Construction sites can be very busy and hectic, with many professionals doing their own jobs. In this context, a general contractor is more than welcomed to coordinate everything.
A general contractor, also known as construction project manager, is a supervisor who plans and oversees the project, from start to finish. These professionals can be employees of construction companies or self-employed and they have typical tasks to accomplish, including the scheduling of contractors .
When they accept a project, the first thing to deal with is planning. This includes estimating the phases of the project, the costs, the necessary equipment and making a schedule, to ensure that deadlines are reasonable and will be respected.
The next step is getting in contact with the other professionals (architects, engineers, electricians) and sub-contractors involved in the project. In some cases, general contractors also deal with the hiring process and the instruction of new workers.
During the entire construction project, the general contractor will have direct contact with the client, as a part of his job involves keeping the client up-to-date with the progress as well as with potential issues.
General contractors must be familiar with laws and local ordinances, as well as with the safety regulations, because they are responsible for respecting them.