general contractor
Project building overseer
A general contractor is a person or company that oversees a construction project from start to finish, coordinating all the work and hiring specialized subcontractors as needed.
Rather than doing all the labor themselves, general contractors manage the project's timeline, budget, and quality while bringing in electricians, plumbers, roofers, and other tradespeople for specific tasks.
We hired a general contractor to handle the kitchen renovation.
The term is often shortened to GC in industry contexts.
Third parties doing delegated work
- electricianWiring installation specialist
- plumberWater system tradesperson
- rooferBuilding-top construction worker
- carpenterTimber construction tradesperson
mason · drywall · painter · tiler · flooring · landscaper · welder · glazier
Underlying support structure
- excavationAct of unearthing
- framingStructural or contextual shaping
- roofingInstalling overhead shelter material
- plumbingWater and waste infrastructure
electrical · masonry · drywall · insulation · tiling · painting · finishing · grading
Overseeing people or processes
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- budgetingAllocating funds systematically
- schedulingAssigning times to events
- procurementObtaining goods externally
bidding · estimating · negotiation · hiring · quality control · risk management · communication · delegation
Detailed technical drawing
- timelineOrdered display of events
- milestoneNotable event marking progress
- scopeExtent or range
- bidOffer to purchase
estimate · proposal · contract · specifications · drawings · phases · deliverables · completion
Official written authorization
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
- zoningSectioning areas by use
- building departmentAgency overseeing construction permits
- certificateFormal written attestation
bonding · insurance · liability · OSHA · regulations · variance · occupancy permit · licensed
Reconstruct or redesign
- additionJoining quantities mathematically
- restorationReturning something to condition
- retrofitUpdate existing equipment
- conversionAct of changing states
expansion · modernization · historic preservation · adaptive reuse · teardown · rebuild · facelift · upgrade
subcontractors
Third parties doing delegated work
- electricianWiring installation specialist
- plumberWater system tradesperson
- rooferBuilding-top construction worker
carpenter · mason · drywall · painter · tiler · flooring · landscaper · welder · glazier · insulation
foundation
Underlying support structure
- excavationAct of unearthing
- framingStructural or contextual shaping
- roofingInstalling overhead shelter material
plumbing · electrical · masonry · drywall · insulation · tiling · painting · finishing · grading · waterproofing
supervision
Overseeing people or processes
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- budgetingAllocating funds systematically
- schedulingAssigning times to events
procurement · bidding · estimating · negotiation · hiring · quality control · risk management · communication · delegation · accountability
blueprint
Detailed technical drawing
bid · estimate · proposal · contract · specifications · drawings · phases · deliverables · completion · handoff
permit
Official written authorization
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
- zoningSectioning areas by use
- building departmentAgency overseeing construction permits
certificate · bonding · insurance · liability · OSHA · regulations · variance · occupancy permit · licensed · certified
remodel
Reconstruct or redesign
- additionJoining quantities mathematically
- restorationReturning something to condition
- retrofitUpdate existing equipment
conversion · expansion · modernization · historic preservation · adaptive reuse · teardown · rebuild · facelift · upgrade · repurpose
- constructionconstruction site, building site, hammer, building, beam
- contractingsubcontractor, subcontracting, bid, estimate, estimates
- builderscarpenter, builder, mason, bricklayer, constructor
- procurementprocurement, purchasing, purchase order, bidding, subcontract
- skilled tradeselectrician, plumber, carpenter, mason, welder
- construction termsbrick, steel, concrete, timber, stone
general contractorsubcontractor
Hired by the hirer
electrician · plumber · roofer · flooring installer · mason
general contractorsubcontractor
Hired by the hirer
journeyman · construction worker · hired hand · sub · day laborer