There are many different types of general contractors that serve the general contracting industry. General contractors are construction companies that that provide construction management and leadership to both residential construction and commercial construction. These types of general contractors are considered prime contractors on a construction project directly responsible to the owner for the execution of the performance.
General contracting requires professionals that are trained and experienced in many construction methods and means in building contracting. Many states require that general contractors be certified and licensed. That is not the case in the State of Texas, where builders offer residential contracting and / or commercial contracting are not required to be licensed.
Whether the building project is a commercial office building or a luxury house, every building has to be well built or even renovated to ensure the quality living and public safety of its occupants. Moreover, in recent years, we have seen a huge demand for remodeling or renovation among both residential and commercial property owners for several reasons.
First remodeling is far more cost effective than building new construction. Secondly remodeling and renovation is a faster form of delivering a finished product. Having said that, to renovate your home or commercial property, you have to certainly hire a professional building contractor.
But before that, you must understand the types of changes you want in your property. If your building improvements require a substantial alteration and multiple trades, then contacting a qualified general contractor in Houston becomes essential.
Just like residential projects, commercial projects too require improvement, remodeling and new construction general contractors. Condos, offices, hotels, showrooms, and penthouses fall under commercial properties.
Since their design and developments are different and involve a unique set of challenges, they require the intervention of specialized contractors known as commercial contractors. Given their expertise, such contractors can tackle the challenges of commercial remodeling with ease.
Basically, a general contractor is your go-to-professional who appoints subcontractors, oversees the entire improvement process, offers quality assurance, makes on-site visits, and keeps you updated with the latest developments.
So, if you want your office to be remodeled, then you will have to contact a commercial general contractor who specializes in commercial remodeling work. Similarly, to remodel or improve your home, you have to hire a general contractor who is adept and well-versed with the in-and-out of remodeling by hiring a home remodeler.
We cannot stress enough on how important it is for you to choose the right contractor for your project requirement. You will certainly not hire a small contractor for a large commercial remodeling project and vice versa.
For this reason, understanding sizes, capabilities and types of the general contractors and their services can help you in ways you would never imagine. A clear understanding on your part will help make the right choice and ensure the right outcome. To understand the differences in detail, let us read along.
Learn more about the many different types of General Contractors
Commercial Contractors and Services
A general contractor with extensive experience and expertise in commercial work earns the tag of a commercial contractor or commercial general contractor. Whether you want to remodel your business or need to construct a new retail build-out, you must make it a point to hire one of these specialized contractors for getting the right results. Due to their vastness, commercial construction requires additional building code compliances than production residential construction. As a result, hiring a specialized contractor is not simply desirable but mandatory.
The principal differences in commercial construction building codes are due to public life safety and ADA compliance for handicap individuals. Commercial contractors in Houston are thorough with building codes, drainage requirements and every other compliance requirement associated with commercial remodeling or commercial construction. This way you are saved from delving into so many rules and regulations and can simply rely on the right professional for translating your ideas into real designs.
From overseeing the overall construction project to acquiring building materials, a commercial contractor does it all. As they work on large and complex projects, these contractors need to assume significant responsibilities. Aside from understanding the types of changes you may want; they go above and beyond to make those changes come alive through their work and coordination.
Moreover, if you have a budget, the expert tries to comply with it. To ensure the same, your GC will negotiate with subcontractors and acquire materials and equipment within your schedule of values. However, we suggest that you maintain certain flexibility with your budget. This is because design changes and concealed conditions cannot be predicted and might require additional investment.
Before you hire a commercial general contractor in Houston, make sure the expert has a required insurance and the appropriate license to work on a complex construction project. A commercial contractor is responsible for managing challenging tasks like obtaining city permits and adhering to standard regulation in the given jurisdiction. From hiring building contractors for purchasing materials, a professional GC keeps you covered with its end-to-end services. Visit our commercial general contractor infographic for a summary;
Be it visiting the construction site or supervising the entire process, a commercial contractor makes sure everything is smooth sailing. Since your GC is responsible for maintaining communication with different subcontractors, he is your go-to-professional and one-point-of-contact. But are you aware that there are several types of commercial contractors out there? How do you know who would be the best for your need? We suggest you read our blog on this and find the answer to your query easily. Check out this blog- Different Types of Commercial Contractors Near Me .
Residential Contractors and Responsibilities
As the name suggests, a residential contractor is a professional who is well-versed with home renovation projects. General speaking, a GC that works on home projects is called a residential contractor. So, before you get in touch with one, understand what sort of changes you are expecting to see in your home. If you need to simply replace the kitchen faucet with a new one, hiring a handyman will serve the purpose.
But if your requirements involve engineering and multiple trades, then contacting a licensed and qualified residential contractor is the outright solution. Be it remodeling or new construction, residential contractors are thoroughly acquainted with these kinds of projects. Since everyone has a soft spot for his or her dwelling place, residential contractors understand the sentimental value attached to any kind of home project and take every action with caution.
As a result, they adopt a client-centric approach while executing their work. To ensure your satisfaction, contractors do not restrict themselves to creating simple 2-D construction drawings. They go a step ahead and present before you 3-D images of proposed ideas. Moreover, if they are not convinced about the feasibility of a project, they will let you know the same and not keep you in dark.
