Northbrook General Contractor

Every general contractor has a network of trusted sub- contractors. That allows the “general” to gather accurate bids quickly. If you act as your own general contractor, accomplishing the same thing will require quite a bit more time and effort.

For every specialty (electrical, plumbing, etc.), you’ll want to get multiple bids. For each of those bids, you’ll need to walk the specialty contractor through the project and answer their questions. If one contractor shows you a different way of doing something, you’ll need to communicate that to all the other contractors and have them re-bid the job so that all the estimates are alike. And finally, you’ll need to compare and contrast the products and techniques used by each contractor to determine if all are of equal quality.

To ensure a safe community, city permits are required before you or any sub-contractor can demolish, build, enlarge, improve or convert a great many things on your property.

A local general contractor will know which tasks require permits and which don’t. He’ll be familiar with the process of applying for them and experienced in filling out the paperwork.

The general contractor will also coordinate all of the associated inspections – meeting the city inspectors at the job site and working with them on any requested changes or adjustments.

If there’s an architect or architectural designer involved, the general contractor will work with that person to ensure the project is implemented as planned.

The architect and the general contractor will typically review the plans together before any work begins. If problems arise, the architect will often look to the general contractor to suggest workable solutions. It’s a symbiotic relationship that’s difficult for most homeowners to replicate.

A number of professionals are often involved in a construction project. A general contractor might need to interact with the architect who designed the project or the engineer who developed the mechanical aspects of the project. The contractor might also need to work with other professional construction specialists or sub-contractors, such as landscape architects, master electricians or demolition engineers. Jobs typically involve direct contact with the client to keep him advised on progress and issues that might arise. General contractors often handle hiring and might be responsible for instructing new workers on the specifics of the job.

If an inexperienced homeowner is handling things, however, those specialists will often request more time, which can add weeks to the completion date of your project. Plus, there could be cancellation penalty fees to pay if things get off track.

On any construction project, there are a number of laws and regulations that a general contractor must follow. Local building ordinances might ban certain materials, for example, such as wood shingles. Contractors must follow applicable labor laws, including organized union contracts under which his employees work. The contractor must know the safety regulations for various jobs and equipment operators and ensure that employees comply.

General contractors must be prepared to handle any type of emergency that might arise. A worker might be injured on the job or a critical piece of equipment may break. A delivery of materials may fail to arrive, and inclement weather might delay progress. The general contractor is responsible for seeing that all of these situations are correctly handled, whether they involve securing medical attention for an injured worker, locating backup equipment or expediting a supply order. When progress is delayed, the contractor must seek ways to get the project back on track while staying on budget.

The general contractor has to be on-site regularly, inspecting the work as it’s completed, providing answers and resolving issues. If not, a sub-contractor may have to wait – or guess at a solution – which often results in delays or mistakes that can affect the work of all the sub-contractors who follow.