Building construction has risen in the past decade, involving a complex mix of capital and human resources. Even experienced builders with the required professional knowledge can sometimes fail. However, with the assistance of a general contractor, your construction project will be successful.
During construction, general contractors are responsible for the overall supervision and execution of the construction project. They focus on mobilizing the right physical and financial resources and hiring the right people to meet the requirements and expectations of the project owner.
Don’t confuse a general contractor for a construction manager. While most people tend to use the two titles interchangeably, they are two different terms. Read more about the differences in their roles.
In this post, we’ll look at what a general contractor can contribute to your construction project and why you should hire one.
Roles And Responsibilities Of A General Contractor In A Construction Project
General contractors play a significant role in a construction project, from planning, proper budgeting, task and resource allocation, and employee management to taking good care of materials and equipment. Here are the roles and responsibilities of general contractors.
Planning and Organizing the Construction Project
If you are not good at planning and managing projects, hiring a general contractor will be your best bet. General contractors can skillfully prepare an active schedule and take care of all upcoming issues during construction.
A general contractor works with well-established project plans, ensuring that the project gets accomplished at the right time. The plan defines all the operations of a construction project from inception to implementation.
The contractor can benefit from using construction project planning software to help get things off the ground. Not only does it act as a buffer for assessing any potential risks, but it can also be extremely beneficial for ensuring a project gets completed with a high degree of certainty. Planning and budgeting are also simplified by plugging numbers into the software solution and letting it crunch them on your behalf. Ultimately, the software isn’t a replacement for the planning/organizing stages but a tool to help you get the most out of the process and make things run as smoothly as possible.
Acquisition of Legal Documents
Acquiring relevant construction documents by yourself can be challenging. That’s why it is important to hire a general contractor to oversee all operations in your construction project and get the necessary permits and licenses from legal authorities.
General contractors must always ensure that they get approvals, including zoning permits and building permits, from the legal authorities before construction. That prevents potential problems and risks that might emerge in the future.
Proper Use and Allocation of Budget
During construction, it is the general contractor’s responsibility to ensure that all the project variables, including capital and operating costs, are within budget. That allows the contractors to organize construction efficiently.
A good contractor will have taken courses in construction cost management. These courses are designed to help improve cost estimating and project management skills.
General contractors take budget allocation seriously to minimize the shortage of capital before the construction project ends. That ensures that the project gets accomplished within the predetermined working budget and ends at the right time.
Management of On-Site Personnel
While general contractors focus on delivering high-quality construction services, they are also obliged to address the needs of every employee involved in the construction project. Therefore, their top priority is to promote the safety of workers to minimize on-site injuries and fatalities.
Purchasing Building Materials
General contractors are also responsible for buying and managing the building materials used in construction. As general contractors are up-to-date with the market and know supplier networks, they are the right people to acquire building materials.
Coordinating the Entire Project
A general contractor is responsible for all operations in a construction project from start to finish, including hiring subcontractors in every sector of the project. The general contractor coordinates by monitoring the progress and performance of subcontractors.
Gets Involved in Payroll Functions
General contractors have to hire employees in a construction project. For that reason, they must engage in payroll functions as workers must receive payments and compensations on time.
Implementing Changes in a Construction Project
If there are changes in the construction process, the general contractors must implement the changes. Since the general contractors supervise and monitor projects, they have the mandate to implement changes when necessary.
Dealing with Emergencies
Unexpected events often occur in construction sites, justifying the need for effective contingency measures. General contractors must deal with on-site problems by providing solutions and suggestions. They are accountable for any casualty or emergency issues.
Reviewing Construction Laws and Regulations
It’s the responsibility of general contractors to research more about the laws that govern construction processes. Some regulations might restrict people from building houses in certain areas due to environmental concerns.
5 Advantages Of Hiring A General Contractor In Your Construction Project
Hiring a general contractor comes with many benefits that can improve the efficiency of your project. Here are the considerations why you should hire a general contractor.
Saves Time
Professional general contractors can work within tight schedules despite challenges like adverse weather conditions to ensure that the project ends on time. The contractor can solve problems that surface, ensuring that the project runs smoothly.
Can Provide Capital
If you run out of cash when a construction project is still underway, a general contractor can help you pay workers. Later on, you will then refund the contractor when you get some money. That ensures that your project is on budget and timeline.
General Contractors are Reliable
Reputable general contractors are licensed to offer their construction services to project owners. Before licensing them, the legal authorities must ensure that the contractor fulfills all requirements. For that reason, licensed contractors are highly reliable.
Saves Your Money
Hiring an experienced general contractor can save you money in the long run. Since the contractor has the knowledge and experience to operate without making mistakes, you will spend no money correcting construction defects.
Gets You Warranty
When working with a general contractor, you are likely to get a one-year warranty on the building under construction. If problems like pipe breakages and leaks occur, the general contractor will repair the damages free of charge for up to one year after constructing the building.
Final Words
Working with an experienced general contractor is beneficial in numerous ways. It saves you time, money, and resources, ensuring that your construction project ends on time and under budget. Besides, general contractors have excellent problem-solving skills to help you resolve any problem that might come up during construction.
You made a good point that reliability is also a huge thing to consider when planning to hire a general contractor. I want to find one soon because I plan to have a home extension project in my property. As such, it will be important to have a contractor that can be quite versatile in what they do.
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