General contractor

Home / Glossary

The contractor responsible for the whole job, who hires and coordinates the trades and answers to the customer.

A general contractor runs the project: the schedule, the permits, the subs, the dumpster, the site. On a remodel or an addition the general is the one the customer signs with, and the plumber, electrician and tile setter work for the general.

Many small generals do much of the work themselves and sub the licensed trades. Their bid prices every phase, carries allowances for finishes, and marks up the subs for the coordination and the risk.

Related: Subcontractor · Allowance · Progress payment

All terms · Bidding guides · Estimate templates · Check a bid