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Manufacturing & ProductionISCO 1323

Construction general contractor

A construction general contractor is a person who takes responsibility for delivering an entire construction project, from the bid through to the finished building.

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Rate 5 of the 16 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.

audit contractors

perform quality control of design during a run

monitor parameters' compliance in construction projects

identify customer objectives

read standard blueprints

About construction general contractor

The work begins with tendering: the general contractor prices the project, takes part in the bidding process, and once appointed hires subcontractors for the successive stages of the build. They make sure every subcontractor has signed their part of the agreement and is actually working on site. From then on they coordinate construction activities, monitor the contractors' work, and keep a record of work progress that shows whether the programme still holds. They also monitor compliance parameters, checking that what has been built matches the agreed standards and the terms of the contract.

Clients stay involved throughout. The contractor identifies the client's objectives and turns them into a scope of works, then reports back as the project moves.

The general contractor also answers for health and safety procedures across the whole site, including the people employed by subcontractors. The role also requires knowledge of environmentally friendly construction practices. Someone starting out coordinates works and monitors subcontractors' work on a project run by another contractor. Formal requirements for running a site are set by national construction law.

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (16)

construction product regulationconstruction product regulationRegulations on construction products quality standards applied throughout the European Union.contract lawcontract lawThe field of legal principles that govern written agreements between parties concerning the exchange of goods or services, including contractual obligations and termination.real estate marketreal estate marketThe trends concerning the buying, selling, or renting of property, including the land, buildings, and natural resources encompassed within the property; the categories of residential properties and pr...green building practicesgreen building practicesThe practices involved in the design and creation of building structures in an environmentally responsible, cost effective and resource-effective way. Green building practices such as using eco-friend...audit contractorsaudit contractorsExamine and document different industry contractors, in order to determine whether they comply with regulations and standards in relation to safety, environment and quality of design, construction and...communicate with customerscommunicate with customersRespond to and communicate with customers in the most efficient and appropriate manner to enable them to access the desired products or services, or any other help they may require.perform quality control of design during a runperform quality control of design during a runControl and ensure the quality of design results during a run.monitor parameters' compliance in construction projectsmonitor parameters' compliance in construction projectsMonitors progress in construction sites and the compliance of various parameters outlined in the design phase such as quality, costs, timeline, and contractors' responsibilities.identify customer objectivesidentify customer objectivesIdentify individual motives resulting in short, medium and long term fitness goals.read standard blueprintsread standard blueprintsRead and comprehend standard blueprints, machine, and process drawings.follow health and safety procedures in constructionfollow health and safety procedures in constructionApply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.manage contractsmanage contractsNegotiate the terms, conditions, costs and other specifications of a contract while making sure they comply with legal requirements and are legally enforceable. Oversee the execution of the contract, ...keep records of work progresskeep records of work progressMaintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.monitor contractor performancemonitor contractor performanceManage contractor performance and assess whether they are meeting the agreed standard and correct underperformance if needed.monitor construction sitemonitor construction siteKeep an overview of what happens at the construction site at all times. Identify who is present and what stage of the construction work each crew is in.coordinate construction activitiescoordinate construction activitiesCoordinate the activities of several construction workers or crews to make sure they do not interfere with each other and to ensure that the works are done in a timely manner. Keep up to date on the p...
Optional (20) — show
zero-energy building designzero-energy building designThe design and building principle whereby the net amount of energy used by the building equals the amount of renewable energy created by the building itself. The concept refers to self-sustaining cons...design principlesdesign principlesThe elements used in design such as unity, scale, proportion, balance, symmetry, space, form, texture, colour, light, shade and congruence and their application into practice.project commissioningproject commissioningProcess of supervising the correct functioning of systems, buildings or plants during the final stages before deployment.energy performance of buildingsenergy performance of buildingsFactors that contribute to lower energy consumption of buildings. Building and renovation techniques used to achieve this. Legislation and procedures regarding energy performance of buildings.envelope systems for buildingsenvelope systems for buildingsThe physical characteristics of envelope systems for buildings and their limitations. The heat transfer principle in the envelope systems.energy efficiencyenergy efficiencyField of information concerning the reduction of the use of energy. It encompasses calculating the consumption of energy, providing certificates and support measures, saving energy by reducing the dem...quantity surveyingquantity surveyingThe process of estimating, planning and monitoring the costs of construction for buildings within large construction projects. It means the efficient and effective utilisation of resources and include...decommissioningdecommissioningExpertise in removing things from active service or dismantling objects such as power plants, weapons and ships.quality assurance methodologiesquality assurance methodologiesQuality assurance principles, standard requirements, and the set of processes and activities used for measuring, controlling and ensuring the quality of products and processes.renewable energyrenewable energyThe different types of energy sources which cannot be depleted, such as wind, solar, water, biomass, and biofuel energy. The different technologies used to implement these types of energy to an increa...communicate with construction crewscommunicate with construction crewsExchange information with the construction crews or supervisors to ensure smooth progress of the construction project. Obtain updates on the progress and any obstacles, and inform the crews of any cha...manage health and safety standardsmanage health and safety standardsOversee all personnel and processes to comply with health, safety and hygiene standards. Communicate and support alignment of these requirements with the company's health and safety programmes.inspect construction suppliesinspect construction suppliesCheck construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.plan allocation of spaceplan allocation of spacePlan best allocation and utilisation of space and resources, or re-organise current premises.plan shifts of employeesplan shifts of employeesPlans shifts of employees to ensure completion of all customer orders and satisfactory completion of the production plan.coordinate marketing plan actionscoordinate marketing plan actionsManage the overview of the marketing actions such as the marketing planning, internal financial resource granting, advertising materials, implementation, control, and communication efforts.use safety equipment in constructionuse safety equipment in constructionUse elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if an accident do...perform project managementperform project managementManage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project's progress in order to achieve a specific g...advise architectsadvise architectsGive advise on design, safety issues, and cost reduction to architects during the pre-application phase.review construction projectsreview construction projectsReview the documents and applications for building projects, discuss necessary changes with the contractors, and forward the documents to the building authorities if needed. Document any deviation fro...

Related Occupations

Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.

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Frequently asked questions

What does a construction general contractor do?

Construction general contractors take on the responsibility to deliver a construction project. They participate on bid processes for construction projects and hire subcontractors to deliver the different stages of the construction process from beginning to completion. They make sure subcontractors hold up their part of the agreement and work in the construction site to make sure the project is delivered in time and according to agreed standards.

What skills does a construction general contractor need?

A construction general contractor needs 16 essential skills, including construction product regulation, contract law, real estate market, green building practices, audit contractors.

Will AI replace construction general contractor jobs?

The AI disruption score for construction general contractor is 48/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: keep records of work progress, communicate with customers, read standard blueprints. Most resilient: use safety equipment in construction, decommissioning, communicate with construction crews.

Quick Facts

SectorManufacturing & Production
ISCO GroupProduction and specialised services managers
Essential Skills16

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