When beginning a construction project, many are unsure what kind of contractors they will need, be it plumbers, builders, electrical workers, or someone for other specialized tasks. This is why you need a general contractor for your project, someone who can oversee everything. What does a general contractor do? Well, here in California at least, they do just about everything, so let’s look at what you can expect when you hire one.

What Is A General Contractor?

The simple answer as to what a general contractor does is a little bit of everything, they have industry knowledge and management skills. When commencing a building project that requires more than just one specific task, such as laying flooring or tiling a bathroom, the services of general contractors aren’t required.

In these instances, a single contractor will be enough to get your project done. If, however, your construction project will include a range of tasks and multiple tradespeople, a general contractor will be necessary.

These men and women are the glue that sticks your project together, they help in every aspect of the construction process, and they will be your go-to contact. The average property owner doesn’t have the time, energy, or mental bandwidth to deal with many tradespeople on an individual basis. A general contractor will take on this role for you.

To be clear, there is a core difference between a general contractor and a jack-of-all-trades handyman. Fundamentally, it is that a GC not only understands each task and aspect of construction but they are also able to manage many moving pieces to complete the project.

General contractors will work with you, from start to finish, taking care of all aspects of your construction project. There are limits to what general contractors can do, which we’ll explore later on.

With this being said, they are certainly critical to any construction projects that feature multiple tasks. A general contractor falls somewhere between a construction manager and a construction expert.


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What Does A General Contractor Do?

What does a contractor doNow that we have established exactly what a general contractor is, let’s take a look at what exactly you can expect them to do for their money.

Pre Construction

Your general contractor will start working for you before the construction project begins, offering a vitally important service for clients. Before the project starts, your GC will:

  • Identify what subcontractors you need
  • Help you to hire subcontractors
  • Use their experience in the construction industry to hire prime contractors
  • Identify and apply for any necessary building permits
  • Work with your architect to iron out any potential issues

During Construction

Once your general contractor is confident that they have all the pieces in place, the job will commence. The GC’s work doesn’t stop here though. During each stage of the construction project, general contractors must be on-hand, overseeing every aspect.

A great GC will oversee all aspects of the project, ensuring specifications are met and that deadlines are adhered to. Even prime contractors need to be coordinated, organized and managed, and your GC will understand exactly how to do this efficiently.

In addition, here is what your GC will bring to a construction site.

  • Ensuring that all tradespeople are on site, exactly when they should be
  • Liaise between tradespeople to ensure a seamless transition between jobs
  • Remain on the job site for any issues that arise
  • Check all completed jobs to make sure they meet specifications in line with any building permits
  • Make sure that all health and safety requirements are being met
  • Give you a single source of contact for updates on the status of your building project

After The Workers Have Gone

Yet another key difference between a handyman and a general contractor is that the latter isn’t finished even when the project is. General contractors also have specific tasks that they must complete after the work is done. Here is what you can expect from a general contractor post-project.

  • Going through the invoice and accounts of the project to ensure that all contractors have been paid for their work
  • Tracking lien wavers and ensuring that they have been enacted with the relevant sub-contractors
  • Ensuring that all construction work has been completed exactly as it was agreed at the time of quotation

General Contractor Licensing Requirements

GC Licensing RequirementsBefore hiring a general contractor, you need to first understand what kind of license the state of California requires. When it comes to general contractor licenses there is a very clear set of rules that GCs must stick to. Let’s take a look at how they lay out the licensing requirements for design-build contractors.

Who Sets The Requirements?

It is the California State Licensing Board that has set forward the terms to which general contractors must adhere for any construction or renovation projects. The CSLB regulates all general contractors working in California.

How Many License Types Are There?

There are 3 main license classes, A, B, and C. The type of work that a general contractor can take on, depends on which of the licenses the general contractor holds.

Class A License

Class A licensed general contractors are those who work in specialized and large-scale engineering projects. These types of construction projects such as bridges, waste facilities, land leveling, highways and railroads, hydroelectric projects, tunnels, chemical plants, and airports. As you can see, these are very much heavy-duty projects that require a general contractor with a high level of skill, experience, and knowledge.

Class B License

Class B licensed general contractors are those who work on projects that are considered as ‘General Building’. The CSLB describes this as being:

“The principal business is in connection with any structure built, being built, or to be built, requiring in its construction the use of at least two unrelated building trades or crafts”

Simply put, a general contractor requires at least a class B license to work on any project that involves the building or rebuilding of a structure.

Class B-2 License

Within the Class B license, there is also the Class B-2 license, which focuses more on projects that include remodeling. This is defined by the CSLB as:

“The principal business is in connection with any existing residential wood frame structure with nonstructural projects requiring at least three unrelated building trades or crafts”

General Contractors will require a Class B-2 license to take on projects that include tasks such as plastering, painting, roof repairs, drywall, flooring, plumbing of toilets, sinks, and tubs, as well as tiling, siding, and carpentry.

Class C License

Class C licensed contractors are those with specializations in certain areas of a construction project. Here are some examples of what kinds of jobs could fall under the C licensing requirements.

  • C-4 Boiler, Hot-Water Heating, and Steam Fitting
  • C-7 Low Voltage Systems
  • C-10 – Electrical Work
  • C-12 Earthwork and Paving
  • C-16 Fire Protection
  • C-22 Asbestos Abatement
  • C-35 Lathing and Plastering

      It is in the best interests of any general contractor or construction manager to hold as many licenses as possible. This will ensure that they have a broad range of potential projects on which they can work.

      We should reiterate that these are the licensing requirements for any general contractor working in the state of California, other states will have their own rules and regulations.


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      What Can’t A General Contractor Do?

      We have established that a general contractor can take on a hefty number of tasks for any kind of construction work, but what can’t they do? A general contractor cannot work without the required license, this is the most important.

      Additionally, they cannot hire any kind of prime contractor without your say-so. Your general contractor may be working on your behalf, but the amount of leeway that they have will have been laid out first by you.

      A general contractor is responsible for overseeing the project, but they should never assume to have more authority than the client. General contractors are also not able to work if they have a license that has expired.

      No matter what their experience is within the construction industry, an up-to-date license is a requirement. If you plan to hire a GC, they must have a valid license that covers the task you are hiring them to complete.

      How To Find Out If A Contractor Is Licensed

      As mentioned, you need to check a professional’s license credentials before hiring a general contractor. This is very easily done, through the look-up page on the CSLB (California State Licensing Board) website.

      How To Find A General Contractor Near Me?

      The CSLB website not only enables you to check for the credentials of a general contractor or construction manager you have already found. You may also use it to identify local GCs who have the licenses that you need for your specific project.

      Remember that word of mouth is also important, and you may find a great contractor from a friend or family member. If for example, you have a neighbor having some work completed, don’t hesitate to ask them how they found the GC and the company that they hired.

      Google and Yelp reviews will also give you great ideas about past customer experiences and what type of projects were completed.  Once you narrow down your search, you can schedule a free consultation to uncover more details about what will be needed for your desired project.

      Summary

      All licensed general contractors will be able to help you in the early stages of your construction project. They will be able to identify what specifics your project requires, and from there you can find the best contractors or, if needed, the relevant general contractor who has the licenses required.

      Using a general contractor will not only ensure that your project is completed to a high standard. It also means that you don’t have to get overly involved with the project. For any homeowner who doesn’t have the time, knowledge, or energy to cope with the demands of this kind of project, using a general contractor is certainly the way to go.