How many of you have done work for a general contractor who takes your bid and tacks on another 20% to your price and has the homeowner or business owner fooled into thinking they know what they are doing? I myself am tired of it and want to know what it takes to get licensed as a general contractor. Im allready a master electrician and have worked for 3 G.C.s that I dont think even graduated high school yet they hire the HVAC, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, and tell them all what to do. So what codes, tests, etc., does it take to become a G.C., becasue it cant be that hard to do? I want to become a G.C., hire the other trades and bid the electrical myself.
get rid of the middle man
- Thread starter nec4me
- Start date
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harborrick
Member
- Location
- Irvine California
Re: get rid of the middle man
Its nice to be a GC.It guarantees you the electrical.However you will have to deal with all the other headakes.To become a GC,you must take the GC trade test.You have already passed the law.
Good luck.
Its nice to be a GC.It guarantees you the electrical.However you will have to deal with all the other headakes.To become a GC,you must take the GC trade test.You have already passed the law.
Good luck.
jeff43222
Senior Member
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: get rid of the middle man
To become a state-licensed GC where I live, you have to pass a test that covers laws, building codes, and questions about the various things GCs are permitted to do (roofing, carpentry, concrete, etc.). Plumbing and electrical are the only two specialties GCs are not allowed to work on; they are licensed separately. Anyone can take the GC exam and get licensed. No experience or training is required.
There are places that advertise review courses for the GC exam that guarantee you'll pass the exam or they'll give you your money back. Only the owner or principal of the GC company has to have passed the exam. The GC can then hire anyone to do the actual work, even if the employees don't know a hammer from a wrench. No one who does the actual work for the GC has to have a license of any sort. Only the GC has to have a license.
I was a little surprised to learn all of this. Electrical and plumbing are much more restrictive about who can take the licensing exams and who has to be licensed to do which work.
The impression I've gotten from a lot of the posts on this board is that ECs in general prefer not to deal with GCs and much prefer dealing directly with the owners.
[ November 02, 2004, 10:43 AM: Message edited by: jeff43222 ]
To become a state-licensed GC where I live, you have to pass a test that covers laws, building codes, and questions about the various things GCs are permitted to do (roofing, carpentry, concrete, etc.). Plumbing and electrical are the only two specialties GCs are not allowed to work on; they are licensed separately. Anyone can take the GC exam and get licensed. No experience or training is required.
There are places that advertise review courses for the GC exam that guarantee you'll pass the exam or they'll give you your money back. Only the owner or principal of the GC company has to have passed the exam. The GC can then hire anyone to do the actual work, even if the employees don't know a hammer from a wrench. No one who does the actual work for the GC has to have a license of any sort. Only the GC has to have a license.
I was a little surprised to learn all of this. Electrical and plumbing are much more restrictive about who can take the licensing exams and who has to be licensed to do which work.
The impression I've gotten from a lot of the posts on this board is that ECs in general prefer not to deal with GCs and much prefer dealing directly with the owners.
[ November 02, 2004, 10:43 AM: Message edited by: jeff43222 ]
Re: get rid of the middle man
I believe electrical contractors would make great GC's. We are involved with every facet of the job. I have been on jobs where my foreman know more than the GC super. EC's know how crucial it is for all the trades to work together. WHY: Because we are always at the rear end of the work.When a trade is lagging we usually get forced into crunching our time...but do our GC's respect that...nope...who's fault is that??? Ours...for not shoving it up their you know what...
I believe electrical contractors would make great GC's. We are involved with every facet of the job. I have been on jobs where my foreman know more than the GC super. EC's know how crucial it is for all the trades to work together. WHY: Because we are always at the rear end of the work.When a trade is lagging we usually get forced into crunching our time...but do our GC's respect that...nope...who's fault is that??? Ours...for not shoving it up their you know what...
charlie tuna
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: get rid of the middle man
every electrical contractor i know who became a gc has been very sucessful! actually, many of them resulted in becoming large in the gc end and basically giving up on the electrical end! my two biggest problems with "working for gc's":
1) of course the problem with getting payed!
2) his selection of subcontractors that he chooses to work with you. our trade is like no other! we are the first on the job and the last to leave! the efficiency of the other contractor, along with their trade knowledge, directly effects your time to complete each job phase.
i once had a contractor calling the city for my rough inspections when the walls were not up! of course the city approved the inspection due to our reputation. then the gc scheduals the drywall installer to work the weekend and he covers the area without the electrical installed! last job with that sob! the industry is changing and the gc isn't from the old school! the new ones, know little other than schedualling work--and yet don't know the length of time required for it's installation! the old gc and superintendents knew enough about each trade to properly allow an orderly installation process! i think the big problem is the ease at what it takes to become a gc..
every electrical contractor i know who became a gc has been very sucessful! actually, many of them resulted in becoming large in the gc end and basically giving up on the electrical end! my two biggest problems with "working for gc's":
1) of course the problem with getting payed!
