Are you contemplating getting your contractor’s license? Have you chosen this career path because you really aren’t sure what else to do if you decide that this isn’t the best decision for you? While this is definitely not a bad career decision for your future, you are sure to feel better about your decision if you didn’t make it out of a lack of something more promising to pursue. First of all, it is important to understand that there are several different types of contractor positions that you can choose to pursue. For instance, you could focus your efforts on becoming an electrical contractor, a general contractor, or a construction contractor, just to name a few. Of course, as with practically any profession you will want to choose a specific contractor area based on your interests and your exhibited areas of strength.
As a general contractor you will be responsible for directing, organizing, planning, and managing a construction project from beginning to end. Ultimately, you will be actively involved in each and every aspect of what is occurring on a project that you are in charge of. Keep in mind, you will be expected to work in conjunction with other professionals in this industry as well as the owners of the structure. As a contractor it will be important that you are very organized, since you can likely expect to be handling numerous projects at the same time. You can expect it to be your responsibility to have the project completed in a timely manner, for it to be done as cost effectively as possible, and for the structure to meet or exceed the state mandated regulations and codes. Ultimately, you will be in charge of each of the subcontractors who are completing some particular phase of the overall project. In some cases, general contractors choose to specialize in certain types of projects. For instance, some individuals choose to focus on contracting residential projects, while others find their niche to be in the commercial property industry.
In order to be qualified to work as a licensed contractor you will need to obtain your licensure from the state in which you live. It is important to note that the specific requirements that you will need to meet will vary some from one state to another, so it is a good idea for you to familiarize yourself with what is mandated by your state of residence. Once you have taken the approved contractor courses and obtained your contractor’s license you will also be expected to maintain your licensure, which may often require continuing education courses. To be successful in this profession it will be important that you have good communication skills and that you are able to negotiate with individuals who may do subcontractor work for one of your projects. In this industry you may also find it beneficial to have solid business skills as well as the ability to market your services to an appropriate clientele.