Assessing a Career In Business

Assessing a career In Business

Business 1010
Trevor Bradley
Salt Lake Community College

Assessing a Career In Business

Job Description
By providing strong skills, excellent customer service, a good work ethic and a strong
reputation in the construction field, a general contractor can build a thriving business and
fulfilling career. A general contractor has many responsibilities and numerous day to day duties.
The general contractor is responsible for overseeing construction projects from start to finish.
Fair and honest business practices will help to insure that the business will grow and allow many
opportunities to bid on projects.
Once called out to a potential project a general contractor will usually give a first
estimate on what the job will cost. After the first estimate the contractor submits a bid. If the
bid is accepted and the customer decides to hire him as the general contractor, the planning
process begins. This is one of the most important stages of the building process. According to
Chron, a Houston online business blog, there are important details to be considered in the
planning process. General contractors plan all phases of a construction project. They must
estimate the costs of materials and staffing; the expense involved in securing permits; and the
cost for equipment that must be leased or purchased. Based on their estimates, contractors
prepare a budget. They must also prepare a timetable that establishes milestones for phases of the
project to ensure completion dates are met. (Joyner, 2014).
After the planning stage a general contractor must hire all the sub-contractors needed and
obtain all permits that are required to complete the project. During the building process general
contractors that have been hired for bigger projects usually act as manager by insuring that all
sub-contractors are doing their jobs efficiently and following the work schedule. The general
would also meet with any architects, engineers, or project managers about any change orders or

Assessing a Career In Business

any issues that may arise and then work first hand with them to come up with a solution and
report these problems and the resolutions to the customer first hand. A general contractor must
also insure that all the work being completed complies with all state laws and building codes.
Smaller jobs such as remodels or small projects might require the general contractors to put in
several hours of hands-on labor.
General Career Path
Most general contractors start out as an apprentice or laborer in the construction field.
By working under more experienced workers they can learn the skills needed and build
relationships with clients, architects, and suppliers of construction materials. All of these things
are vital in being a successful contractor. General contractors are typically considered jacks-ofall-trades. The general usually doesnt specialize in one area of construction. As an apprentice,
experience will be gained in all areas of construction which will contribute to the career of a
general contractor where the requirement is to have a base knowledge in every aspect of the
construction process. It usually takes an apprentice about five years to gain the knowledge
necessary to pass a state examine and to obtain a contractors license. During this time an
apprentice can learn first-hand how a contractor runs a business. According to Emily Beach, an
eHow contributor, there are several steps in becoming a general contractor and starting a
Contracting business. Know your trade, Build relationships, Create a business plan, Take care
of legal stuff, Get insured, Get financing, Seek out clients, and expand your Business, she
suggests. (Beach, 2014)

Assessing a Career In Business

General Education Experience
Although a degree is not necessary to be a general contractor, a firm education is a
critical aspect of being successful. Education and experience are the most helpful steps in
being successful in the trade. Competition in the field is heavy and a degree in the field
might be the edge that tips the scale in a successful contractors favor. A degree in
Construction Management or in Business is also helpful in understanding how to run and
managing a personal business. Aspects of the law and building codes involved in everyday construction can be understood through meaningful class work and learned more
efficiently than an on-the-job experience. Though a degree may be optional, most states
require an exam to receive a contractors license. According to the Utah Contractor
License Center (Center, 1991-2014) the steps to obtain a contractors license and open a
business are as follows:
1.

A desire to change your life and become a trade professional

2.

Qualifying test scores

3.

A Registered business entity

4.

Liability insurance

5.

Workers compensation insurance

6.

2-4 Years W2 work experience depending on your trade

7.

Signed affidavit of work experience

8.

Licensing Application for filing with DOPL.

Assessing a Career In Business

Average Salary
According to Career Builder Online (Career Builder, 2014) the average Salary of a
general contractor is $83,618. This is based on a contractor with at least 5 years of
experience.
Career Outlook
As mentioned by the Education Portal, (Education Portal, 2003- 2014) The U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) (www.bls.gov) projects that job opportunities
for construction managers were expected to be good, citing a projected 16% increase from
2012-2022. In 2012 the BLS placed the median annual income of general contractors at
$82,790. The future outlook for this career is very promising since commercial and
residential construction is growing very fast and there is always a need for something to be
constructed, maintained or remolded. Building designs and methodologies are rapidly
evolving, thus continued education in the field is critical. An innovative, motivated,
educated individual will have a great future as a general contractor.
Bio of Someone in the profession
Bryan Baeumler is a contractor out of Canada and the host of the famous TV show
Disaster DIY. He has a solid reputation as one of the Best contractors for residential
building and remodeling. Bryan started doing light construction at a young age by helping
his father build a family cottage. At the age of 14 he opened his own handyman business
doing odd jobs for people in his neighborhood. He attended college at Western University
in London, Ontario Canada with a dual degree in Political Science and Business. Choosing
his passion for construction over a career in politics, he opened a construction business in
2004 called Baeumler Quality Construction (baeumler.ca, 2012). A few years later Bryan

