Specializations: Breaking Down The Different Types of Contracting

Contracting is an immense industry.

10:40 11 April 2021

The role of contractors is increasingly versatile, and the opportunities for specialization is expanding rapidly. If you’re looking to go into contracting, or looking to hire a contractor, it can be hard to know where to look with so many options.

 

There are over twenty types of contractors, all with different skill sets and services to offer. What they all have in common is that they all are design specialists who can help with various home improvement projects. As of 2021, the construction industry has an average annual expenditure of 1,231 billion dollars. The field is enormous and because of that, the jobs within it are extremely varied.

 

Different types of contractors also have to obtain different contracting licenses and construction equipment and materials to perform their work. This requires knowing your specialty before you enter the field, rather than specializing once you are qualified to work. This means that contractors are able to get specialized education through licenses, which allows them to really commit to a discipline.

 

General Contractor

 

This contractor has the broadest range of duties, as they are able to supervise any construction project. An example of something they work on would be a home remodel, where they would be responsible for bringing all equipment and tools for the renovation and mapping out its trajectory. Essentially, they oversee all the other workers who are more actively working on a project. They communicate with the customer, come up with the project plans, and make sure that it is executed correctly.

 

Plumbing Contractor

 

A plumbing contractor is responsible for working on issues pertaining to water systems. They may install or repair equipment, and also manage sewage systems. This type of contractor, unlike a general contractor, is extremely specialized.

 

Electrical Contractor

 

Electrical contractors are very common. While they specialize in working with electricity, the range of projects they work on are expansive because almost all construction projects involve electricity. They work with a variety of electric systems and often coordinate with power companies to meet customer needs.

 

Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor

 

This type of contractor, also known as HVAC, works on centralized heating and air conditioning systems. They are able to install and repair different appliances to ensure that your home is ventilated and set to a desired temperature. They tend to work in newer homes because centralized heating and air is a newer innovation not present in older buildings.

 

Excavator

 

A type of contractor you might not have heard of before is called an excavator, whose responsibilities are to clear out buildings from the land for customers wanting to rebuild or renovate. This will allow a new foundation to be built where the previous building once stood. This is also somewhat similar to another type of contractor responsible for demolition. These contractors disassemble components of a building the customer wants removed.

 

Landscapers

 

Landscapers are also considered a type of contractor. They specialize in improving and upkeeping your outdoor areas, and can be hired for homes or for other construction sites. They manage plant growth, plant bushes and flowers, apply pesticides to eliminate bugs, and much more.

 

Wallpaper Installer

 

This type of contractor is self-explanatory, as they are able to install wallpaper into homes. Wallpaper installation is actually quite intricate, and a trained professional is typically needed to ensure proper application and longevity. Painters are also considered contractors, which is another job that requires precision best executed by a professional.

 

Carpenters

 

Carpenters are also a type of contractor. They typically work with wood and other materials, and are skilled in shaping materials for construction projects. Carpenters can even specialize further within their specialization, with some focusing on framing, crown molding, or cabinet construction. Carpenters must be precise and know how to manage intricate tools.

 

Contracting Considerations

 

For every home improvement job you can think to do to your home, there is a contractor that specializes in that line of work. The specialization of contracting has been beneficial to customers with specific services, as they know with confidence that they are hiring someone with particular expertise in a particular field. In this way, having so many different contractors with different areas of focus is beneficial to providing targeted services for customers.

 

However, specialization might appear more as a double-edged sword for potential contractors. Before getting out into the industry, it can be difficult to know which type of contracting would be best for you. This is why it is so important for contractors to experience construction prior to obtaining a license and officially beginning a specialized career. This way, they are able to form an opinion based on their own experiences in the field. It can also be helpful for prospective contractors to form connections with contractors in the field to learn more about their experiences with particular specialties of contracting.

 

There are also many commonalities between all of these types of contractors. They all perform project-based work and have the ability to ascend in their field. They tend to work on teams, which emphasizes collaboration and requires many to have similar attributes. All contractors, regardless of their specialty, must be diligent, skilled, hardworking, open to criticism, and able to evolve along with changes to the industry. Although their jobs might differ, they all should embody similar qualities that make them suitable for contracting as a whole.

 

While it might be confusing that there are so many variations of contractors, the specialization within the industry ensures that customers are hiring specialists for the work they need done. It is also helpful since they are able to spend their career focusing on what area of contracting interests them the most rather than doing multiple jobs and being unable to bring the same level of skill and enthusiasm.

 

Whether you’re a consumer or a prospective contractor, it’s worth reading up on and familiarizing yourself with the many types of contractors the industry has to offer.