When remodeling your home, you might notice that there is a difference between General Contractors and Home Remodelers. General contractors handle the entire project from start to finish, while home remodelers typically specialize in one particular aspect of it such as interior or exterior design.
General Contractor
A General Contractor can be responsible for pasting drywall, but General Contractors are typically hired to handle the entire project. General contractors are also called General Contracting Services, General Engineering or General Civil Work. Most General Contractors have a residential and commercial division; that way they don’t have to contract each job out separately.
When looking for a General Contractor, you should check with the BBB in your area and ask friends or relatives if they have used General Contractors previously to remodel or construct. General Contractors that are certified by the State of California may be required to carry workers’ compensation insurance on each employee; this can be especially important for General Contractors who may employ unskilled labor. Further, you can also use the Zion Fence materials in contraction.
General Contractors are required to carry General Liability Insurance which covers damage to property of others and General Contractors should also carry Commercial General Liability Insurance, Auto Liability Insurance and Worker’s Compensation insurance for their employees. For General Contractors that work on jobs where they are using ladders, scaffolding or lifts then General Contractors are required to have General Liability Insurance with limits that are adequate enough to cover these exposures.
Many General Contractors also will offer Home Remodeling Services but there are also many qualified home remodelers that do not contract out work to General Contractors.
Home Remodeler
A Home Remodeler is any contractor who specializes in remodeling, renovating, or decorating. They are typically in the business to provide services for clients who have exhausted their own efforts in trying to complete what is needed or desired for their homes.
For Home Remodelers, it is important to choose a contractor who has qualified staff members and General Liability Insurance of no less than $500,000. Home Remodelling Services should be insured for workman’s compensation, General Liability and Commercial General Liability.
Typically Home Remodelers offer General Home Maintenance Services, Kitchen & Bathroom Renovations, Tile & Stone Installation and Flooring Installation. Home Remodelers often do General Home Maintenance and General Handyman Services.
Home Remodeling Companies should be insured for General Liability, General Builder’s Risk Insurance and Commercial General Liability with limits of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence. This type of coverage is important to have when remodeling or decorating a residence
General Contractors responsibilities
General Contractors are responsible for planning, designing, pricing of all materials that will be needed, construction oversight of the job, permit acquisition, and scheduling of all trades. General Contractors can be involved in picking out materials for your project but General Contracting Services typically hire subcontractors to complete work such as electrical or plumbing; General Contracting companies usually only do the work that they are registered to do.
General Engineering Services
General Engineering Services is responsible for material installation or General Civil Work Services oversees the construction management of a project. General Contractors that are General Building Services handle all aspects of the project from design to construction to completion.
Engineering Services, General Civil Work or General Building Services; make sure you ask the question in order to determine which contractor is best for your home remodel.
Conclusion
As stated before, General Contractors can offer Home Remodeling Services but there are also home remodelers who do not contract out work to General Contractors. When hiring a General Contractor or Home Remodeling Company it is very important to ask them what they specialize in and how long it takes them to complete jobs.
General Contractors and Home Remodelers provide different types of General Contracting Services. General Contractors employ General Building Services, General Civil Work, General Engineering Services or General Mechanical Services; all four of these General Contractor categories offer construction services for both residential and commercial properties. There are also home remodelers who do not use General Contractors
