Why do people need General Contractors? What’s their benefit if they just sub out work to other professionals? Well, you could ask the exact same question about many other professions. Why hire a wedding planner if they just get others to arrange the flowers, cater the event, and play the music? And why hire a web designer if he is just going to get someone else to do all the back-end web coding or take the professional photographs needed for a compelling website? Yet most people find these professionals pretty valuable.
Ultimately, General Contractors, like wedding planners or web designers, are able to manage the renovation process so that the client has one point of contact instead of many. They use their extensive knowledge of the industry to your favor, and call on their trusted subcontractors to actually complete the work.
General Contractors are pretty critical to any large scale remodeling project. See why…
They offer superior project management
Working with subcontractors directly may be a good idea for a smaller job. If you just need some new tile in your foyer, you might hire a tiling contractor directly. Or if you need a deck built, you can search for experts in that department. But when you are working on a project that requires many skilled professionals – electricians, plumbers, tilers, carpenters, engineers – you probably want to consider a General Contractor. GCs are managers, timeline-keepers, communicators, and quality-controlers. They have extensive knowledge of all contracting sub-trades and know when to use them. They serve as the main point of contact throughout the entire renovation process, allowing the homeowner to only communicate their needs to one key person instead of many. They drive the work, even if they don’t necessarily do it themselves.
They save you time
It’s takes a lot of time to research appropriate sub contractors, contact them all, get estimates, evaluate their estimates, schedule them all in the correct order, etc. If you have a full-time job, this commitment to a remodel may be unrealistic. A General Contractor can take this huge time committment off of a homeowner’s shoulders.
They have proper insurance
Licensed General Contractors are required to carry proper insurance. This covers the safety of you, your property, and all workers. In an unlikely unfortunate event there something goes wrong and someone gets hurt, the GC’s insurance will cover this. If there is no GC, and the subcontractors are not insured, this burden could fall on the homeowner.
They understand the nuances of the industry
GC’s understand the codes, regulations, and other standards involved in the construction process. They know when a permit is necessary and how to obtain one. They know what type of beam is needed to meet code when removing a bearing wall. They know what materials are the longest-lasting and most durable. Subcontractors should know this too, but if they are not licensed they might be tempted to cut corners. GCs will be able to catch any possible mistakes that don’t meet legal standards. And GCs are always staying up with new industry standards.
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