Hiring a specialty contractor vs a general contractor

I’ve been asked a few times as a contractor “should I hire a general contractor or a specialist”? “What is the difference”?

There are definite differences between these two types of contractors, differences that are about as stark as night and day.

General contractors work best managing larger projects that involve multiple trades such as home remodeling, home building, and additions, often subcontracting much of the trades out to specialty contractors. Sometimes general contractors work the trades they were trained in on their jobs.

Specialty contractors specialize in one, maybe two trades and work in those same trades every day. They should be experts in this trade, being familiar with all of the materials involved, common problems, local suppliers, ect. There hundreds of different types of specialty contractors, from roofers, painters, carpet layers, cabinet installers, sheetrockers.

When looking for a contractor for your project ask yourself how many trades are involved. If your just painting your homes exterior or need some electrical work completed obviously you need a painter and electrician-both specialty contractors.

On the other side of the coin, if your remodeling a bathroom or adding a 3rd bedroom onto your house you need a general contractor. A good general contractor should have a basic understanding of all of his trades and have a list of good specialty contractors to work on his projects.

…And then there is the contractor who does every trade himself, because he supposedly knows all the trades. This contractor is another posting within itself, we’ll hear about him next time.

Hopefully this helps when contemplating what kind of contractor you’ll be needing.


Have a Merry christmas
Jordan