A subcontractor is a specialized tradesperson or company, such as an electrician or plumber, hired by a general contractor to complete a specific scope of work within a larger project.
General contractors rely on subcontractors for expertise they don’t have in-house.
What Does a Subcontractor Typically Provide?
- Specialized trade labor, like electrical or plumbing
- Their own crew and equipment
- Compliance with their specific trade’s code requirements
- Warranty on their portion of the work
Why Are Subcontractors Important?
A framing subcontractor is only responsible for the structure they frame, not the electrical or plumbing that comes after, which lets each trade focus on its area of expertise. This division of labor is efficient, but it also creates a chain of contractual relationships where payment disputes with subcontractors are a common trigger for construction liens when they aren’t paid for completed work.
Subcontractor vs. General Contractor
The general contractor holds the overall contract with the owner and manages the whole project; subcontractors are hired by the GC for a narrower, specialized scope. A subcontractor generally has no direct contract with the owner, even though their work is a critical part of the finished project.