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What is a Main Contractor?
A main contractor is the company who everyone outside of the industry assumes actually constructs a building. This is far from true. A main contractor consists substantially of a management team that sources, controls and co ordinates a large number of smaller specialist sub contractors who each actually construct a separate element of a building. A typical team that would be required to complete a scheme such as this would consist of:
An estimator, who would price the works.
A contracts manager, who would oversee the programming and construction of the project, and liaise with the architect, structural engineer and services engineer to ensure that all the information required to complete the scheme was accurate and provided in sufficient time.
A site manager, who would be responsible for the supervision of the subcontractors and suppliers actually carrying out the works, ensuring that they complete the works on time and to the required specification.
A quantity surveyor, who would be responsible for selecting the subcontractors, managing all financial matters on behalf of the main contractor including the measurement and payment of subcontractors and the production of valuations to be submitted and agreed with the Clients quantity surveyor.
An engineer, who transfers the drawn information from paper into physical points set out on the site and ensures that a building and all of its attendant underground services is constructed in accordance with the design and in the correct location.
There are almost as many routes into working for a main contractor as there are different roles available within the company, with engineers and quantity surveyors generally undertaking either a four year full time degree, or a five year part time degree whilst in employment, buyers and site managers undertaking part time qualifications whilst working and gaining practical experience on site.
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