We all like to think that we can handle our home repairs and projects on our own. In the back of our minds, though, we all know that’s not true. There will inevitably be some things that we can’t do ourselves.
When that time comes around, we’re forced to look around for contractors to do various jobs. In that search, you’ll notice that there are a couple of terms that are commonly thrown around: contractor and subcontractor.
We’ll explain the difference between subcontractor vs contractor and leave you a little more informed about who to hire for your next home project.
Subcontractor vs Contractor
When most people think “contractor,” they think of a General Contractor who can take care of whatever they need and do it right.
It would be impossible for everyone to have every skill that could potentially be needed in home repairs, though. Nobody is Superman or Wonderwoman. That’s where subcontractors come in.
Subcontractors
Subcontractors are people who have a specialized skill in one area or another. Generally, you could think of these people like plumbers, electricians, or other professionals who have a deep knowledge of one area.
Their jobs are crucial and must be done correctly. In many cases, plumbing and electric work require that a person has gone to school for extensive training before they begin to work on a real project.
Your average Joe can’t do this work, and neither can the average general contractor. In fact, most things having to do with home repairs require specific knowledge.
You may be thinking, then, “what does a contractor do?”
Contractors
A contractor is a person who orchestrates the whole operation. Hiring a contractor is like hiring a conductor who knows when and how the different pieces should fit together.
If your subcontractors are disparate and don’t communicate with one another, the parts of your house may be installed in the wrong order or in incompatible ways, all forcing you to pay more money to have them fixed.
A contractor is in touch with various subcontractors, calling on them to get the best prices and do things in the right order. The work of a contractor often requires physical labor in a specialized area, but the ultimate value is the network of subcontractors and the ability to deliberate that this person has.
If you want to have a quality home repair or installation, we highly recommend that you contact a contractor. In fact, any time there is more than one element of your home (heating, electric, plumbing, drywall, etc.) that are affected by the project, a contractor’s advice will be extremely valuable.
Want to Know More About Home Repair?
Hopefully, the difference between subcontractor vs contractor is a little clearer to you now. You won’t always need to hire a professional, though.
In smaller projects, there’ll be a lot of room for you to do the work yourself. Visit our site to learn more about DIY home repair that you can do right now.
