Every construction project with multiple tradespeople and different stages requires proper management and coordination to complete. A general contractor takes over these responsibilities to ensure the project completes safely and on time.
Who Is a General Contractor
A general contractor (GC) is a construction supervisor who oversees the entire project to ensure the implementation of the plans, safety measures observation, and timely completion of the project per the agreement. A GC is hired for large-scale projects that require coordinating multiple stages and engaging different personnel within the construction site.
What Are the Responsibilities of General Contractors?
The core responsibility of a general contractor is supervision. However, their roles don't end there, as they have more to contribute. They take on different roles before, during, and after construction. A general contractor might be responsible for creating a construction budget before the construction begins. You can also expect them to recruit subcontractors working on specialized tasks like plumbing and wiring. Additionally, GCs are expected to collaborate with the architects to add more details to the designs.
During construction, the GC oversees the entire construction to ensure the specifications are per the designs. They also coordinate with the crew to ensure everything is on schedule and take proper actions if there are any delays or setbacks. They also take on the supervisor's role during construction to ensure everyone is working together and only step in when things threaten to derail the project. The GC takes on different responsibilities after the completion of the project. Such roles include tracking and collecting lien waivers, ensuring everyone is paid, including the subcontractors, and ensuring the project's timely completion without delays. In large-scale projects, a GC is not expected to carry out labor-related tasks; they delegate the task to subcontractors. However, things might change in smaller-scale projects where they can complete some tasks and only outsource specialized tasks.
Advantages of Using General Contractors when Building
General contractors are crucial to a construction project as they help to supervise the entire project. They're hired for their extensive experience managing and running construction projects. A GC will also come in handy by ensuring a well-organized schedule and timely completion. Their money-management skills are essential, mainly when operating within a fixed budget. Finally, they understand the requirements of a good project and apply this knowledge to your project, guaranteeing quality work.
Conclusion
General contractors are crucial to any large-scale construction project as they help coordinate the subcontractors and other parties to ensure timely completion and quality work. Contact a general contractor today if you need any help with your project.