How to Attract and Retain General Contractor (GC) Relationships

The construction business is built on a foundation of partnerships that, if nurtured correctly, can turn into profitable projects. Before stepping foot onto your next job site, if you’re a subcontractor or an owner, your work starts with attracting and maintaining strong relationships with general contractors. By understanding their unique needs and challenges, you can position your business as a valuable partner, helping GCs thrive in their respective fields.

The Associated Builders and Contractors notes that maintaining strong relationships with GCs can lead to more repeat business opportunities for subcontractors, contributing to their financial stability and growth. The Construction Industry Institute found that projects utilizing strong collaborative practices, such as early contractor involvement and open communication with owners, were 23% more likely to finish on time and on budget.

Research conducted by the Construction Industry Institute at the University of Texas at Austin on nearly 300 projects revealed that collaboration and intentional relationship-building reduced total project costs by 10%, increased profitability by 25%, and decreased overall project completion time by 20%.

Be intentional about attracting GCs and be the game-changer for your business to continue to grow.

If you’re a subcontractor, start with these tips to find and maintain healthy GC relationships.

1. Get Out and Network. Meet GCs where they’re at and find ways to get together face-to-face. Use this time to find and attend GC-hosted events, seminars, and workshops. These are great opportunities to give them your business card, summarize your work, and pitch your price range for future projects.

2. Show Off Your Company’s Safety Records. General contractors want subcontractors with a stellar safety record, so ensuring they have this information will make you stand out from the competition.

   • Have your OSHA 300 information available to confirm you haven’t been issued any citations.
   • Be ready to provide your Experience Modification Rate for at least the previous three years.
   • Provide any information on any training programs offered at your company or if you hold regular safety meetings.

3. Utilize Online Resources. Help GCs find you with a thorough public brand strategy, including social media and your company website.

   • Share industry insights, success stories, and valuable content on LinkedIn, tailoring it to the GCs you wish to work with on future jobs.
   • Showcase successful collaborations with GCs and highlight positive feedback through case studies and customer testimonials.
   • Participate actively in online groups and forums where GCs seek advice and share experiences.

If you’re an owner, start with these tips to establish GC relationships, built on mutual trust and respect.

1. Partnership is Priority. Help the GC help you make the best choices for this project. Make yourself available to answer any questions a GC may have before working with you. Being open and honest about your business, project, and vision is critical for finding a great GC match.

   • Assign account managers to GCs to ensure personalized service.
   • Return any calls or emails from a GC in a timely manner.
   • Ask thoughtful questions that will give insight into the GCs business objectives and really give you a chance to get to know this potential partner.

2. Be Real About Money. The best thing you can do for your project and the relationship with your GC partner is to be realistic about how much you can spend to cover your project. When working with a GC, you may find yourself working collaboratively on ways to keep the cash flow on the right path.

   • Make sure that you will be able to promptly deliver on the payment terms and a schedule that are negotiated under the contract terms.
   • Being mindful of change orders and staying in line with what was outlined in the contract.

3. Consider Different GC-Owner Bid Options. Selecting the appropriate bidding option depends on your project’s specific needs, priorities, and challenges.

   • Design-Bid-Build is the most traditional method of project delivery. It involves collaboration between the owner, architect, and a selected contractor.
   • Construction Manager (CM) at Risk comes very early in the design phase and maintains the project budget while assuming any risk for cost overruns.
   • Design-Build is when one entity handles both the design and construction from start to finish.

Final Thoughts

Successfully attracting General Contractors involves a blend of strategic networking, innovative solutions, and unparalleled support. If you haven’t already, consider using digital solutions to gain exposure to thousands of general contractors and the projects they’re inviting subcontractors to bid. ConstructConnect has the largest database of public and private projects in North America.

For extra support on finding and winning profitable projects, you can read our helpful step-by-step eBook guide.

You can also view our customer stories about the advantages of using ConstructConnect solutions:

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To learn more about how we can help you find, bid, and win more business for your business, check out our project search and bid submission solutions today.