What is the Benefit of Hiring a General Contractor?

Turning a house into a home is no small task—especially if you want it to reflect your unique style and needs. There’s only so much decor alone can accomplish. A home renovation is the perfect way to customize your space to your exact liking. While plenty of DIY options exist for those with time and patience, some projects require the expertise of a professional, especially when structural changes, electrical, or plumbing are involved. That’s where a trusted general contractor comes in.

What Is a General Contractor?

A general contractor is a professional responsible for overseeing and managing construction or renovation projects from start to finish. They coordinate all aspects of the project, including hiring and scheduling subcontractors, obtaining necessary permits, ordering materials, and ensuring the work meets quality and safety standards.

Essentially, a general contractor acts as the project manager for construction and renovation projects, ensuring everything runs smoothly and on schedule while keeping the homeowner or client updated. They bring in the right experts for each specific job and handle any challenges that come up, providing a single point of contact for the project.

General Contractors vs. Subcontractors

When you hire a construction company for your home renovation project, you will interact with both a general contractor and subcontractors. They collaborate to complete every facet of your project. With larger home renovations, you will likely need drywall work, plumbing, electrical, and more. Since each of these tasks requires specialized skills, you will hire a specific subcontractor for the job. 

If you choose to coordinate your own renovation project, you will be the one vetting, hiring, and instructing the subcontractors on your vision. That involves researching all of the local subcontractors, coordinating the hands-on labor, keeping track of your budget, and paying out the workers. 

A general contractor does all of this work for you. They are essentially your middleman. With their existing connections, your general contractor finds you the best prices while managing all the nitty-gritty details of your home renovation. They serve as your point of contact throughout the entire process - from planning to the grand reveal of your renovated home. 

Benefits of Hiring a General Contractor 

It’s tempting to try your hand at taking on your home renovation without the help of a general contractor. While this is completely possible, you will be saving yourself a lot of time and headaches by passing on this duty to a professional. Your general contractor is primed to tackle every detail of the process so you don’t have to. Here are some of the many benefits of hiring a general contractor. 

Connections to vendors and subcontractors

Your general contractor maintains relationships with local vendors and subcontractors. They are plugged into the industry so they are aware of who does good work and who offers the best value for their price. This can be an arduous task for the lay homeowner to take on. Not only do you need to research subtractors for each specialized project within the renovation, but you’ll also need to vet each to see if they will offer the best cost for their values. 

Your general contractor will also cut through the noise of which subcontractors you need and precisely what you need from them. For instance, if you’re putting in a new fireplace, the general contractor will hire a drywall and fireplace contractor to help get the job done. You won’t need to guess or take the subcontractor's word for it if they start suggesting the need for more work than you originally agreed to - that will all go through your trusted general contractor. 

Licensing and insurance

Securing all the proper licensing and insurance necessary for a home renovation is one of the most complex steps in getting your project off the ground. It requires knowledge of what licenses and insurance you need to begin with as well as how to go about procuring them. 

General contractors are required to be licensed and insured in your state. They already retain all the required coverage and strictly adhere to any state rules and regulations surrounding home renovations. They also carry liability and workers’ compensation insurance. When you hire a general contractor, you can rest assured that you will remain in the good graces of your state and that you won’t be held liable if someone is hurt during your project. 

Experience in the industry

Unless you work in the construction industry, there is likely a lot you don’t know about the ins and outs of that world. Taking on a project management role in your home renovation comes with a lot of responsibility and liability. 

Single point of contact

Forget endless games of phone tag and jumbled-up communication with all your subcontractors. When you hire a general manager, you’re essentially getting a liaison to take care of all the finer details of managing the subcontractors. If an issue arises, you won’t need to work out the kinks. Your general contractor will be on call to answer questions or coordinate shifts in the renovation plan if and when your subcontractors need to change the plan. Your general contractor will also handle distributing payments on time to all of your subcontractors. 

Save time and money 

At the end of the day, one of the most valuable benefits of hiring a general contractor is saving time and money. Planning a home renovation is a time-consuming process. It requires ample preparation and attention throughout. You will also need to do a lot of legwork to get the best price possible. For the inexperienced project manager, it can feel like a lot to keep up with. 

A general contractor is already established in the industry. They are accustomed to the demands of a renovation project as well as the difficulty of managing a team of subcontractors. You won’t need to expend as much time on planning and managing under the care of a general contractor. 

It will also save you money to use a general contractor. Your general contractor keeps their finger on the pulse and maintains relationships with local suppliers to secure the best prices possible on materials. They will also do all of the negotiating with your subcontractors so you can save time and money on labor. 

Your Trusted Northern Colorado General Contractor 

Colorado Paradise Builders is your trusted guide through your home renovation project. Our resident general contractor, Francisco Garcia, has been helping facilitate the renovation aspirations of Northern Colorado homeowners for over 20 years. From his well-established network of subcontractors to his extensive knowledge of all things home construction, Fran is an invaluable asset when renovating your home, adding an addition, finishing your basement, and more. 

Are you a homeowner looking for support through your next home renovation project in the Loveland or Northern Colorado area? Get in touch today to learn more about our services.