General Contracting Knowledge

Mercury2234

Hello,

I am recently starting commercial development, and I wanted to get more knowledge about the general contracting business as a whole. Anybody has any suggestions as to where someone with minimum skills go to gain more in-depth knowledge of the field?

Thanks!
HC

go do it

library

Big Bob

WOW! this is a tall order. Be sure you have your water wings on be for you jump in. 1. it can be done. A. the trick is to not let it cost you too much. B. Know what you are willing to risk in your pursuit of knowlege.
2. don't jump in the deep end before you know how to swim. A. with water wings. B. Or without water wings ... unless you have money to burn.

Subia29

Try go workinig out in the field first. Maybe about 4 years in commercial work ,Untill you are a skilled craftmen that knows about building, Then try getting your contractors license & learn law plus buisness management.Or you could throw your money away & have someone run it for you. With minimum skills on field, Good luck trying to gain with knowing very little.Hands on is the best knowledge you'll ever get within time.

Lumpy

Hire a good GC and let him run the construction. If you're a developer, stick with what works and manage your investments. $.02

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professional remodeling

Magnettica

School.

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KentWhitten

I would think seriously about business management classes or similar. I worked for a guy in Seattle that had awesome business skills and couldn't tell me how to frame worth nothing. Actually, he knew little about how construction went, just good at business. I wouldn't recommend it though without some hands on skills.

Mater

Probably use the search box at the top of the page. From previous posts like this, most if not all professional contractors here won't explain in detail how to do it all in this forum, there's far too much. What magnettica said, "school."

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These tools have been purchased with wages from the entrepreneurial spirit. If you've sat back and let another "negotiate" your hourly wages, these are not for you.
-Rob

WARD

I think more and more GCs are hiring this type of person now for superintendets than what it used to be. It is more of a managment of processes and people than actual know how.

Tmrrptr

Merc, nothing will substitute for direct experience in the field.

However, I have seen a few, rather well-built homes, that I commented to the HO/builder, "How did you come by the skills to do such nice work?", and the answer was, "I read a good book."

And they had no prior construction work experience, or even close to it...

Your best bet would be to rely on quality subs, treat your people well, and pay them promptly.
A periodic BBQ w plenty of beer goes a looong way!

One book I know of comes to mind... and I highly recommend it.

How To Run a Successful Construction Company, by Dave Gerstel, Taunton Press, 2002.

It's all there.
Everyone in the trades should have it.
I should have it.
r