Did you know that the construction industry creates more than $1.4 trillion in new buildings and structures each year in the United States of America? A major part of working in construction is understanding the difference between a contractor vs. subcontractor and the roles that they play in the building process.
Odds are that you’ll need to hire a contractor if you want to remodel your home or start new construction on your property. The good news is that you’ve found the right article to act as a subcontractor guide as well as a contractor guide for your construction needs.
Keep reading this article to learn more today!
What Is a Contractor?
A contractor is a person that is at the head of the construction project, and they act as a supervisor while the project moves forward. The odds are that they have employees that work under them, and they’ll look to hire a subcontractor for anything that their employees can’t handle.
You should think of a contractor as similar to the manager of the business. They’re in a position where they’re in charge of multiple groups of people that are all working towards a common goal. The big difference between those two is that the contractor is hired on a contractual basis rather than in a full-time position.
Your contractor should act as a liaison between you and the people that are building the home. They assess the needs of the client and then coordinate with the subcontractors on how to complete the building project. Always make sure that they have their builders license before hiring them.
What Is a Subcontractor?
A subcontractor is someone with expertise within the construction industry, and they work under a contractor during the building process. If the contractor that is in charge of building your new home needs someone to run the electric wiring in your home then they’ll reach out to a subcontractor that is an electrician.
Other contractors could have experience and expertise in hanging drywall, handling plumbing, or installing the roof. It all comes down to the needs of the contractor and the project as a whole.
Subcontractors are still contractors in the general sense. No two projects are the same, so odds are that the contractor will need skills that are outside of their employees’ capabilities. It’s especially common for a contractor to work with a subcontractor when they need more experience.
It’s a more affordable option than hiring a full-time employee. The big similarity between a contractor and a subcontractor is that they both work on a contractual basis.
Now You Know the Difference Between a Contractor vs. Subcontractor
Knowing the differences between a contractor vs. subcontractor will make life much easier when you start the process of building your new home or commercial building. The contractor manages the project to make sure that it gets done on time with help from subcontractors and employees. The subcontractor works in a specific area and uses those skills to handle certain aspects of the project.
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