A commercial general contractor is a vital link in the construction industry connecting the developers and the building owners. Their main job lies in overseeing all aspects of a commercial construction project. The multifaceted industry requires these commercial general contractors to take care of activities at various stages of a construction project like the development of building plans, updating the construction fieldwork, remodeling of business structures, etc.
If you’re a beginner and want to set your foot right into the business, we will show you the roadmap on how to become a successful commercial general contractor. Learn essential qualifications to earn, skills to develop, and useful general contractor books to read to gain valuable knowledge about the job.
What are the Essential Skills of a Commercial General Contractor?
Multifaceted
A commercial general contractor must be proficient in multiple phases of the present-day real estate industry. They are not expected to be specialized in any one type of construction activity. They should have proficiency and deep knowledge in all the fields of project management and management of large commercial construction projects.
Project Management
Commercial general contractors should be well versed in people management, material management, and know-how to conduct construction activities in a large project. They have to provide for unforeseen circumstances and conduct the project to bring it to a conclusion as planned.
Hiring The Right Subcontractors
The present-day commercial general contractor takes care of virtually all the tasks connected with a building project. They are responsible for hiring the right people for each phase of the project. They must have profound knowledge of specialty contractors who can be entrusted with specific parts of the construction project.
Organization
A commercial general contractor is responsible for keeping several different aspects organized for a successful building project. That is why one should be able to use project management platforms to manage financials, subcontractors, and suppliers. As a result, you will deliver projects on time and within budget.
Problem-Solving Attitude
Developing a problem-solving mindset is extremely necessary for commercial general contractors to brainstorm potential solutions. They evaluate the consequences of each solution and implement them without causing much loss to the project.
Commercial Awareness
Commercial awareness is an essential skill a commercial general contractor must develop. Being commercially aware means staying updated on the latest industry trends, market demand, and impacts of global politics on the construction business. General contractors who have commercial awareness can optimize their strategies to leverage fresh opportunities and better deal with project challenges.
If you are prepared to work in a fast-paced and dynamic job role in the construction industry, then you can be a good fit to become a commercial general contractor. If you have a flair for working long hours, taking responsibilities on your shoulder, and managing people to get the best outcomes, then you can become a good commercial builder.
How to Make a Career in the Commercial General Contracting Industry?
Becoming a commercial general contractor nowadays requires strong preparation and educational background. This will help you excel in your role as a pivotal key in construction project development.
To be a successful commercial general contractor, you must know how to prepare cost estimates, hire subcontractors for each part of the building project, manage properties, choose the right construction methods, check the local regulations, and be good at budgeting and maintaining good client relations.
If you want to become a commercial general contractor, you must be prepared to spend time in the office and on-site. You must be aware that your working time may extend well beyond regular business hours as scheduling delays and unforeseen circumstances are a regular part of your workday, and you must be able to cope with them.
Most professionals enter into commercial general contracting as part of their family business or as an extension of their existing construction business. When a person becomes a commercial general contractor due to existing family business or work experience, they may enter the field without any formal educational qualifications. They can act as a commercial general contractor merely based on their experience and guidance from their family members.
Large construction companies only prefer professionals with formal education and strong industry background. So you must plan your career through well-planned applied knowledge in the construction management process.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, construction managers, including general contractors, earn a median salary of $95,260 a year. The earnings of a general contractor will vary depending on the local market and the scope of the project.
What are the Qualifications Required for a Commercial General Contractor?
If you are a stranger to the construction industry and want to become a commercial general contractor, then you need to get certain educational qualifications that will help you find good placements and get success in your chosen line of activity.
First, you have to find ways to learn how to design and construct industrial buildings. For this, formal education may be necessary. Many types of apprenticeships, internships, and work-study programs are available now. You can undergo them as a part of your formal education. By doing this, you get the required certifications, and degrees that will add to your qualification to become a commercial general contractor.
Now you can join certifications, and undergraduate degree programs in construction management and allied fields of the construction industry, and these are available in all the colleges and universities. Select the one that can give you a smooth entry into the construction field to become a successful commercial general contractor. Those who have impressive knowledge and experience in the commercial construction field are much preferred in big construction companies’ departments.
