A General Contractor, or Construction Contractor, oversees all aspects of a construction project from start to finish. Their main duties include hiring and training Subcontractors, applying for the necessary licenses and building permits and providing hands-on supervision and guidance to workers on the site.
A General Contractor 應該能夠履行各種職責和責任。以下是 General Contractor 應該能夠執行的一些職責和責任：
- Keep the project on the appropriate timeline. Delays can cause finance issues or result in unfortunate weather timing if the build is spanning multiple seasons. The General Contractor is directly responsible for ensuring a quality build within the quoted timeframe.
- Manage subcontractors and labor related to the job. Skilled laborers will often need to complete portions of the project, including plumbing, electrical and carpentry. While the General Contractor may have the appropriate certifications in some of these areas, and may take on some of the work, it could be necessary to hire others to complete the project.
- Order materials related to the build and work with the vendors to ensure the correct deliveries are taking place according to the timeline. A delay in any key element can cause the entire project to sit idle while waiting for its arrival. The General Contractor will be in constant contact with wholesalers and supply stores in order to properly stock the site.
- Communicate status of the project throughout the build with the client and other pertinent parties.
有競爭力的 General Contractor 將擁有一定的技能和資格，包括：
- Building skills: A General Contractor is best equipped with some building skills, whether carpentry, electrical, plumbing or roofing. This enables them to perform the work while overseeing the project at the same time.
- Communication skills: As the contact between the project and the client, the General Contractor should be adept at communicating. Email, text, phone calls and face-to-face communication should be professional and appropriate. The individual in this role should be able to deliver bad news while highlighting the positive and sharing progress.
- Multitasking: The General Contractor is the lead of the project and will have to maneuver the work at hand while also fielding calls and emails from related parties. They should be able to function efficiently while completing more than one task at a time.
- Problem solving skills: While working on a construction project, there will be unexpected issues. People may get hurt or deliveries could be delayed. A General Contractor must take action in these situations, whether they need to assist with a first aid kit or they have to cancel a contract with a vendor and reorder supplies to keep the project on schedule. Resolving problems is a key piece of this role.
