Core terms

General Contractor (GC)

Core terms · definition

The party responsible for the overall project — scheduling, hiring and managing subcontractors, pulling permits, and delivering the finished job. Your single point of accountability.

Source: InterNACHI — Inspection Glossary: General Contractor

Where this comes up

  • Contract

    The legally binding agreement between owner and contractor that defines scope, price, schedule, and responsibilities. A remodel should ne…

  • Permit

    Official jurisdiction authorization to perform regulated work, triggering required inspections. Unpermitted remodels can force teardown,…

  • Subcontractor

    A specialized trade (electrician, plumber, tile setter) hired by the general contractor to perform a portion of the work. You contract wi…

  • Grading

    Shaping the ground around a structure so water drains away from the foundation. Poor grading is a leading cause of basement and crawl-spa…

  • Furring

    Thin strips fastened to a wall or ceiling to create a level, plumb nailing surface or an air gap before finish material is applied — comm…

  • Grout

    The material that fills and seals joints between tiles. Sanded, unsanded, and epoxy grouts differ in durability and stain resistance — ep…

  • Framing

    The skeleton of wood or steel members — studs, joists, rafters, beams — that gives a structure its shape and carries its loads before fin…

  • Hard Costs

    The tangible construction costs — labor, materials, equipment — as opposed to soft costs like design fees, permits, and financing. Hard c…

Where this term fits in a remodel

The pillar guides set terms like this one in context — what the work involves, what drives its cost, and where it sits in the sequence of a project. Pricing a specific house takes a defined scope and an on-site assessment.

Remodeling guides → Contact the publisher →