When might you hire a carpenter or a contractor for your business?

You might hire a carpenter or a contractor for your business if you need repairs to a building, want to remodel a property or need to have items built out of wood. It’s important to know which professional is right for the job so you can recruit, interview and hire a candidate who’s a good fit for the role.

Carpenter vs. contractor: understanding the difference

To understand the difference between a carpenter and a contractor, it’s important to understand what these professionals do, what type of skills they have and what experience and qualifications you should look for when hiring them.

What is a carpenter?

A carpenter specializes in working with wood and related materials to build or repair structures or fixtures. Carpenters often work on projects such as construction and installing cabinets or shelves, building homes or making furniture for residential or commercial building projects.

Carpenter skills

Successful carpenters have specific skills, including:

• Expert woodworking skills to cut, shape and join wood and other materials as required to complete a job
• Mathematical skills required to calculate angles and necessary dimensions and measure and cut materials for projects
• The ability to read and interpret blueprints and schematics to guide construction
• Problem-solving skills that allow them to troubleshoot issues that arise during construction or identify potential issues before they become larger or more expensive problems
• Knowledge of building codes and safety standards
• Proficiency in using tools, including manual and power tools
• Some knowledge of plumbing and electrical installations, as they may work with or near them
• Project management skills, including time management

Carpenter experience and qualifications

Depending on your location and the type of work you want completed, you may need to hire a licensed carpenter. The laws regarding licensing vary with each state, so you may need to review those requirements before you determine your hiring strategy. Even if you don’t need a licensed carpenter, you may want someone with experience in the type of work you need.

Read More: Carpenter Job Description

What is a general contractor?

A general contractor is someone who’s in charge of an entire construction project. While many general contractors have the skills to complete carpentry projects—and may have experience as carpenters themselves—they often take on projects that involve a broader range of responsibilities beyond just carpentry.

Instead, they work to coordinate all aspects of the project, hiring subcontractors to handle specific work such as carpentry, plumbing and electrical installations.

General contractor skills

General contractors need many of the same skills as carpenters, including problem-solving and project management skills, as well as knowledge of local building codes. Some other skills you might look for in a general contractor include:

• Financial management skills to help them keep projects on budget and manage bidding processes with subcontractors
• Communication and customer service skills, as general contractors often act as the point person for clients, business partners and other stakeholders
• Leadership skills, as the general contractor may also be the manager of the project and need to lead business employees and subcontractors
• Negotiation skills and contract management experience that allow the general contractor to navigate subcontractor and materials contracts on your behalf
• General technical knowledge related to the construction field, as they must be able to communicate with and oversee tradespeople in a variety of specialties
• Risk management knowledge to help the contractor assess dangers and risks and make calculated decisions in the face of uncertainties
• Resource management, as the contractor is ultimately responsible for ensuring the appropriate delivery of materials and tools at sites

General contractor experience and qualifications

In most cases, general contracts need to be licensed, though the specific requirements vary by state. When hiring a general contractor, consult state laws. While there are no formal education requirements for general contractors, most licensure processes require a certain amount of on-the-job training. Contractors may also need to pass exams and demonstrate that they have liability insurance to be licensed.

Read more: General Contractor Job Description

Why you might want to hire a carpenter

If you need woodworking completed on an ongoing basis as part of your everyday business processes, you may want to hire a part-time or full-time carpenter. For example, a furniture company that makes wood dining tables and chairs, wardrobes and bookshelves may need one or more carpenters on staff to construct those products.

However, if you only need one-off or occasional carpentry work completed, you may want to hire an independent contractor. This means the carpenter is hired only for the individual job and not as an employee.

Read more: How to Hire a Carpenter

Why you might want to hire a general contractor

If you need more comprehensive work completed that goes beyond woodworking, you may want to hire a general contractor. A general contractor will review the requirements of the project and bid on the work. Once you hire them, they’ll hire anyone else required to complete the work, including subcontractors who can handle any carpentry work that might be part of the project.

You can hire a general contractor for a single job, such as renovating an office space or building a new retail location. You might also keep a general contractor on retainer so you can reach out to them any time you have work that needs completing—this might be a good idea for a business that manages numerous residential properties.

Related: Contracting Independent Contractors: What Is a Contractor?

FAQs about carpenter vs. contractor

Can you hire a general contractor as a traditional W2 employee?

A general contractor doesn’t usually work as a traditional employee. However, you can hire them as an independent contractor or subcontractor. If you aren’t sure how to classify employees and contractors, consult a legal expert and your human resources department.

What type of businesses might need a full-time carpenter?

You might need a full-time carpenter if your products or services involve regular woodworking. Some examples include entertainment companies that need to produce stage or film sets regularly, property management firms that handle home repairs and work orders and specialty furniture manufacturers.