What Does a General Contractor Do? A Colorado Remodel Guide
December 9, 2025 • Home Remodeling
A general contractor manages permits, subcontractors, inspections, and schedule. Here is a week-by-week look at what that involves on a real Colorado remodel.
A general contractor manages the construction process: pulls permits, hires and coordinates subcontractors, schedules inspections, manages the budget, and keeps the project moving toward completion. The depth of those responsibilities is what separates a capable GC from one who is barely keeping up. DG Home Pro has earned 15 Best of Houzz awards over 10 consecutive years, including Service recognition driven by verified homeowner reviews, because our project management process is built to be consistently transparent and proactive.
Before Construction Starts
Before the first nail is driven, a project manager should: review design drawings for constructability issues, coordinate the subcontractor schedule so that trades sequence correctly, confirm material lead times and delivery dates, submit the permit application and track plan review progress, and conduct a pre-construction meeting with the homeowner to review the schedule, access requirements, and communication plan.
D&G's project managers conduct a formal pre-construction review with every homeowner before any work starts. This meeting covers the full construction sequence, daily start and end times, how the job site will be protected during construction, and who to contact for anything that comes up. Homeowners who go through this meeting consistently tell us they felt better prepared than on any previous renovation.
Weeks 1 through 3: Demolition and Rough Framing
The project manager is on-site daily during demolition and rough framing to coordinate trade sequencing, inspect rough work before it is covered, and prepare the job site for each county inspection milestone. The rough inspection (framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC rough-in) is a critical gate: if any component fails, the project cannot proceed until corrections are made.
An experienced project manager prepares the site specifically for each inspection milestone: all work is complete, accessible, and clearly labeled for the inspector. D&G's high first-pass inspection rates are a direct result of this preparation discipline.
Weeks 4 through 7: Enclosure and Finish Work
After passing the rough inspection, insulation is installed and inspected, then drywall is hung and finished. The project manager is simultaneously tracking cabinet delivery (confirmed before framing started), countertop template scheduling (happens after cabinet install), plumbing and electrical fixture deliveries, and flooring installer availability.
Countertop fabrication takes 1 to 2 weeks after templates are measured. A project manager who does not have this lead time factored into the schedule produces a job site where painters are waiting for countertops and plumbers are waiting for countertops to install fixtures. D&G's schedule discipline is what prevents these gaps.
The Final Two Weeks: Punch List and Close-Out
Close-out includes the final building inspection, a walk-through with the homeowner to identify any incomplete or below-standard items, resolution of all punch list items, delivery of all product manuals and warranty documentation, collection of unconditional lien waivers from all subcontractors and suppliers, and final payment collection after the homeowner confirms satisfaction.
D&G's project managers complete their own internal punch list before the homeowner walk-through, so the list is 90 percent resolved before you see it. We do not collect final payment until you have walked the project and confirmed that all items are complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a general contractor manage on a Colorado remodel?
A general contractor manages permits, subcontractor hiring and scheduling, materials procurement and delivery coordination, inspection scheduling and preparation, budget tracking, change order processing, and final project close-out including lien waivers and warranty documentation.
How many projects should a project manager handle at once?
A project manager overseeing more than 4 to 5 active projects simultaneously is spread too thin for consistent, proactive management. Ask any contractor you are considering how many active projects your assigned PM will be managing during your project.