How to become a Contractor

A contractor is a person who commits or contracts for management and coordination of work in a construction, demolition or renovation project. They perform various duties in multiple fields on and around building and construction sites, such as plumbing, stonework, or painting. Contractors supervise every construction aspect, from design and planning to building.

Job Description, Roles, Duties, Tasks, and Responsibilities:

• Plan construction phases, schedules, activities, and project timeline to present to clients
• Prepare and estimate budget plans for supplies, labour, machinery, etc.
• Communicate with other professionals, supervisors, etc. working on the project to discuss work procedures and find solutions to complaints or problems in construction
• Draft progress or cost tracking reports
• Assess projects to evaluate obedience with building, safety, and environmental codes, regulations, and laws
• Plan and supervise structures, facilities, or systems construction or maintenance activities
• Evaluate damage or accidents costs at construction sites
• Supervise whether workers follow proper construction procedures
• Draft contracts and negotiate with clients, suppliers, and subcontractors
• Develop or enforce quality control and environmental protection programs
• Make alternate, modified plans to be enforced in case of delayed project timeline, poor weather conditions, or construction site emergencies with new timeline
• Explain construction plans to workers and clients
• Perform pre-building evaluations like magnitude estimating, feasibility, or energy efficiency, environmental and sustainability testing
• Ensure completion of paperwork and obtain legal permits and licenses.
• Supervise the employees for painting or plumbing work
• Assign job tasks, provide guidance, and supervise job performance of the labours on various construction sites
• Purchase supplies or materials for construction projects based on needs
• Oversee employees safety on job site
• Check and take follow-ups on assigned jobs to determine its progress towards completion.

Since the work of a Contractor include practical activity, hands-on problems and solutions, they should be comfortable working with materials, tools, and machinery. This requires manual dexterity, precision, and eye for detail, accuracy, and careful equipment monitoring.

They need physical stamina as they may work on their feet for long periods. They should also be flexible to work in all kinds of environments. They must be able to manage time and prioritize tasks effectively while maintaining the quality of work

They should be able to effectively communicate both verbally and in written as well as work in or lead teams to motivate and direct other team members, thus, interpersonal, leadership, and project management skills are necessary. They need to keep track of many different schedules, budgets, and people, thus one also requires good organization skills. They interact with suppliers, workers, and customers; maintain financial records; and ensure safety.

They need to have critical thinking and problem-solving skills to find solutions to complex   construction problems through sound reasoning and judgment.