What Does A General Contractor Do?

A general contractor is the company that takes overall responsibility for building a project. On a commercial job, the general contractor prices the work, signs the main contract with the owner, hires and schedules the trades, buys or coordinates materials, manages the site and safety, handles inspections, and hands over a finished space. The owner deals with one company, and that company answers for the whole build. We’re a general contractor based in Burlington, and here’s what the role looks like in practice.

Before construction

Most of a general contractor’s value is created before anyone picks up a tool. During pre-construction, the contractor visits the site, reviews drawings and existing conditions, asks about how the building is used, and builds a budget and schedule. A good contractor will also flag risks, such as hidden conditions, long-lead equipment or tight landlord rules, and suggest alternatives that save time or money without hurting the result.

Once the price and scope are agreed, the contractor signs a contract with the owner. On many commercial projects, that’s a standard form from the Canadian Construction Documents Committee, such as CCDC 2, a stipulated price contract.

Hiring and coordinating trades

A commercial project can involve demolition, framing, drywall, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, fire protection, flooring, ceilings, painting, millwork and more. The general contractor hires those trades, or uses its own crews for some, and schedules them so each one arrives at the right time. Getting the order right matters: the electrician has to rough in before the drywall goes up, inspections have to happen before walls are closed, and finishes shouldn’t start until dusty work is done.

Permits and inspections

Under Ontario’s Building Code Act, most commercial work that changes walls, exits, plumbing, mechanical systems, fire separations or occupancy needs a building permit. The design team prepares the drawings, and the general contractor coordinates the application, builds inspection time into the schedule and makes sure the work is ready for each inspection.

Safety

On an Ontario construction project, one party takes on the legal responsibilities of the constructor under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and on most commercial jobs that’s the general contractor. That means overseeing safety for everyone on site and following the regulation for construction projects. In occupied buildings, it also means separating the work from staff and customers, controlling dust and noise, and keeping exits and fire protection working.

Money and paperwork

The general contractor invoices the owner, usually monthly, and pays the trades and suppliers. Ontario’s Construction Act sets prompt payment timelines and requires a holdback of ten per cent from each payment to protect those further down the chain. If a payment dispute arises, it can go to adjudication through ODACC. The contractor also prices changes, gets them approved and keeps records of what was agreed.

Communication

The general contractor is the owner’s main point of contact. That means regular updates on progress, upcoming work and decisions needed, and quick, honest news when something changes. On an occupied project, it often includes plain-language notices for staff or tenants about which areas will be affected and when.

Handover and after

At the end, the contractor walks the space with the owner, fixes deficiencies, and hands over warranties, manuals and as-built documents. Many contractors also offer warranty service and maintenance afterwards. We do that through our Maintenance Division.

Picture someone renovating a Burlington office

Picture someone who runs a Burlington engineering firm and wants to reconfigure its office: more meeting rooms, fewer private offices, a better kitchen and new lighting. Without a general contractor, they’d be hiring and scheduling eight or nine trades themselves, chasing permits, and handling safety on a site full of their own staff. With one, they agree a budget and schedule, approve the design, and get weekly updates. The contractor phases the work so the team keeps working, books the inspections, pays the trades, and hands over a finished office with the paperwork to match.

Managing the schedule

A commercial schedule is more than a list of dates. The general contractor plans the sequence of trades, orders long-lead items early, books inspections, and fits the work around the building’s rules, such as loading dock times, elevator bookings and quiet hours. When a delivery slips or an inspection fails, the contractor reworks the sequence so the rest of the job keeps moving. For an owner with a fixed opening or move-in date, this is often the most valuable part of the role.

Managing cost

The contractor tracks costs against the budget throughout the job. When a change comes up, whether it’s the owner’s request or a hidden condition behind a wall, a good contractor explains the options, prices the change and gets approval before going ahead. That keeps the final invoice close to what the owner expected.

General contractor versus other roles

A general contractor is different from a construction manager, who usually joins during design to advise the owner and then manages the trades, and from a design-build firm, which takes on both design and construction. A general contractor usually builds from finished drawings under one contract. In practice, many general contractors, including us, also provide pre-construction advice and project management.

What to look for

• Experience with projects like yours, ideally in occupied buildings
• A clear, written budget with assumptions and exclusions
• A realistic schedule that accounts for permits and long-lead items
• One named contact and a regular update routine
• A clear process for pricing and approving changes
• Proper insurance and a safety program

Our work

Our Commercial Division handles office, retail and hospitality renovations, tenant fit-outs and multi-site programs, and our Retail Division focuses on store fit-outs and brand refreshes. We also offer commercial waterproofing. Our story explains why we started the company and how we try to work.

Questions about general contractors

Working in Burlington

Our office is at 5035 North Service Road in Burlington, and we take on commercial projects across the city, from downtown and Aldershot to the Fairview and Appleby corridors and the business parks along the QEW and 407. Call (905) 331-9090 or send us your project details. We’re available Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.

Planning a commercial project in Burlington? Talk to Orella Group. Call (905) 331-9090 or send us your project details.