Assessing a Career In Business

started doing a show called Disaster DIY and then later House of Bryan and has now made
many appearances on other DIY shows. He now owns the Baeumler Family Foundation
and a group of companies including Baeumler Quality Construction, Baeumler Media and
Baeumler Approved. He also won the Gemini award in 2008 for Best Host in a
lifestyle/practical information TV series.
Pros and Cons
When considering being a general contractor as a profession one must weigh the
pros and cons. Some of the pros are: the opportunity to be your own boss, a flexible work
schedule, the ability to manage your own retirement through a Sep IRA or Keogh account,
the advantages of business tax deductions, and the satisfaction of seeing a well-done job
through to completion. As a self-sufficient family man, the aspects of this career option are
very appealing. I am a self-starter and I work well without supervision so it would
definitely be nice if I were able to be my own boss and have the ability to make my own
schedule. The advantages of availability for my family when needed are obvious. I would
also like to have a nice retirement plan. According to Lawyers.com (lawyers.com, 2014)
there are several advantages to a Keogh plan such as: contributions, within limits, are
deducted from gross income; tax is deferred until the funds are withdrawn; Interest is
generated within the plan and is tax deferred until withdrawn; and contribution limits are
more liberal than IRAs.
Saving for the future is very important to me. This way I can retire and spend my
later years with my children and grandchildren and even have something to leave behind for
their future. Another advantage of a personal business is the ability to deduct things like
tools, business lunches, and business related travel expenses on taxes. Of these advantages,

Assessing a Career In Business

one of the most rewarding is the ability of being able to look at a job and be proud of the
work I have accomplished and enjoy that feeling of self-fulfillment. There is nothing like
having built something and having a tangible monument so-to-speak as a legacy of a
career.
As all jobs, a career as a general contractor still has its challenges. For example, there is
no paid time off, health insurance is usually more expensive, and there can sometimes be a
shortage in work. Retirement savings are not matched by a company and there is no overtime
pay. Owning a business has its rewards but there are missed benefits that working for a company
might offer. Working for someone with sick and vacation benefits provides the opportunity to
take some time away from work and not have to worry about losing out on pay. That is not a
luxury that owning a personal business would provide. Having a 401k and a health insurance
plan that a company contributes to would also be very helpful and is something that would be
missed working as a contractor. Also, work hours would be driven by schedule and contract
amounts, not hourly rates, so overtime is not a word in a contractors vocabulary. Also, when
there are no contracts to be had, a general must learn to balance his cash flow and be able to
cover expenses in lean seasonal and economic times. This aspect would be the most challenging
drawback to the career - not knowing whether business will stay strong or if it will slow down.

My fit with this career

I think that I would be a good fit for this career. I am currently working on obtaining my
degree in Construction Management which I believe is essential in being a general contractor. I
am very self-sufficient and dedicated to my work and I take pride in everything I do. I have the
skills and abilities to accomplish the required tasks and I am always striving to improve and learn

Assessing a Career In Business

new things and to challenge myself. Ever since I was young I have always loved building things
and working with my hands. I already have 9 years of experience as a handyman and plan on
moving in to the construction field to broaden my knowledge and to continue to learn and grow
in this trade. With my entrepreneurial spirit, my knowledge and my passion I know that I would
be a great fit for this career.

Works Cited
baeumler.ca. (2012). Retrieved from baeumler.ca
Beach, E. (2014, July 31). Retrieved from ehow: http://www.ehow.com/how_4442535_become-generalcontractor.html
Career Builder. (2014). career builder. Retrieved from careerbuilder:
http://salary.careerbuilder.com/general-contractor/
Center, U. C. (1991-2014). Retrieved from utclc: http://www.utclc.com/what-do-i-need/
Education Portal. (2003- 2014). Retrieved from Education Portal: http://educationportal.com/articles/General_Contractor_Job_Outlook_and_Requirements_for_a_Career_in_Ge
neral_Contracting.html
Joyner, J. (2014). Chron. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/job-description-general-contractors12435.html
lawyers.com. (2014). Retrieved from lawyers.com: http://employee-benefits.lawyers.com/pension-andprofit-sharing-plans/keogh-plans.html