Subcontractors

Subcontractors span range of specialties

Subcontractors work under a general contractor or coordinator in a variety of construction specialties. If you plan to work with a general contractor, he may have subcontractors with whom he works regularly. If you are planning to act as your own general contractor, then you’ll interview, get estimates, write contracts, and schedule subcontractors yourself.

Before hiring your subcontractors, plan your project in detail. This means you’ll want to design and analyze your project to determine the specialties you’ll need. A small project, like remodeling your bathroom, may require a carpenter, a plumber, and an electrician for example.

Once you know the scope of work, then you should contact the contractor specialties for estimates on their portion of the project.

If you are acting as your own general contractor, make sure you do your homework and understand the building codes and permits required for the type of work you plan to do. By not building to code, you may compromise your ability to sell your home easily later. Most contractors are licensed and will point out deficiencies, but some may just do what you hire them to do and not question your decisions.

General contractors obtain copies of the following documentation to qualify their subcontractors:

• Professional licensing. They call appropriate state agencies to verify that the license is current and in good standing. They follow up with the subcontractor to obtain license renewals if the current license expires during the course of a project.
• Liability insurance and bonding, usually with specified minimums. They will confirm that the policy it current and again obtain renewal policies if the policy expires during the project.
• Workers’ Comp. Insurance policies.

When acting as your own general contractor, it’s vital that you check references carefully and thoroughly. If a sub is unreliable or does substandard work, it can impact not just getting that work done, but may compromise the work of your other subcontractors or their schedules, and that can cost you.