When you find a project, you need to hire a contractor for, you might want to seek out someone who only does the single job you need done. That can work for some people but hiring a general contractor will benefit you more in the long run.
Not all contractors are created equal, and when you choose someone who’s just a fence contractor/deck contractor/outdoor kitchen contractor, you’re setting yourself up for someone with less overall experience than a general contractor. Here are a few advantages to using a general contractor instead.
1. Hiring a general contractor gives you versatility.
When you hire a contractor that can only do a very specific area of construction, you’re limiting yourself. A contractor who is well-versed in multiple areas of expertise is going to be able to better work your project around your current outdoor structures and previous projects. Say you wanted a new privacy fence around your yard, but on one side of the home it would intersect with your current deck. A general contractor can work the fence into the deck, so things fit properly and there’s a smooth transition between the two structures since they have experience with both fencing and decking. Or if you want to extend your patio so it can fit an outdoor kitchen, it would be unhelpful to only hire a contractor who can pour the concrete for the patio but can’t install the outdoor kitchen.
General contractors can do a little bit of everything, so if you go into your estimate with one project in mind, but after discussing it further with the contractor you realize you’d like to incorporate a few other things, you can do that no problem.
2. A general contractor can save you time and money.
Instead of splitting up a project into multiple jobs and having separate contractors work on each one over time, you would save a lot more time and money by hiring a general contractor to do all the work. Since general contractors can easily do multiple different types of construction, they can save you money by grouping smaller projects together and giving you a discount. This way you won’t be paying separate medium-sized fees for separate contractors, you’ll be paying one slightly bigger fee for one contractor to do all the work. It might seem like more money up front but limiting the number of contractors you seek out will ultimately save you lots of money once all the work is done.
Doing this will save time, too. Instead of waiting on one contractor to finish the first job before you can bring the next contractor in to do the next job, your general contractor can do all the work in one sitting, and potentially spread workers out to make progress on each different aspect at the same time. This will make the construction process move much faster and allow you to appreciate your completed space sooner.
3. General contractors can easily solve any problems that might arise.
Even though contractors all make it their goal to minimize issues and accidents during the construction process, unavoidable things happen sometimes. If something breaks or there’s an issue with the project your contractor is working on, it’s usually not an issue. They can fix it and move on. But what if something happens to another area of your outdoor living space while the contractor is working on your project?
General contractors often have enough expertise to solve problems that might occur even if they’re not directly related to the project they’re working on, and this can be incredibly beneficial. Since many general contractors must know electric work and water drainage systems, if a line is cut or a pipe busts, they’re often able to fix it so you don’t have to call an electrician or plumber out to solve the issue. The flexibility and adaptability of general contractors is highly sought after and very valuable during projects.
Don’t waste your time and money, find a general contractor who can get the job done for you! College Station Covered Porch and Outdoor Kitchens is a general contractor who specializes in outdoor living construction. We’re a great fit for any of your construction needs, and we’d love to help you wherever we can! Give us a call or fill out the form on our contact page today!
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