Did you know that a general contractor handles the day-to-day operations and oversight of a construction project? They also act as the intermediary between the design team, the construction workers, and the owner of the underlying project. If this sounds like something you might enjoy, you might be the perfect fit to become a general contractor.
Keep reading to find out how to become a general contractor, including the contractor requirements needed to get started in the general contractor business.
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Determine Your Career Goals
When it comes to becoming a general contractor, the world is your oyster. A general contractor can work on a large variety of homes ranging from residential projects to commercial buildings. By deciding on a more specific section of a general contractor like a physical constructor or supervisor, you’ll be able to fine-tune your education to help you reach your goal.
Get an Education
A high school education covers the basic education needed to enter the general contractor workforce, but some contractors opt to pursue a two-year associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree to help them reach their goals sooner.
You can also complete a four-year college degree. Some of the subjects you’ll study include:
Structural science
Building
Economics
Finances
Depending on the college you choose, they may even offer specialized degrees in different areas of construction that might interest you.
While it is not necessary, some contractors do pursue advanced master’s degrees. This allows them to move into more competitive fields and senior roles from the start.
Contractors License Exam
One of the contractor requirements you’ll need to work in the field is a license. To become a licensed contractor, you’ll need to complete a contractor’s license course and exam.
To get started on this journey, you’ll need to first your state’s contractor licensing board. You can find their contact information online from your state department. The state’s contractor licensing board will give you a list of requirements you’ll need to become fully licensed.
To obtain a license, you’ll also need to be familiar with your state laws relating to construction and contracting and current building codes. You can take a look at these contractor license courses found here to get a sense of what is required.
Experience, Experience, Experience
If you aren’t able to pursue further education or simply don’t want to, you’ll need to have some relevant work experience to make up for it. Your state will have a minimum work experience requirement that you’ll need for a license.
An apprenticeship or general construction work experience will help you gain the needed experience while also helping you ensure you want to pursue this career.
Know How to Become a General Contractor
Working in the general contractor business gives you plenty of opportunities to expand into fields you prefer and has room for growth in the future, so while you may start as a general worker, you’ll be able to work up to a supervisor role if you’d like. Just remember to always pursue new knowledge along the way. Now that you know how to become a general contractor, you can go ahead and get started on your journey today!
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