Fresh Profile: General Contractor Jobs

Published on 2008-05-13

With the current population boom in America's growing cities, the practice of constructing add-ons to already existing structures, building new single-family homes or erecting whole subdivisions has become a popular option in the last few years. In addition to new construction, certain other events have contributed to the need for experienced builders. Renovations are required on structures gutted by wildfires, washed out by floods or pummeled by winds and tornadoes. Whether the engine for today's construction industry is growth or regeneration, career opportunities for general contractors to help build a better future are constant.

General contractors are hired to construct or renovate commercial and residential buildings, structures and roads. When hired, they agree to be responsible for all construction scheduling phases and the meeting of budget requirements. General contractors supply the material, labor, and equipment necessary for the completion of the work as well as the needed tools and engineering vehicles. Once the building plans have been submitted by the designer and approved by the city, general contractors assume responsibility for the physical execution of the construction job itself. They supervise the overall development of the project and ensure it meets the requirements of the local jurisdiction's building code in addition to satisfying the desires of the client.

Although usually highly versatile in the construction profession, general contractors often farm the construction work out to their own network of reliable suppliers and dependable workmen. General responsibilities of a general contractor are understood to be the hiring of different tradesmen known as subcontractors, the scheduling of the project and adherence to the budget, as well as supervising compliance to a quality standard. Since general contractors will presumably have a wealth of experience in various construction jobs, as well as strong relationships with reliable tradesmen on which to build, the project's on-time and on-budget construction can be virtually assured. In a more recent development, sometimes today's general contractors also collaborate with the design team by providing pre-designing services that can more accurately assist designers with making bids on projects and improving the flow of the schedule. The specialization of general contractors lies along a commercial/residential divide, but in some states, the general contracting field can become even more specialized according to the type of housing and business units the person is developing, with restrictions in terms of zoning, building type, structural height and other characteristics.

Most general contractors are construction trade entrepreneurs who have a long history in the business of building. Many construction careers begin with an extended apprenticeship as a trade-specific journeyman before advancing to being an independent subcontractor and, finally, a general contractor. Some schools offer 4-year degrees in construction management sciences, and the military offers tours in construction battalions that provide valuable on-the-job training. Construction trade jobs at the general contractor level require licenses, bonding, and insurance for the workers they employ, if any, as well as the necessary contract experience to work with architects, designers and subcontractors. Licensing requirements are specific to each state and general contractors are required to meet specific bond or insurance requirements in order to legally practice within their locale. Challenges that general contractors often face include tight deadlines, balancing style vs. function with designers, seasonal working conditions and cyclical downturns in the construction market.

The need for general contractors is closely tied to the boom or bust nature of the housing and construction industry. While these next few years will probably be on the bust side of the equation for jobs in construction, by the time you become a general contractor you will have acquired the business savvy to weather even the toughest of downturns. The general contractor's salary is a percentage of the project budget above and beyond the material and building costs of the structure itself. As such, earnings are greatly dependent on the project load each general contractor assumes. Some large-project general contractors earn six-figure salaries, while smaller general contractors earn significantly less.

To find general contractor jobs in your state or city, we invite you to explore Fresho.com, the effective job classifieds website.