Q & A

Answers to commonly asked questions from the experts on Thumbtack.

What is a general contractor?

When starting a home remodel or new construction project, you will probably hire a general contractor. A general contractor is a professional who is qualified to take a set of building plans and construct them as outlined. The general contractor may help perform the day-to-day building, or they may just hire workers and oversee all the work activities. In either case, the job of the general contractor is to see that your project gets built.

When you have a building project, ask for bids from various contractors. The bids tell you how much each will charge and what their scope of work will be. Once you have selected a bid, you sign a contract with that general contractor outlining the specifics of the project and the milestones during the project when they will receive payment installments. Once the contract is official, the general contractor will bring in their crew to begin construction. The contractor will manage the workers and subcontractors (anyone who doesn’t work directly for their company but that they need to outsource, like a marble installation pro), order all the materials, obtain work permits, and confirm that all the workers and subcontractors are completing their projects as planned. They typically handle all the payments to the workers and subcontractors, and send you invoice. For all these reasons, it’s also especially important to follow a few smart hiring practices when it comes to finding a general contractor. If you are organized and competent to oversee construction projects, and are able to make sure everything is being built properly and meeting code, it’s possible you can be your own general contractor.

How do you choose a commercial general contractor?

A commercial contractor provides similar services as a residential general contractor but specializes in working with large-scale projects for businesses, schools, nonprofits, governments and development firms. When researching commercial general contractors, review their portfolio of work and confirm they have ample experience working in the area you need. For example, if you are building a small strip mall, ask if the contractors have experience successfully incorporating all the needed elements such as a parking lot, meeting ADA requirements, accessing the proper permits, and completing work on time.

Once you’ve identified several qualified candidates, request bids for your project and then compare the scope of work with your needs and budget. Your commercial general contractor should oversee design, permitting, construction, materials purchase, and adherence to building code and zoning regulations, as well as sticking to an agreed-upon budget and schedule. It’s important to establish clear communication with your future commercial general contractor, as this will mean a smoother process for everyone. For all these reasons, it’s also especially important to follow a few smart hiring practices when it comes to finding a general contractor.

What do general contractors charge?

If you’re doing a home remodel, building a new home or embarking on a commercial building project, you’ll hire a general contractor. A general contractor is a professional who is qualified to oversee and execute construction projects. Each construction project is unique; even two duplicate homes built on lots next door to each other could have different construction costs due to factors like different excavation costs when building the foundation. Since each project is unique, many general contractors make bids on potential construction projects. These bids can then break down to a per square foot cost that encompasses the labor of all the workers needed for the job, materials, the scope of work, and any equipment needed. Materials and finishes make a major difference in your cost per square foot. For example, choosing standard kitchen tiles at $3 per square foot will result in a lower total project cost than imported marble tiles that cost $63 per square foot. Where you live will also affect how much general contractors charge, as labor and the cost to do business can cost less in many regions than in high-cost areas like New York or San Francisco. Here are some examples of average costs general contractors typically charge in various regions:

Home addition in San Francisco: $250-$270 per square foot.
New home construction in Knoxville, Tennessee: $100-$200 per square foot.
Kitchen remodel in Tennessee: $40-$80 per square foot, depending on finishes.
Bathroom remodel in Vancouver, Washington: $110-$170 per square foot.

Be sure to check out our smart hiring practices when it comes to finding a general contractor.

Max P.

Verified review

Carlos was great. He installed a charging station for my electric car (set up a 220 volt outlet and mounted the charger) in my garage. Would recommend his services to anyone who needs electrical work.

Libby H.

This is the best company to use for ALL YOUR REMODELING OR BUILDING HOME REPAIRS. They do great work, did exactly what we asked to do, very professional and trust worthy in all ways! We will always use them for our home needs and HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU USE THEM!

Jonathan C.

Ron, Douglas and his squad of skilled painters did a top-notch job. I gave them a BIG challenge and they delivered in great style. After buying a new home in Hartwell, I decided to paint (almost) every surface - walls, trim, ceilings, doors and even the garage. The team did excellent work, efficiently and economically. Ron coordinated the effort and Douglas directed day-to-day work. Two thumbs up.

Christy T.

Bob did an excellent job on building the deck. When Bob was building the deck he went over step by step what he was doing and why he had to do it that way. Bob is very detail and proficient at what he does.

Mansi P.

Baye did an excellent job with multiple tasks I had such as fixing window shutters, painting, lock changes, and building a gate. I recommend him and would definitely use him again.

Natasha P.

Mr. White was very thorough and detailed with my project. He was professional and courteous and very accomodating. The floor plans for my building were excellent. I am very pleased!

Aslam M.