To become a commercial general contractor, you must have good knowledge of various engineering technologies and process displays knowledge in the fields of:
- Project control
- Construction and building designs
- Cost and budget estimation
- Building standards and building codes
- Construction contracts administration
- Statistical and mathematical knowledge for the construction industry
- Knowledge about commercial real estate
For all this, you must have the following qualifications to get entry into the construction industry as a commercial general contractor.
- High school diploma or GED
- Legal permission to work in the United States.
- 4 years + of experience at the journeyman level in the past 10 years.
- Clean word record.
- State contractor’s license or registration with your state’s Department of Labor and Industries.
Construction managers typically hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree in construction management or civil engineering for building science as a formal degree education.
In addition to this, you must have a good knowledge of the latest construction technologies and methods that are used in the industry. For example, standard planning software to create technical drawings and cost estimation software to plan budgets. An added advantage will be if you have the necessary business leadership qualities and acute attention to detail with good analytical skills.
Problem-solving and decision-making will be a part of your daily workday as commercial general contractor. You must be good at taking the initiative to complete the task at hand and be an efficient time management person with good writing skills.
What are the Main Responsibilities of a Commercial General Contractor?
You will be in charge of managing a construction project and may involve the following duties:
- Consulting with clients
- Explaining the terms of contracts
- Prepare a report on the progress of the project
- Repairing and adhering to cost and time estimates
- Creating and defining construction plans
- Cost controlling and estimations
- Handling multiple projects at the same time
- Working with team professionals like civil engineers and Architects
- Responding to emergencies and other unforeseen contingencies
- Hiring subcontractors and specialty workers
- Collaborating with government officials and city authorities, and real estate lawyers
- Complying with a permit and legal requirements
- Ensuring on-time material delivery and project completion
- Complying with various local building laws and regulations
- Complying with local area codes and laws and regulations
- Taking steps to prevent accidents and comply with safety requirements
As a commercial general contractor, you can become a self-employed professional. On the other hand, you can also get employed in large national construction companies.
In the beginning, you will be working as an assistant, and by gaining experience as a construction manager, then you can become a full-fledged general commercial contractor.
The job prospects of the general contractor are bright as in the US alone there are approximately 66, 218 active job openings. Moreover, the employment rate for construction managers is forecasted to grow by 8% from 2021 to 2031.
12 Resourceful Books Every General Contractor Must Read
Here are some of the best books on general contracting where you can find good information for professional knowledge:
- The Nuts and Bolts of Erecting a Contracting Empire: A Complete General Contractor Guide Book for Building Success in the Construction, Contracting, and Tradesman Industries available both on Kindle as well as paperback editions.
- Start Your Own Construction and Contracting Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Success: A comprehensive guide for general contractors who are planning to establish their own businesses. This book by Entrepreneur Media, Inc. discusses practical budgeting and estimating techniques, offers solutions for basic accounting issues and includes well-defined checklists for key government accounts. A resourceful book on general contracting, it also teaches entrepreneurs how to charge their services and recover expenses, maintaining the profitability of a new business.
- Construction Management Jumpstart by Barbara J Jackson: Get a thorough introduction to construction management basics and launch Your Construction Management Career—Quickly and Effectively through this general contractor book written by an expert with over 20 years of experience as a licensed contractor.
- Construction Project Management by Alison Dykstra: This is the new, updated, and expanded edition of the bestselling text giving the basics of designing, developing, and constructing buildings and communities and the right way to know everything about construction Projects Management.
- Construction Management by Netscher: Provides essential reading for project owners and project managers explaining the basic concepts of construction management, sharing useful, practical construction management information with invaluable tips, insights, examples, and advice.
- Project Management for the Unofficial Project: Manager Kory Kogon: One of the most insightful general contractor books to help you coordinate and manage projects even if you aren’t formally trained in managing projects and act as an unofficial project manager successfully.
- Successful Construction Project Management by Paul Netscher: This book on general contracting and project management gives you the ability to identify the things to be done to successfully manage your projects and helps you avoid those little commissions and omissions that can spell disaster for the entire project.
- Construction Project Management by Frederick Gould and Nancy Joyce: This book for contractors gives you all facets of successful construction project management in today’s complex environments. Introduces all key players in the process, walks through each project phase, and presents tools for effectively managing both people and projects.