Although their work profile is different from commercial contractors, residential contractors also have to be well acquainted with building codes and permits. If you are searching by general contractors near me, make sure the contractor is boasting of sufficient experience. You certainly do not want anything to go wrong with your home renovation project, and for that, hiring a qualified contractor is a must.
They too like commercial contractors deal with all subcontractors and maintain communication with them. So, whether you help with carpentry, plumbing, and electric & lights, a general contractor is responsible for appointing and supervising several subcontractors. Since the professional oversees the entire project and offers quality assurance, chances of errors and discrepancies get reduced to a great extent.
Apart from remaining accountable to the homeowner, the expert tries to fit the construction or remodeling within your investment budget. Are you interested to find out different processes followed by contractors to realize your home improvement project? Reading this blog will clear all your doubts “Construction Processes Followed by General Contractors in Houston” .
Do you need remodeling or new construction?
Now that your basics are clear and have understood the separate roles & responsibilities of residential and commercial contractors, let us discuss the differences between remodeling and new construction. So, while remodeling is about changing the structure of your home/office to improve its appearance and functionality, new construction deals in building from the ground up.
To understand which one you would need, you have to start with assessing the current condition of your residential or commercial property. If your home is dilapidated and running out of space, then whole house remodeling can be a good option for you. In case you want to expand your family or simply want to own a custom design home, you can freely opt for new construction.
When it comes to commercial property, you have to analyze on similar lines to reach a conclusion. If you think your office needs a revamp, talking to a remodeling contractor shall be of help. However, if you want to expand your business and infrastructure thereof, you should always hire a contractor who is an expert in new construction.
Remember, you are going to invest your hard-earned money in this ambitious project. And as such, make it a point to hire one of the best general contractor that promises nothing but high-end results. If you want to know in detail about the hiring process, feel free to give our blog a read. Click here Selecting & Hiring the Best General Contractor .
Everything you need to know about remodeling contractors
Even though you do not have to start from scratch, a remodeling project is still challenging and can entail complicated design considerations. A remodeling contractor is responsible for contacting an architect and a designer to analyze the feasibility of the remodeling project and strategize the entire process accordingly. Through design build commercial remodeling process, contractors make sure that your project requirements are met while adhering to your financial budget.
Since a remodeling project is executed on the current site of business operations, contractors also have to oversee the process to keep disruptions or inconveniences at a minimum. From design and construction cost to details and finishes, contractors let you have substantial control over the remodeling process. To know essential qualities in commercial remodeling contractor before hiring one, read this infographic – Qualities of a Commercial Remodeling Contractor.
Residential remodeling contractors exhibit the same dedication and sincerity when handling a remodeling project. Not only do they try to appoint the best subcontractors for your project, but they also need them to sign a work agreement to ensure your safety at home. Moreover, general contractor in Houston act as a bridge to let you collaborate with designers and architects for your home remodeling project.
As such, you can always be assured of a design that is going to match your vision and idea. Although they do not usually offer financing and payment plans, some contractors might help you get in touch with their financial associates who offer a certain percentage of your property value as financing.
Important things to know about new construction contractors
New construction contractors can help you with ground-up construction with their expertise. From choosing the land to obtaining a building permit, these specialized contractors know ins-and-outs of the new building process. Reputable contractors contact top subcontractors and procure materials from reliable suppliers. They hire a builder and architect to translate your vision into an original living space.
When you contact a contractor for an initial consultation, the expert reviews property documents and deeds, survey the property, and also conduct a budget feasibility study. Undertaking these steps is necessary to make sure the foundation remains strong and devoid of any errors. Any sort of mistakes in the early stages of consultation and development can result in waste of time, money, and efforts later. Therefore, pre-construction services are vital for your new construction project. If you want to read on pre-construction responsibilities in detail, visit here – “General Contractor Design & Pre-Construction Responsibilities” .
During the construction, GCs act as one-point-of-contact and oversee the entire process from start to finish. As they remain accountable to you, you shall have substantial control over the budget. Not only do they help you with paperwork and documentation, but some renowned contractors can help arrange finance for your new construction project. Now, coming to a commercial construction contractor, you can definitely stand benefited by engaging one. It is as per your requirements that the work scope is designed accordingly by commercial general contractors in Houston.
Given their craftsmanship and experience, they can offer a hundred percent quality assurance and maintain schedule events diligently. Since you want to ensure the best result against the investment you have made, you should never settle with a subpar contractor. Whether it is commercial construction or new home building, hire an expert who has an impressive professional portfolio and thus capable of carrying out construction responsibilities. Do you want to read on the construction responsibilities of general contractors in detail? To clear your concept, we suggest you read our blog here – General Contractor Construction Responsibilities.
Conclusion
Simply searching by general contractors near me is not enough unless you know how to distinguish between so many types of contractors out there correctly. But now that you have understood the differences, you can surely hire the right general contractor as per your project needs. Whether you need help with commercial construction or residential remodeling, Marwood Construction is adept at all fronts.