Refael and his son German and rest of the crew were very professional, talented and did an excellent job renovating my deck,repairing a big crack on concrete , repairing bathroom tile and regrouting the bathroom floor, painting garage, Driveway,painting rails,lamp post, mailbox, installing sensor light front and back of house.They gave me quote upfront and provided good quality repair, I will definitely use them again and recommend them without reservation to my family and freinds.

Benjamin C.

excellent experience!!! As a first time home owner I was a bit nervous about getting stone worl done but they did the tuck-pointing job seamlessly. Communication was excellent, the work looks GREAT and the Mason was super friendly and informative. He even left me some extra mortar and told me how to use it in case I ever needed to do any minor work myslef. He even took a look at my garage door jamb and told me how I could cheaply fix the gap there. A company that doesn't try to nickle and dime you and is helpful AND sticks to their original quote is a gem. I will be using them for years to come for any work I need done.

Serena R.

A friend recommended this company a while back. This is the second time I've used their services for a garage remodel. They are well qualified and professional and finished the job in the time frame previously discussed. I will definitely contact them again for future projects.

Brittany L.

Mr. Penney did a few home improvement projects for my family. He was on time and very professional. The services done included putting crown molding in a bedroom, painting said bedroom, building shelves and installing in a closet, and cleaning our gutters. We were very satisfied with the services and our projects look wonderful!

Yvena V.

Mr. Anthony took his time to determine the problem and got my motor working again, he even assists in getting my garage door springs fix as well. Great and honest professional.

Amy D.

Had to have my chimney repaired and nearly replaced due to faulty installation 20+ years ago. Wood rot, siding rot, rain cap ruined. Immediate response and arrived early for the quote and most project days. Completed the work quickly and with high quality. My neighbor commented on how the chimney looks and got the pro’s name and number to have his done, too. Better than I could have anticipated for a reasonable price!

Linda P.

Brian built a large outdoor pet enclosure for my cats. The finished "cat-i-tat" was installed exactly as promised. It is well constructed and very sturdy. Have already recommended Brian to my daughter for her building project needs and I will certainly use him again too!

Melissa T.

Jose arrived at my house on time. He worked quickly to repair the mailbox and post. He looked for ways to use supplies that I already had in my garage to complete the repair. He made it look better than before I hit it!

Barbara P.

Your home could be the most expensive investment you will make in your life time. With that in mind, you'll want the best in building or reconstruction. My experience with BID-Masters of Georgia exceeded my expectations. The quality of workmanship and professional manner in which the job was executed was superior.

Jay M.

I hired Extreme Earthworks in September 2016 to do a major grading project on my farm, which included clearing 3 acres of land, grading that entire area to make it flat, and creating a new driveway to that section of the property where I am planning on building my new house. The work was completed flawlessly, and Ken went above and beyond to make everything perfect. When he finished, I needed a few other things done, and he was happy to accommodate all of my requests. I have hired many other contractors over the years, but I can honestly say that I have never been as happy with any of them as I was/am with Extreme Earthworks. I would highly recommend them for anything you need.

Antonio M.

2hires owner Kieth is very polite, responsive and understanding. His goal is to make sure the job is done right and to the customers satisfaction. I did have some installation issue with getting my single door to a double door installed. The Workman ship was rushed and the initial install was done poorly. With that said Keith assured me he will make it right. This caused a significant delay in completion. Keith sent a new set of installers to correct the installation, as well as the staining. This process was a pleasure the installers took their time and resolved the issues. I also hand the staining done by Greg’s Pro Painting who was sent by Keith. Keith and his crew did a great job with staining the mahogany doors. To the point where I hired him to repaint my garage door. At the end of it all the doors are installed and I am satisfied.

Sarah F.

Darren is great to work with. He was very patient with our MANY changes and ideas. His price is very affordable. I would recommend him to anyone that is needing drawings done for a home or project.

Beverly O.

Awesome job and great communication! Would recommend to anyone! We had started a DIY and were over our heads :( He came in with reasonable pricing and suggestions and project was completed timely. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you.

Leslie L.

I hired MVP Professionals to clean my facility and I must say I was surprised by the level of professionalism. It was my first time hiring an outside company and they did an awesome job. They came in during normal business hours and I hardly noticed they were in the building. I continue to utilize their business today. Professional, punctual and efficient!

Kim B.

Marcus has OUTSTANDING EXPERTISE. He was extremely professional and out whole team was impressed about his knowledge in commercial building structures and construction. He fully educated us on the things we need to fix in the building while also telling us things that we could hold off on. His customer service was outstanding and he really treated us with so much respect and care. YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY HIRE HIM FOR YOU CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

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