General Contractor or Renovation Contractor: Which Is the Right Fit for Your Bergen County, NJ Project?
General contractor or renovation contractor: which is the right fit for your Bergen County, NJ project? Read on to find out!
Hiring an experienced contractor is the best way to get a successful outcome for a home or commercial improvement project. However, you also need someone who has the necessary capability and licenses, as well as insurance.
Why Worry About Working with a Certain Type of Contractor?
Renovation projects often come with a laundry list of problems that are revealed only once demolition has begun. Improper wiring, plumbing, framing, or work not done to code are not uncommon in renovations, as building standards were quite a bit looser in the past.
There are important differences to note between renovation contractors and general contractors. For this reason, carefully consider the following criteria when deciding between a renovation contractor and a general contractor.
What is a Renovation Contractor?
A renovation contractor specializes in making improvements to existing buildings. However, this is not an official designation; it’s merely an indication that this individual or company specializes in renovations rather than new construction. Due to the lack of licensing requirements for “renovation contractors” you will want to be very careful.
Take the time to check out the licensing of any business or individual that claims to be a renovation contractor. Ensure that specialty licenses are in place for every task that they will be performing personally, including plumbing and electrical work (and other specialties). Otherwise, these tasks need to be subcontracted out, or you risk putting the project at risk if these tasks are not done to code.
If a renovation contractor takes on the work without proper licensing and does not hire the workout, essentially, you’re dealing with a handyman at that point, not a contractor and you have very little recourse if things should go wrong.
What is a General Contractor?
A general contractor has the expertise and licensing to handle any kind of building project, whether it’s from the ground up or a renovation. Renovation projects often involve several specialties. The general contractor often acts as a project manager, coordinating subcontractors in various trades.
A general contractor will also carry heftier insurance than a renovation contractor, along with more industry certifications. Certifications aren’t required, but they are a testament to the contractor’s commitment to the industry.
Choosing Which Type of Contractor to Hire For Your Project
If you are making renovations in residential property and the project is small, you could work with a renovation contractor. We recommend that if your project is small (for example, moving a closet to optimize space in a bedroom or removing a non-load-bearing wall to create a more generous home office space) AND the tasks don’t require licenses (i.e. no structural, electrical, or plumbing work) then you can use a renovation contractor.
We recommend always choosing a general contractor for commercial spaces. For residential renovations, choose a general contractor for large projects and/or any projects that involve specialized trades that require licenses. Whether the project is residential or commercial, you’ll benefit from the general contractor’s expertise and licensing in the relevant trades, or their ability to hire and manage a variety of subcontractors.
Doing a job correctly means hiring the right professionals. This way, you can avoid costly do-overs, dangerous mistakes, mismanaged projects, and other problems.
Related: Why Hire a General Contractor to Install Epoxy Floors in New York City Area?