- Project Management For Dummies by Stanley E. Portnoy: This construction business book is one of the bestselling ‘bible’ of project management and helps you do your project management in today’s time-crunched, cost-conscious global business environment, helping you meet the tight project deadlines and stringent expectations successfully.
- Running a Successful Construction Company by David Gerstel: A builder who wrote this book with decades of experience in running a highly respected and successful construction operation demystifies the day-to-day challenges that contractors face.
- Estimating Building Costs for the Residential and Light Commercial Construction Professional, by Del Pico, Wayne J: A must-have book on general contracting to succeed in the construction business—step-by-step guidelines for estimating and becoming competitive through complete and accurate estimates for labor and material costs.
- Principles & Practices of Commercial Construction by Andres P.E. Retired, Cameron K. and Ronald C. Smith: A practical, well-rounded approach to modern principles and practices that teach general contractors how to apply design theory to the construction process, providing crucial working knowledge for contractors managing subcontractors. This book on commercial construction is one of the highly recommended books for contractors.
Alternative Ways to Upskill as a Commercial General Contractor
1. Online Training Courses
With the availability of the Internet, it is possible to learn anything. Popular online training platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, SkillShare, Alison, and LinkedIn Learning offer a plethora of educational courses to enroll in. For example, you can learn AI for Built Environments, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Drone Applications, Interior Design, Contract Management, and many more skills.
Bear in mind some of the online training programs are free of cost while others have to be paid for. Here are six bestselling online construction courses for upskilling as a commercial general contractor:
- Construction Methodology Basics in Civil Engineering by Akshay Kamath – Udemy
- Construction Management by Columbia University – Coursera
- Construction Safety and Health by Health and Safety Authority – Alison
- Learning Bluebeam Revu: Version 2018 to Version 20 – LinkedIn Learning
- Building Materials and Construction by IIT Delhi – YouTube
- AutoCAD 2021 Beginners Course – Zero to Hero Fast with AutoCAD – SkillShare
2. Professional Certifications
Unlike online courses, professional certifications have more credibility and are offered by industry-recognized bodies. Commercial general contractors with professional certifications have increased chances of scoring better jobs and on average receive higher salaries than contractors without any certifications. They also show your ability to persistently upskill and grow as an employee.
The five most useful construction certifications are as follows:
- The American Concrete Institute (ACI) certification
- Green Business Certification (LEED)
- Construction Management Association of America – Certified Construction Manager (CCM)
- Outreach Training Program (OSHA)
- American Institute of Constructors (AC/CPC)
3. Webinars
Company webinars or live sessions hosted by industry experts are an excellent way to learn the latest tech trends, best practices, and tips. The interesting part about attending webinars is that you can directly have a Q&A session with the speaker. Webinars are short in duration, informative, and can be recorded for listening afterward. Keep checking for upcoming webinars hosted by Associated Builders and Contractors, CMAA, AutoDesk, or other leading industry websites.
4. Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships programs offer young commercial general contractors opportunities to hands-on develop advanced skills in the workplace while they earn competitive salaries. From bricklayers, roofers, plumbers, construction design and build technicians, carpentry, HVAC, and repair workers, there are training programs for every trade skill. Throughout the apprenticeship, participants receive full tuition assistance and guaranteed wage promotions. Upskill America is an employer-led movement working to increase economic opportunity for American employees.
Key Takeaway:
With a formal education and field experience in the construction industry, you can become a successful commercial general contractor. Reading the above resources and books for contractors, you can get more qualified and become a vital element in the successful management of large commercial construction projects.
If you have any queries related to general contractors or commercial construction, feel free to contact our team at Construction Solutions, Inc.
FAQs
How important is it to upskill in Commercial General Contracting?
Construction industry is dynamic, and so to keep up with emerging tools and technologies, general contractors must upskill. Besides, the CVs of higher-skilled employees increase their chances of employability.
What qualities should a commercial general contractor have?
An ideal commercial general contractor should possess strong leadership skills, project management skills, clarity in communication, a positive attitude, and should be dedicated to providing excellent customer service.
Do general contractors have an accountability partner?
Generally, general contractors do not have an accountability partner. However, they can be held accountable for their work through contractual agreements, project management KPIs, quality inspections, regulatory compliances, and safety standards.
Relevant Resources:
- 15 Great Sources for General Contractor News
- What You Need To Know About All Types Of Construction Contracts?
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