to the general public.

[edit]General contractor example

A property owner or real estate developer develops 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. Today contractors frequently participate on the design team by providing pre-design services such as providing estimations of the budget and scheduling requirements to improve the economy of the project. In other cases the general contractor is hired at the close of the design phase. The owner, architect, and general contractor work closely together to meet deadlines and budget. The general contractor works with subcontractors to ensure quality standards.

It’s a question that bears asking, even if you’ve been in the business for years: what is a general contractor in terms of today’s economic outlook? Because the truth is, a successful general contractor today is much different than one thirty, twenty, or even ten years ago.

The Home Asset Management Plan has been created to allow you to keep your company’s doors open when many others have closed. It’ll show you how to be successful today, tomorrow, and for many years to come. And it’ll answer the question you absolutely need answered: what is a general contractor today?

What is a General Contractor? | Adapting to the New Economy

In recent years, the general contracting business has taken some serious hits. The real estate meltdown of 2007 and the latest recession have delivered vicious blows to the industry, causing many companies to go down for the count…for good. But you don’t have to be one of those knock-out victims. You can be the champ, instead.

With the Home Asset Management Plan in place, you can change the course of your business to not only remain open during these tumultuous times, but to grow and become even more profitable.

The HAMP is a recession-proof business model that will take your general contracting operation to new heights.

What Does a General Contractor Do? | The New Business Model

The new general contractor needs to redesign his or her business model to suit the current needs and economic strengths of the client. You will work hand-in-hand with your client to develop a schedule of projects, both big and small, that can be attacked and completed throughout the coming years. By stretching out your work schedule like this, you’ll be able to keep busy for the foreseeable future and work on several clients’ homes at a time.

This new model of business is relationship-driven, wherein you pay much more attention to the client than perhaps you used to. By working as partners, you can ensure a life-long professional partnership with clients, attending to their household needs as they arise. It’s also a model that embraces the idea of home asset management over big project supervision.

It may be a major change for the way you do business, but I guarantee it’ll be a positive one.

Here’s a basic rundown of three of the major tenets of the new remodeling business model, as outlined by the Home Asset Management Plan:

• Smaller Scale, Longer Term – By working on smaller projects over a longer span of time, you create excellent job security, which keeps the cash flowing continually throughout the year.
• Home Asset Management – You need to broaden your focus from one corner of the house to the whole structure. Houses will always need upkeep in various ways, so you must be the one to take care of them all.
• One-Stop-Shopping – By offering full-home service, you become the go-to gal or guy for all your client’s home remodel, repair, or renovation needs.

What Does a General Contractor Do? | Finding Future Success

When shifting focus away from a project-driven business model and towards a relationship-minded one, you’ll notice that your future has never looked brighter.

For one, you will have scheduled out the next 3-5 years of work with your clients. For another thing, your clients will surely be so impressed with your patience, that they’ll recommend you to their friends and neighbors who need some residential remodeling work done.

When you work with people instead of with their money, your future becomes full of potential successes.

If you’d like more information about what a general contractor is in today’s economic climate, or what one needs to do to begin experiencing success, please contact us today. We’d love to hear your thoughts and questions.

FAQs on General Contractors