General contractor is a term people use loosely, so it helps to know what the role covers before you compare quotes. This guide explains the job in plain terms, how general contractors price their work, and when a project needs one. It's written for homeowners and business owners in Winnipeg and nearby communities, but the basics apply across Canada.
What does a general contractor do on a renovation?
On a renovation, the general contractor turns a plan into finished work and carries the responsibility for getting it built. That covers the price, the schedule, the trades, the materials, permits and inspections, site safety and cleanup. The table shows what the role looks like at each stage of a typical project, from the first visit to handover.
| Stage | What the general contractor does |
|---|---|
| Before the quote | Visits the site, asks how you use the space, checks what is likely behind walls and floors, and notes what will need a permit. |
| Quote and contract | Prices the work line by line, lists allowances and exclusions, sets the schedule and payment stages, and puts it all in a written contract. |
| Pre-construction | Applies for permits, orders long-lead items such as cabinets and windows, books trades in sequence and plans how the rest of the home or business is protected. |
| Construction | Runs the site day to day, coordinates trades, keeps the work to code and the approved plans, books inspections and reports progress. |
| Changes | Prices any change in writing before the work is done and shows how it affects the schedule. |
| Handover | Completes deficiencies, cleans up, closes out permits and gives you warranty details and product information. |
What's the difference between a general contractor and a subcontractor?
A general contractor holds the contract with you and is responsible for the whole job. Subcontractors, or subtrades, are specialists the general contractor brings in for parts of it: electricians, plumbers, heating technicians, drywallers, tilers and others. You pay the general contractor, who pays the subtrades and answers to you for their work and their schedule.
In Winnipeg, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and demolition work is done by City-licensed contractors, apart from electrical or plumbing work a homeowner does personally in the single detached house they live in, so a general contractor either holds those licences or brings in licensed trades. Manitoba also treats construction as a mandatory industry for workers compensation coverage. Our contractor checklist shows how to verify both before you sign.
Do you need a general contractor?
You need one when a project involves several trades, a permit, structural changes or a tight schedule. A kitchen, bathroom, basement development, addition or commercial fit-up usually ticks most of those boxes. A single-trade job, like painting a room or swapping a faucet in the same spot, usually doesn't. The comparison below shows where the responsibility sits either way.
| Question | Managing trades yourself | Hiring a general contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Who books and sequences the trades? | You do, and gaps between trades are yours to fill | The contractor |
| Who applies for permits and books inspections? | You, or each trade for its own permit | The contractor, as set out in the contract |
| Who is responsible if one trade's work damages another's? | Often unclear | The contractor |
| How many contracts and payments? | One per trade | One contract with staged payments |
| Best suited to | Small, single-trade jobs | Multi-trade renovations, additions and commercial work |
What do most general contractors charge?
There's no single rate. Most general contractors price renovations either as a fixed price for a defined scope, or as cost-plus, where you pay the actual costs plus an agreed fee. Either way, the price covers labour, materials, subtrades, permits, site supervision, overhead and profit. How the price is built matters as much as the total.
| Method | How it works | Works well when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed price | One price for a written scope; changes are priced separately | The scope and finishes are settled before work starts | Allowances set too low, and how changes are priced |
| Cost-plus | You pay actual costs for labour, materials and subtrades, plus an agreed fee | The scope is uncertain, such as older buildings with unknown conditions | An open-ended total; ask for a budget estimate and regular cost reports |
| Time and materials | Hourly labour plus materials | Small or repair jobs | No ceiling unless one is agreed in writing |
Ask every contractor which method they use, what's included and how allowances work. A quote that looks cheaper may simply carry lower allowances for cabinets, tile or fixtures. At Bridgeland Builders, every project starts with a free on-site visit and a free written quote, with taxes shown. For a rough number first, try our instant renovation estimate or the Winnipeg renovation cost guide.
How does a general contractor handle permits and inspections?
The general contractor usually applies for the building permit, coordinates the trade permits, and books inspections at the stages the permit requires. The City of Winnipeg says homeowners are responsible for getting permits before a project starts, so make sure the contract says who applies, and ask for the permit numbers once they're issued.
Outside Winnipeg, permits come from your local municipality. We coordinate permits and inspections with the City of Winnipeg or the local municipality on every project. Our guide to Winnipeg renovation permits covers which projects need one.
What does a general contractor do on a commercial project?
On commercial work, the general contractor also plans around the business: the lease start, the opening date, operating hours, the landlord's requirements and the building's rules for contractors. Work is often phased or scheduled after hours so the business can keep running, and the contractor builds to the drawings prepared by your architect or designer.
Bridgeland Builders handles office, retail, restaurant, hotel and clinic renovations, with after-hours and weekend scheduling for commercial work and weekly progress updates. See our general contracting and commercial renovation services, or read how to prepare your business for a major renovation.
What should you ask a general contractor before hiring?
Ask who runs the site, which trades are subcontracted, who handles permits, how changes are priced, how often you'll get updates, what triggers each payment, and what the written warranty covers. Ask every contractor the same questions, in the same words, so the answers are easy to compare side by side:
- Who will be on site day to day, and who is my main contact?
- Which trades are your own staff, and which are subtrades?
- Who applies for permits and books inspections?
- How do you price changes, and when do I approve them?
- How often will I get progress updates?
- What is the payment schedule, and what triggers each payment?
- What does your written warranty cover?
Then check the paperwork: a WCB clearance, an insurance certificate and the business registration. If you're planning a home project that touches several rooms, our whole-home renovation page explains how that kind of work is staged.
Next step
If your project involves more than one trade, book a free on-site visit. We'll look at the space, talk through scope and schedule, and follow up with a free written quote. We reply within one business day.
Frequently Asked Questions
The terms overlap. Builder usually describes a company that constructs new homes or buildings, while general contractor describes the role of running a whole construction project under one contract, whether it's new work or a renovation. For a renovation, what matters is whether the company takes responsibility for the full scope, the trades, the permits and the schedule.
Both, depending on the company. Many general contractors have their own carpenters and labourers for demolition, framing and finishing, and bring in licensed subtrades for electrical, plumbing and heating. Ask who will do each part of your job and who supervises the site day to day, so you know who to talk to when questions come up.
Small or repair jobs are often priced as time and materials, meaning hourly labour plus materials, or as a fixed price for a short written scope. If the work is hourly, ask for a not-to-exceed amount so the total can't drift. Some contractors also have a minimum job size, so ask about it early.
You can, but you take on the scheduling, trade coordination, permits and the risk when one trade's work delays or damages another's. In Winnipeg, electrical and plumbing permits go to City-licensed contractors unless you do that work yourself in a single detached home you live in. For multi-trade projects, most homeowners find one contract simpler to manage.
A general contractor holds the construction contract and is responsible for getting the work built. A project manager can be someone you or your company hire separately to represent you, review schedules and costs, and check the contractor's progress. On most home renovations, the general contractor's own site lead handles day-to-day project management.
Sources
- City of Winnipeg: Home improvement projects (permits) (verified )
- City of Winnipeg: List of licensed contractors (verified )
- City of Winnipeg: Electrical installations (verified )
- City of Winnipeg: Plumbing installations (verified )
- WCB Manitoba: Register a business for WCB coverage (mandatory industries) (verified )
Planning a project like this in Winnipeg?
Tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a clear, written quote.
