Take advantage of our services including contractor pre-qualification, bidding and negotiation, to take the guesswork out of procuring construction, and reduce your risk.

“GENERAL CONTRACTOR” or “DESIGN-BUILDER”

  • A General Contractor or Design-Builder is a business which takes overall responsiblity for delivery of a construction project. Usually, a General Contractor contracts directly with the Owner on a lump sum or cost-plus basis, and with subcontractors who provide separate trades’ construction as part of the Construction Agreement. Items of work provided by the General Contractor itself may include maintenance and supervision of the construction site, coordination of the work of trade contractors, worker safety, etc.
  • Unlike architects and other registered professionals, there are no barriers to entry into the construction industry as a General Contractor or Design-Builder, and there is no regulatory authority which sets minimum standards of qualification, practice and conduct. Anybody who registers a business in British Columbia has the right to call that business a General Contractor or Design-Builder. Business licensing is not an occupational licensing system, and there are no minimum knowledge, skill, or experience requirements.
  • Any business owner who registers their business with Homeowner Protection Office (BC) has the right to call that business a Licensed Residential Builder or Licensed Building Envelope Renovator. This is not an occupational licensing system, and there is no evaluation of registrants for minimum knowledge, skill, or experience requirements. HPO registration is merely a prerequisite for a home builder to participate in the New Home Warranty program in BC.

“DEVELOPER” or “LAND DEVELOPER”

  • Generally, a Land Developer is involved in a range of activities related to the improvement of real property, including real estate investment, purchase, lease, subdivision, rezoning, development approval, procurement of site and building work, and ultimately either sale or operation of properties and facilities. Many Developers are also Owner/Builders of their own construction, usually through a legally separate construction business which acts as a General Contractor. Unlike architects and other registered professionals, there are no barriers to entry into the construction industry as a Developer, and there is no regulatory authority which sets minimum standards of qualification, practice and conduct. Anybody who registers a business in British Columbia has the right to call that business a Developer. Business licensing is not an occupational licensing system, and there are no minimum knowledge, skill, or experience requirements.

TRADE CONTRACTORS and TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

  • Individual trade workers – e.g. welders, plumbers, electricians etc. require certification based on knowledge and experience in order to work in individual trades. Trade certification alone does not indicate competency to operate a construction or development business. A large proportion of construction work does not require trade worker certification.
  • There are a number of municipal, regional, provincial and national construction associations, all of which operate on a voluntary membership basis. Businesses specializing in major building trades may also belong to trade associations on a voluntary basis. None of these voluntary associations have regulatory authority over construction contractors.

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

  • All businesses which engage in construction in British Columbia are required to register with WorksafeBC, which regulates workplace health and safety in British Columbia. Discuss with us how we act as the architect to protect owner’s legal and financial interests related to worker safety.

Call on Gary Fields Architecture to provide the professional leadership and advice you need to protect your investment through construction and beyond.