Following on from the earlier post about what a main contractor does, this post will outline the main benefits of appointing a mains contractor to work alongside you for delivering standards to your portfolio.
First, let’s start out with a little bit of context here. So, what exactly is a Contractor? Well, contractors are organisations that carry out building, engineering or construction work, as well as electrical and mechanical work on different projects. A single contractor may be enough to complete your project in some cases if the job is relatively small and manageable. However, it is unlikely that one individual can complete all jobs effectively, and to a high standard on more extensive and complicated large-scale projects. In this event, contractors may appoint subcontractors to carry out the work on particular elements of the project.
In this situation, the contractor is referred to as the ‘main contractor.’ The main contractor will either appoint an external subcontractor or come with their team. The subcontractor’s role is to execute certain project parts that the main contractor cannot. Subcontractors are involved with details of the construction process their skills lend themselves to. The roles and responsibilities of cont
MAIN ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
What are the roles and responsibilities of a Mains Contractor? Some core roles and responsibilities of a mains contractor do not differ from role to role. Some, however, are job-specific as they’re determined by the work that needs completing and the number of people completing such jobs. Responsibilities include project management, planning, health and safety management, and legal regulation management, among other tasks.
So, you know what a mains contractor is, you may now be asking yourself “What actually are the benefits of appointing a main contractor?”. Appointing a mains contractor can have many benefits to a company, from the start to the end of the project, it means you will be in safe and professional hands. Below, we will discuss some of the benefits that come with the roles and responsibilities that a contractor adopts when taking control of a project.
BENEFITS OF A MAIN CONTRACTOR
1. PROFESSIONAL INSIGHT
Everyone has expertise in their own field, and there is always someone fully equipped for a specific role. Hiring a mains contractor to manage and complete a project means not only will it take this aspect of the job off your hands, but it also means the job will be completed to a standard that you may not have been able to achieve yourself without significant time invested, which can often be spent on other areas of your role. This extra quality comes from years of experience on similar projects and gives you the peace of mind that the job will be completed to the highest standard, with well-founded knowledge and expertise.
2. HEALTH & SAFETY
One of the primary duties of a mains contractor is to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all workers taking part in the completion of the project. Providing safety information for all workers on the job is essential, and this is taken care of by the main contractor, taking it off your hands in the process. This includes ensuring the use of PPE by all individuals on-site at all times to ensure on-site workplace accidents are kept to a minimum wherever possible. They also have a duty to oversee safety policies that ensure health and safety in the workplace, including any necessary risk assessments, and any preventative methods that may need to be taken as a result of this.
Health and safety needs to be at the forefront of any workplace. This is a significant responsibility to hold, and placing this duty over to a main contractor not only means that they and all other sub-contractors are kept safe but also ensures all legal practices and regulations are followed properly. This brings us to our next point…
3. LEGAL PRACTICES & REGULATIONS
As you will know, a construction project does not just simply take place and that is the end of it. There are many legal practices and regulations that must be followed to the letter of the law, in order to ensure all actions taken on-site are above board and okay in the eyes of the law. This again comes down to a huge amount of insight and expertise around the legalities that are required. Applying for and completing building permit applications will no longer have to be taken on by you, and will instead be passed into the hands of your mains contractor. Whether you’re not sure how to fill out these application forms, or you simply want to invest less of your time into the legal formalities of the project, hiring a main contract helps in both of these areas significantly.
Ensuring your project remains compliant with required legal and regulatory issues related to the project and surrounding areas is essential, and this would ensure all regulations are followed to the letter, with no stone left unturned.
4. MONITORING THE PROJECT
As with any project, time is a major factor and making sure a project of a significant scale hits certain deadlines is essential to the success of any job. This can be a troubling task if you do not have extensive experience in this area and can lead to regular delays if not regularly maintained. Having the expertise at hand to know when a project is on schedule, and more importantly to know when it isn’t, could be the difference when determining if the job was a success. Mains contractors have a duty to ensure all jobs adhere to the schedule, quality of work that is expected of the project, and any other details specified in the contract. It also provides a clear and precise review of this timescale, as well as any modifications to the project timeline depending on any changes and feedback given.
Having this done for you again saves your time and allows you peace of mind that the project is being quality controlled at every avenue, maintaining the quality expected by you.
5. PROJECT MANAGEMENT – TAKEN CARE OF
Managing the budget for the completion of a job can be a difficult process if you do not have prior knowledge of material and service prices, which is why this can be passed over to your mains contractor. Mains contractors have the ability and knowledge to be completely right for the job, and if not, they have the ability to find and hire the right subcontractor for the job, as well as dismiss any that are not up to the standards that the job demands.
6. COST!
Contractors provide agreed services for a client for a set fee and usually within a specific timeframe, as disclosed in a contract for services. Depending on the job at hand, contractors can charge their client fees by the hour, day or job. Subcontractors, on the other hand, undertake a contract from the contractor. They are responsible for work that the contractor often cannot carry out themselves, but is responsible for. With a mains contractor, you know what you are getting for your money, and this takes all of the question marks and potential for price rises out of the equation.
7. TIME MANAGEMENT!
We know that your time matters when working and that major projects like this can eat into that time significantly. Your project may take valuable time away that is required elsewhere and can have significant knock-on effects in some cases. Having a mains contractor eliminates this worry, placing the job in their hands and allowing you to oversee it from afar, keeping your time free for your own roles within your company.
For more information on the role of a mains contractor and how Target Maintenance can help with your next projector, contact our professional team today.
