GENERAL CONTRACTING
General Contracting
Coordinating the trades, the permits, and the paperwork a construction project needs — whether we're working from a completed architect's plan set or scoping the project from the start.
SCOPE
What General Contracting Covers
Before construction starts, the scope has to be written down — what's being built, in what order, and what it costs. Pre-construction is where that happens, whether the project starts from an idea or from a finished plan set.
Which permits a project needs and which inspections apply depend on the jurisdiction, the scope, and the specific work — that's confirmed for your project rather than assumed in advance. We file for the permits the scope requires and schedule the inspections that follow, and keep you informed as each one clears.
A construction project runs on a sequence of trades — framing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, finishes — each depending on the one before it. Coordinating that sequence, and keeping it moving when one trade runs long, is the core of the general contracting role.
Some projects arrive with a finished plan set ready to build; others need that plan developed first. Either way, the plans — and any change to them once construction starts — are documented in writing and confirmed with the owner.
Selections, changes, and decisions are documented as they happen rather than left to memory. A single point of contact keeps that record current and keeps you informed of where the project stands.
Closeout includes final inspections, a walkthrough of the completed work against the written scope, and resolving anything flagged during that walkthrough before the project is considered finished.
BEFORE YOU START
Preparing for the Project
Before Work Begins
- Decide whether you're bringing a completed plan set or need one developed as part of pre-construction.
- Gather any existing permits, surveys, or prior approvals relevant to the site.
- Confirm who has authority to approve changes and selections during the project.
- Review and sign the written scope and estimate before permitting begins.
What to Expect During Construction
- Trades are sequenced and coordinated so each phase starts once the one before it is ready.
- Crews and trades are on site Monday through Friday during standard working hours.
- You're kept informed of permit and inspection status as the project moves through them.
- Any change to the written scope is documented and confirmed with you before it's built.
PROCESS
How the Work Moves Forward
- 01
Request
Share the project — plans if you have them, or just the goal if you don't.
- 02
Site Visit
We review the site and, if plans exist, confirm what they require to build.
- 03
Written Scope & Estimate
Scope, sequencing, permitting needs, and price are put in writing before anything is filed.
- 04
Construction & Closeout
Trades are coordinated phase by phase through final inspection and walkthrough.
QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked
What does a general contractor actually do day to day?
Coordinates the trades, files and tracks the permits, keeps the project on the sequence agreed in the written scope, and documents anything that changes along the way.
We already have architect plans — do we still need this?
Yes. Plans describe what's being built; general contracting is how it gets built — permits filed, trades scheduled, inspections passed, and the whole sequence coordinated.
What permits will our project need?
That depends on the jurisdiction, the scope, and the specific work, so it's confirmed for your project rather than listed generically — that confirmation happens during pre-construction.
How are decisions and changes tracked during the project?
In writing, as they come up, through a single point of contact — not verbally on site and not reconstructed later from memory.
Bring the Plans, or Bring the Problem
Either way, the scope, the permits, and the sequence get written down before construction starts. Request an estimate or call General Construction directly.