Maybe when you were a kid, you enjoyed building structures with your Lego blocks, or maybe you had a blast taking things apart and putting them back together… Those may not have been signs that you were destined to build the world’s next Sistine Chapel, but it was a sign that you had a knack for working with your hands and that you had some curiosity in you.
To have those characteristics at such a young age is a tell-tale sign that the construction industry would be a great career field for you, and it’s actually quite lucrative, especially if you have the talent, the dedication, the skills, and the traits of success.
The requirements to become a construction contractor are different for each state. For example, to obtain a contractor’s license in Arizona, a surety bond is required for all applicants, but that may not be the case in Tennessee or Oregon. So requirements differ from location to location.
But, no matter what state you live in, there are different types of building regulations you’ll have to follow, and obtaining your license and certification is what’s going to help you understand the need for building regulations.
But before you even can begin to dig too deep into your future as a construction contractor, you first have to come to the realization of whether or not it’s a good career field for you. To be a successful contractor, there are certain characteristics you must possess. If you have a few of these characteristics or even all of them, there’s a good chance you have the potential to become a successful construction contractor.
Successful contractors are always learning and are naturally curious about all things in construction, especially if it makes their jobs and their team’s jobs easier. Whether it’s picking the brains of fellow contractors or reading up on why certain tasks are done in a certain way, contractors are one of the most knowledge-seeking individuals on the planet.
As a contractor, you have to be able to have a vision in every facet. In order to have a team of great construction workers, you have to have a vision for it. Also, you have to have a vision for your clients as well.
Your clients will come to you with their own building visions and it’s up to you to not only see their vision but to also make their vision physical reality. Whether it’s on paper or on a computer screen, you have to see how to acquire the necessary tools and materials to build the structure your clients envision.
They say scared money doesn’t make money, and in the construction industry, risk tolerance is an understatement. To be a construction contractor, you’re not only engaging in financial risk in running your own business but you’re also engaging in a safety risk as well.
According to OSHA, over 5,000 people die on the job in the construction industry and it’s likely due to what’s called the Fatal Four:
To be a construction contractor, you have to be well aware of both types of risks involved in this industry and not be fearful of it. Instead of being fearful, you must implement the necessary safety precautions. In fact, risk tolerance is largely what building regulations are for.
Just as successful contractors are curious, they’re curiosity oftentimes leads them to innovativeness as well. There are all kinds of innovations happening in the construction industry like self-repairing concrete and personal protective equipment, among many other innovations.
These innovations are meant to make construction work easier, and as a construction contractor, you have to stay on top of those innovations because you never know just how much it can impact your projects.
Last, and certainly not least, to be a successful construction contractor, you have to know how to effectively communicate with people, whether it’s your clients or your construction team. If you’re not the best communicator, your curiosity will push you to learn how to become one.
At the bare minimum, you want to be able to effectively communicate with your team in instructing them on how each project will be run. With your clients, you want to be able to communicate with them to explain how you plan on making their vision come to life.
In order to be successful in this line of work, you must possess some or all of these character traits; Some of them go hand-in-hand, and without them, your contractor career won’t be bright. Take time out to self-examine yourself and what it is you want out of life. If you like working with your hands, are naturally curious, can focus as well as go with the flow, then you may want to consider a career as a construction contractor.
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