Construction tasks: General Contractors

In years in business, Cedar Construction Company has dealt with angry clients and demanding engineers. That made us think: if we, a company who merely sells and leases capital equipment with a scope of only Singapore, Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan has experienced  irate and annoyance in dealing with unsatisfied customers, how much do people who work in the construction site themselves?

                One of the jobs that are most likely to face disappointment and greater challenges in the workplace is the general contractor. Whenever people are planning to build or construct something, a general contractor is the first one on everybody’s list. General contractors are the "big picture" thinkers. They work with you through the entire project, from the idea phase to the finished product. They are considered one of the big three (the other two are: designers/engineers/architects and owners).

There are two types of general contractor: either employed by the construction company or one who is a freelance contractor. With his responsibility for the overall coordination of the project, most companies prefer referrals of general contractors.

His primary responsibilities are:

               

·         Assess the project specification or the data which are referred to as bid, proposal or tender documents

·         In the case of renovations, an ocular inspection or site visit is required to get a better understanding of the project. 

·         Depending on the project delivery method, the contractor will submit a fixed price proposal or bid, cost plus price or an estimate. The general contractor considers the cost of home office overhead, general conditions, materials and equipment as well as the cost of labor to provide the owner with a price for the project.

As we have earlier mentioned, general contractors are mostly referred which means that only the highly contractors are hired. They often start out as construction workers while gaining work experience, they learn about different aspects of construction, including masonry, carpentry, framing, and plumbing. Aspiring general contractors communicate with subcontractors and may learn the management skills they need to run their own company.

Experience in the construction industry as well as references from customers, business partners, or former employers are demanded. Some jurisdictions require candidates to provide proof of financing to own their own general contracting firm.

In the case of freelances, general contractors often run their own business. They hire subcontractors to complete specialized construction work and may manage a team of plumbers, electricians, builders, carpenters and other specialists. General contractors build their business by networking with potential clients, buying basic construction tools, and ensuring that their subcontractors complete high-quality work. General contractors don't usually complete much construction work themselves, but they need to be familiar with construction techniques so they can manage workers effectively.