Whats the Difference Between a Builder and a General Contractor?
There are as many contractors as there are types of construction services in existence. This is important as some of the details of contraction require specialized experience in order to do right. From general contractors to a home renovation consultant, there are many niches that you should consider if you’re thinking about becoming a contractor. Pope who need professional remodeling services done for a space like the kitchen will require the services of a professional who’s experienced with working on interiors, for example.
The training and experience will also vary widely from one contractor to another. You can find some of the details surrounding this by searching online for something like “home improvement contractor vs general contractor” and have a look at the details of what each of these professionals are expected to do. If you choose to become a house renovation consultant, keep in mind that you’ll spend more of your time working at a desk as opposed to visiting client’s locations to do work for them.
Keep in mind that every single niche of the contractor market is valuable and most work well alongside each other. For this reason, look for the branch that you feel you’ll be the happiest working in for the long term. You’ll be glad that you made this career call as time goes by.
Tim is a general contractor in the Northwest who made the video “Builder vs General Contractor” for his brand, The Jacks of All Trades. Tim has been involved in the trades since he was a teenager and is currently a licensed journeyman electrician and a licensed mobile home installer. With that background, Tim is a general contractor and uses the video to discuss the similarities and differences between a builder and a general contractor.
While builders and general contractors require the same licensing in each state, Tim sees builders as focused on new home construction, while general contractors provide various services. General contractors build new homes but often spend most of their time on rebuilds, remodels, additions, roofs, or simply pouring decks for existing homes.
Due to their focus, builders become efficient in their work, including the permitting and inspection processes. They tend to subcontract much of the work rather than using employee crews, as is common with general contractors.
Due to the variation in the nature and scope of the projects general contractors handle, they can encounter problems requiring them to carry more insurance than builders.
Overall, while builders and general contractors share many of the same skills, they apply them to different parts of the construction market.
