Builder Vs. Contractor: Know The Differences

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For the good purpose, many people confuse words like "custom home builder" and "general contractor." The responsibilities of these careers often overlap, and general contractors and custom home builders often collaborate to help customers develop their ideal residential houses. Indeed, regardless of which party you approach first to start the project, the best custom homes are often the product of close cooperation between both parties.

However, if you are looking for one of the commercial construction companies in Florida, there are some subtle variations between builder and contractor you need to be familiar with.

Custom Home Builder vs. General Contractor

A general contractor, in general, is someone who supervises a group of subcontractors who assist with different forms of construction projects in your house. On the other hand, a custom home builder specializes in custom homes and is capable of completing this form of a project from start to finish.

To significantly streamline the overall operation, a home builder will typically have a team of people in-house to bring in during the project, such ...
... as a project manager. Custom home builders, unlike general contractors, usually only subcontract jobs that require special licenses, such as electricians or plumbers.

If you are looking for one of Florida's commercial construction companies, go through the differences and similarities mentioned below to understand the subtle but significant differences between home builder and contractor. Learn a little more about what custom home builders and general contractors do (or, in some cases, don't do).

What Does a Custom Home Builder Do?

Unlike general contractors, who typically do not enter the picture until the house is ready to begin construction, hiring a custom home builder for a home ensures you get in-person service from the start. From the beginning, refer to anything from the original drawings and blueprints to day-to-day excavation and construction. In other words, your custom home builder can manage anything from point A to point Z of the home-building process, right up until your new custom home is completed, completely furnished, and ready for the keys to be handed over.

What Does a General Contractor Do?

Simply put, a general contractor is someone who will collaborate with you on your project's construction. Of course, that term is fairly broad, and as a result, it's not all that dissimilar to what a custom home builder does – but there are some key distinctions. A general contractor's primary responsibility is to carry out project plans, often produced by outside experts (i.e., architects). A general contractor can work on various projects, but they don't usually design custom homes.
As a result, it's usual for homeowners to employ outside architects and other consultants to help draw up designs for the general contractor to get things started. At the same time, the custom home builder will usually handle this part of the engagement personally. Following the planning process, the general contractor will ensure that your home is constructed according to your specifications. This is when they recruit, schedule, and pay all subcontractors needed to complete the project.

Conclusion

Although custom home builders and general contractors have distinct functions, they are often very similar. When starting a project, you must assess the particular requirements to determine which of the commercial construction companies in Florida is best for you. You will need to employ other consultants (such as architects and designers) and do some of the day-to-day project management on your own if you hire a general contractor.

It could be more cost-effective to employ a custom home builder for a large home construction project, such as constructing a brand-new home. This is their bread and butter, and they will be able to plan and execute the whole project from beginning to end in-house.