General contracting: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What general contracting is

A general contractor runs a building or renovation project from start to finish. They hire and schedule the subcontractors, order materials, pull permits, arrange inspections and keep the work on plan and on budget. Homeowners usually bring one in when a job touches several trades or needs more coordination than a single specialist can give.

Signs you need it

  • Your remodel needs framing, plumbing, electrical, drywall and finish work, and no single trade covers all of it
  • You do not have time to call, schedule and check several subcontractors each week
  • Your project needs a building permit, and you want someone else to deal with the plan review and inspection calls
  • A previous job stalled because trades were not on the same schedule, or one trade had to wait for another
  • You have plans or a design, but you need someone to price the work, order materials and run the site

What the pro does

  • They review your plans, scope and budget, then build a schedule that puts each trade in the right order
  • They get written bids from subcontractors, check their licenses and insurance, and sign contracts with each one
  • They order long-lead materials such as windows, cabinets and specialty tile early enough to avoid stopping the job
  • They pull the permits, schedule the required inspections and make sure the work passes before the next trade covers it
  • They walk the site on a set schedule, track change orders in writing and report progress and costs to you

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • How many trades the job needs and how many subcontractors must be coordinated
  • Size and complexity of the project, such as a single room versus a whole-house renovation
  • Whether the scope is fully drawn or the design is still open and changing
  • Permit and inspection count, since each required inspection adds coordination time
  • Lead times on materials and how many decisions the homeowner must make ahead of the trades
  • Site access, occupancy during the work and how much protection the existing home needs
  • Change orders when the homeowner or the site adds work after the contract is signed

What a written quote should spell out

  • The full scope listed by phase, with the trades that will perform each part
  • Who pulls the permits and who pays the permit fees
  • The project schedule with the start, the key milestones and the expected finish
  • How change orders are priced, approved and documented before work starts
  • Payment schedule tied to completed work, and what the homeowner pays at signing
  • Who supplies materials and what allowances are included for finishes and fixtures

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Which trades will you hire directly, and which will be subcontracted to firms you choose?
  • Can you show me current insurance and license records for you and for each subcontractor?
  • Who pulls the permits, and will my name appear on any of them?
  • How do you handle a change order, and how long does it take to get the new price in writing?
  • Who is my single point of contact on site, and how often will you update me in writing?
  • How do you hold subcontractors to the schedule when one trade falls behind?
  • Can you show me a recent project that finished near its original schedule and budget?

Red flags

  • They ask for a large payment before any materials are ordered or any work has started
  • They will not name the subcontractors who will work on the house or show their insurance
  • They say permits are not needed for work that clearly changes structure, electrical or plumbing
  • Change orders are discussed out loud but never written up with a new price and schedule

What you can do yourself

A homeowner can clear the work area, move furniture and personal items, label the rooms and gather existing plans and product choices before the first meeting. Do not coordinate or hire trades on your own while a job is active, and do not do structural, electrical, gas or plumbing work yourself. Use a general contractor when the project has several trades or needs permits.

Licenses and permits

General contractors are commonly licensed or registered, and many jobs require a building permit whatever the contractor's status. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local building department for the contractor rules and permit requirements that apply to your project.

General contracting questions

Do I need a general contractor if I hire each trade myself?

You can, but you then carry the scheduling, the inspections and the blame when trades conflict. A general contractor takes on that coordination. Ask how many of the trades you would be managing yourself and whether that fits your time.

Who is responsible if a subcontractor does poor work?

The general contractor is usually responsible for the whole job under the contract, including work done by subcontractors. Ask how they fix failed work and whether they hold a warranty on the full project.

How do I know the money goes where it should?

Ask for payments tied to completed work, lien waivers from subcontractors when they are paid, and a written log of change orders. Check the progress against the schedule before each payment.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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