If you’re building a home, office, cafe, or other building, you may want to consider hiring a general contractor to oversee the project for you–especially if you’re not familiar with all of the working parts involved with the site. 

A general contractor can relieve you of that burden by managing every part of your project, from sourcing the smallest materials to hiring the best subcontractors in the business. 

If you’ve been considering whether or not a general contractor is right for your project, check out these top eight benefits of hiring one today.

What is a General Contractor?

A general contractor serves as a coordinator and supervisor for building projects. They work for site owners to purchase materials, hire workers, schedule out different aspects of a project, and oversee the work done by subcontractors they’ve recommended for the project. Additionally, they can coordinate with your city or district to ensure that your project is up to code and all work being completed is done with code-correct materials and the right permits.

However, the biggest responsibility of a general contractor is to serve as the go-between for project owners and all other moving parts relating to a project. That way, the project owner can rest easy knowing their building is in the hands of a professional.

8 Benefits of Hiring a General Contractor

They’ll Save You Money

Many people may assume that hiring a general contractor means they’ll spend more money, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, despite the extra salary you’ll be paying, you will save significantly more money on the project by working with a contractor because you’ll be able to benefit from the network of suppliers general contractors come equipped with.

This network will be able to grant your contractor discounts on bulk supplies and reduce materials costs that you will not have access to without them.

They’re Efficient

Unlike most project owners, general contractors know exactly what goes into any building project. They understand the timelines for various moving parts in the project, from how long certain materials are sourced to the timeline for each step of project completion. 

This gives them the unique ability to organize everything in the most time-efficient manner and have back-ups in place to have a better chance of completing the project within a given deadline.

They Understand What Needs to Be Done

Homeowners and project owners may think they understand what goes into their new project well. Still, their understanding cannot compare to the wealth of information general contractors come equipped with.

General contractors spend their careers focused on one thing: managing project sites. This gives them invaluable insight into every possible element a project may entail, including what to do if things start going wrong.

They Have the Right Connections

In addition to coming to your project with a network of suppliers for all of the project materials you may need, general contractors are also equipped with a wide range of connections across the building industry that you can benefit from. These can include specialist subcontractors, tradesmen, and other individuals with unique skill sets.

While you may be able to find some individuals who can get the job done sufficiently on your own, your general contractor will ensure that exactly the right subcontractors are hired for the job. This way, you’ll get the highest quality of work in exchange for a budget-friendly fee.

They Provide a Single Point of Contact

General contractors serve as go-betweens for the project owner and any subcontractors, tradesmen, and suppliers who work on the project. This means that instead of trying to juggle five, ten, or twenty different people to find the answer to a question or solve a problem, you only need to communicate with a single person. 

They’re Insured Against Disasters

Project owners and homeowners can take out some insurance policies to offset liabilities and damages when they run their own projects, but the coverage they take out is often lacking when compared to the wealth of insurance coverage general contractors come equipped with.

By hiring general contractors, you absolve yourself of the majority of liability associated with your project and leave it to individuals who have safeguards in place against general damages and specific instances, including workplace accidents, theft of materials, weather damage to the project site, and more.

They Can Customize Your Project

General contractors have the ability and freedom to customize your project to your exact specifications every time. Unlike other building professionals, they aren’t bound by certain restrictions that may affect the project’s outcome.

To get the building of your dreams–whether it’s a new home, restaurant, or other business–all you have to do is clearly communicate your needs, desires, and goals with your general contractor, and they will ensure that the project is completed to the exact specifications you require for long-term satisfaction.

They’ll Give You Peace of Mind

More than anything else, a general contractor can give you peace of mind. They take care of every part of your construction project, from sourcing materials and subcontractors to doing damage control if things go wrong, so you don’t have to worry at all.

They make sure to keep you informed about every aspect of a project and maintain an open line of communication with you if you ever have questions.

Key Takeaways

General contractors make life easier for project owners, plain and simple. They take care of all of the jobs you don’t want to do, and they make sure they’re done right every time, from time management to budgeting, material sourcing, hiring subcontractors, and more. 

If you want to learn more about general contractors and the insurance options you should look for when hiring one, reach out to one of our top-tier agents today!