2) his selection of subcontractors that he chooses to work with you. our trade is like no other! we are the first on the job and the last to leave! the efficiency of the other contractor, along with their trade knowledge, directly effects your time to complete each job phase.
i once had a contractor calling the city for my rough inspections when the walls were not up! of course the city approved the inspection due to our reputation. then the gc scheduals the drywall installer to work the weekend and he covers the area without the electrical installed! last job with that sob! the industry is changing and the gc isn't from the old school! the new ones, know little other than schedualling work--and yet don't know the length of time required for it's installation! the old gc and superintendents knew enough about each trade to properly allow an orderly installation process! i think the big problem is the ease at what it takes to become a gc..
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
Re: get rid of the middle man
I'm not sure if its still the case, but Rockford,IL used to allow anyone that would pay the fee to get a license as an EC. No test, no qualififcations required. Just pay the fee.
It worked amazingly well, even though it sounds like it would end up with a lot of shoddy work.
I'm not sure if its still the case, but Rockford,IL used to allow anyone that would pay the fee to get a license as an EC. No test, no qualififcations required. Just pay the fee.
It worked amazingly well, even though it sounds like it would end up with a lot of shoddy work.
charlie tuna
Senior Member
- Location
- Florida
Re: get rid of the middle man
i took a construction estmating class at a college --- i thought it would help me understand electrical estimating, but only a small portion concern it! the college students told me they were taking the course to get their gc license then get paid to draw permits for individuals?
i was suprised that eight of them had their license by the class end! they really didn't know anything about the field---only the book work!
i took a construction estmating class at a college --- i thought it would help me understand electrical estimating, but only a small portion concern it! the college students told me they were taking the course to get their gc license then get paid to draw permits for individuals?
i was suprised that eight of them had their license by the class end! they really didn't know anything about the field---only the book work!
brian john
Senior Member
- Location
- Leesburg, VA
Re: get rid of the middle man
A majority of my work is for electrical contractors that do not have the expierence, expertise or knowledge to do what my firm can. I do not care what they mark up my prices, they find me work, keep me busy and free me up to do what I do. There are certain advantages to working for others.
I protect my contractors and do solicate work from their customers, and if their customers call me I notify my contractors of the situation.
A majority of my work is for electrical contractors that do not have the expierence, expertise or knowledge to do what my firm can. I do not care what they mark up my prices, they find me work, keep me busy and free me up to do what I do. There are certain advantages to working for others.
I protect my contractors and do solicate work from their customers, and if their customers call me I notify my contractors of the situation.
Re: get rid of the middle man
Did some work for a GC a few years ago...they installed steel studs and we wired it. Set our boxes for 5/8" depth. GC installed drywall after the inspection. After they got the last sheet up they called and said all our boxes were sticking out and we had to fix the problem. They would take the drywall down and put it back up-for a fee! I said OK but Do not remove any until I get there! When I walked in the owner was also present and not happy. The GC pulled off the first sheet. It measured 1/2"! I said Good-bye! You were supposed to install 5/8" on steel studs, not 1/2". The owner was really hot now. The GC ended up losing his on this job.
So like you said, electricians probably know more about working with the other trades and codes than some of the GCs!
Did some work for a GC a few years ago...they installed steel studs and we wired it. Set our boxes for 5/8" depth. GC installed drywall after the inspection. After they got the last sheet up they called and said all our boxes were sticking out and we had to fix the problem. They would take the drywall down and put it back up-for a fee! I said OK but Do not remove any until I get there! When I walked in the owner was also present and not happy. The GC pulled off the first sheet. It measured 1/2"! I said Good-bye! You were supposed to install 5/8" on steel studs, not 1/2". The owner was really hot now. The GC ended up losing his on this job.
So like you said, electricians probably know more about working with the other trades and codes than some of the GCs!
Re: get rid of the middle man
I currently work for a company that has both divisions. In Texas the only requiremnt to be a GC is to pay 100 dollars to the city. Thats not much but you also need the cashflow to float all of the contractors for the duration of the project if the schedule is short. You don't have the benifit of utilizing the supply houses as a bank the way subcontractors can. Having worked on both sides I have marked up my own electrical bids as a gc. Often times a gc will move money around. If your bid is 20% lower than the next lowest bid then I would certainly mark it up. But I have to bid general services as well. The 20% I made on electrical offsets the 2% I made on HVAC. Just a thought
I currently work for a company that has both divisions. In Texas the only requiremnt to be a GC is to pay 100 dollars to the city. Thats not much but you also need the cashflow to float all of the contractors for the duration of the project if the schedule is short. You don't have the benifit of utilizing the supply houses as a bank the way subcontractors can. Having worked on both sides I have marked up my own electrical bids as a gc. Often times a gc will move money around. If your bid is 20% lower than the next lowest bid then I would certainly mark it up. But I have to bid general services as well. The 20% I made on electrical offsets the 2% I made on HVAC. Just a thought
highkvoltage
Senior Member
Re: get rid of the middle man
nec4me. That's funny because I was just talking to the wife and expressed they same thoughts to her. In fact the way I put it was "Why am I eating a slice when I can have the whole pie?" I paln on ordering the information about the test tomorrow and taking the test as soon as I am ready.
nec4me. That's funny because I was just talking to the wife and expressed they same thoughts to her. In fact the way I put it was "Why am I eating a slice when I can have the whole pie?" I paln on ordering the information about the test tomorrow and taking the test as soon as I am ready.
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