Get Quotes from Top General Contractor in Oklahoma City, OK

Are You Licensed to Practice as a General Contractor in Oklahoma City?

General contractors are typically not required to hold state or locally-issued occupational licenses before plying their trade in Oklahoma City. Nevertheless, per local ordinances, these contractors must register with the city's Development Services Department before bidding for or performing any work involving private property that requires city-issued building permits. These include the construction of new residential buildings or structures and the repair, renovation, remodeling, addition, or enhancement of existing buildings and structures.

General contractors that perform this type of work without being properly registered with the department and obtaining all required permits for the project in question can receive city-imposed penalties, including fines of up to $1,200, jail time of up to six months, or a combination of both.

Registration with the Oklahoma City Development Services Department can be done online via the city's Citizen Access Portal. Registrants must create a free user account on this portal before initiating the registration process. The submission of certain documentation is also required for this process, including:

• A completed and notarized Contractor Information Sheet
• Proof of adequate general liability insurance coverage
• Proof of compliance with state-mandated workers' compensation insurance coverage or exemption where applicable
• A completed Immigration Affidavit, where applicable
• All applicable registration fees
• Any additional documentation that the department may request at the time of registration

You can get additional information on the Oklahoma City Development Services Department's contractor registration process for general contractors by calling (405) 297-2606. The department can also be contacted via this number to verify if your intended general contractor has complied with this registration requirement, and it is advisable to always do this before signing any contracts for residential construction or home renovation projects in the city.

Considering that general contractors in Oklahoma City are not required to have occupational licenses before offering their services to interested parties, it is a good idea to look into any other credentials they may have to determine whether they are a good fit for your project. Checking for membership in trade associations and any certifications they may have received from these associations or other reputable organizations is a common way to accomplish this. Some reputable trade associations and organizations that general contractors in Oklahoma City belong to include:

• The Associated General Contractors of Oklahoma
• The Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association
• The Associated Builders and Contractors of Oklahoma
• The Association of Oklahoma General Contractors
• The Oklahoma Municipal Contractors Association

These associations typically offer their members access to resources and training opportunities that are not as readily available to non-member general contractors and, at the same time, expect a high level of professionalism and competence from them. Because of this, contractors who are members of or have received certifications from these trade associations and organizations tend to have more experience and a broader skill set than their counterparts and also typically provide higher-quality services.

Note that you should always confirm any claims made by your preferred general contractors that they are members of or have received certifications from any trade association groups in the city by asking for proof of this and authenticating it with the appropriate organization.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other General Contractors in the City?

The cost of building and renovation projects in Oklahoma City is typically affected by certain factors, such as:

• The type and scope of the project
• The type and cost of materials required
• Labor costs
• The location of the project within the city
• Site conditions and accessibility
• Regulatory requirements like permits and inspections
• The quality of prepared project plans and drawings
• The urgency of the project

When searching for general contractors in the city, it is important to find out how much your preferred contractors charge for their services before finalizing any agreements with them. While some general contractors may utilize hourly or daily rates, this is not very common. Instead, many professional general contractors in the city charge a percentage of the project's total cost as their fees. This percentage typically ranges from 10 - 20 percent, although some contractors may go as high as 25 percent for larger projects. When calculating these fees, general contractors in Oklahoma City usually use one of the following methods:

• Lump Sum Pricing: this method involves the contractor submitting a bid with a fixed sum, which is intended to cover the total cost of labor, materials, insurance claims, overhead, and the contractor's percentage fee. A markup is usually included when calculating these costs to cover unforeseen circumstances that may come up. This method is typically preferred for projects with a clear scope and timeline.
• Cost Plus Pricing: this method involves the contractor submitting a bid with an estimated cost for the materials, labor, and other necessary support for the project, plus a separate predetermined percentage of this total cost as the contractor's fees. In situations where the work costs less than the provided estimate, the project owner can save money on the project. Likewise, if the project goes on longer than anticipated, the project owner also ends up incurring additional costs for labor, materials, and other necessary items. This method is typically preferred for projects that do not have a clear or well-defined scope and timeline.

It is always a good idea to get bids for your intended project from several general contractors in the city and compare these bids before making your final hiring choice. However, it is important to note that you should not just pick the general contractor that offers the lowest bid. This is because fraudulent and dishonest contractors often entice consumers with low initial bids, only to turn around and raise prices once the project begins. Always ask the general contractor to explain any bids or quotes that are noticeably higher or cheaper than the rest, and be skeptical if they cannot reasonably do so. You should also consider other factors like the general contractor's level of experience, local reputation, and the kind and quality of services they intend to provide for the quoted prices before making your final hiring choice.

General Contractors in Oklahoma City earn an estimated annual average wage of $70,360. The list below compares the average hourly wage of these contractors with those of general contractors in other parts of Oklahoma State and other locations across the United States:

What Kind of General Contractor Services Do You Offer?

Professional general contractors in Oklahoma City usually offer their clients a variety of services, from supervising the activities of workers on the project to organizing the suppliers of building materials and carrying out actual construction work. Even though the nature and scope of services provided by these contractors vary depending on the client, the project, and the individual contractor, you can typically expect a general contractor to carry out the following tasks when you hire them:

• Prepare cost estimates for the project.
• Come up with a workable schedule/timeline for the project
• Make arrangements for labor and supplies needed for the job
• Coordinate with product vendors and construction materials suppliers
• Hire skilled and reputable subcontractors
• Secure all necessary permits
• Ensure that relevant construction safety standards and local building regulations are followed.
• Monitor the quality of work being done and make sure that project milestones are met on time.
• Handle cash flow, worker scheduling and payments, and other administrative components of the project
• Ensure that accurate records are kept
• Carry out actual building and renovation work when necessary

Before signing any contracts with general contractors in the city, make sure that you confirm the exact kinds of services that they intend to offer or are qualified and equipped to provide for your project. Note that, depending on the specific nature and scale of your project, your general contractor may have to hire subcontractors outside their in-house team to complete certain tasks like:

• Roofing
• Electrical work
• HVAC installations
• Plumbing
• Welding
• Carpentry and woodwork
• Painting

Even though it is not uncommon to want to handle the hiring of these subcontractors yourself, you should always leave this task to your general contractor because they typically have more access to skilled and reliable subcontractors in the city than most homeowners have. This also ensures that a single point of contact for the administrative aspects of your project is maintained and, at the same time, protects you from liability if the subcontractors deliver inadequate work or sustain injuries during the project.

The table below outlines some key differences between general contractors and subcontractors who work on building and renovation projects in Oklahoma City:

Will You Get the Necessary Permits as Required per the City Code?

Per the provisions of Chapter 12 of the Oklahoma City Code or Ordinances, a permit is required for the construction, alteration, repair, modification, enlargement, renovation, or demolition of any primary or accessory structure in Oklahoma City. Note that permit exemptions may be made for certain types of building and renovation-related activities that do not make major changes or alterations to the structure or footprint of your home, such as:

• Painting, tiling, cabinet, countertop, and flooring installation
• Minor in-kind repairs and replacements of non-structural components of a building
• The repair of portable electrical and HVAC equipment or appliances
• The replacement of faucets and other similar plumbing fixtures
• Roofing material replacement provided that no structural roofing members will be replaced

The Oklahoma City Development Services Department is responsible for issuing permits for building and renovation activities in the city. Failing to obtain all necessary permits for any of these types of projects is considered a misdemeanor, and violators can receive fines of up to $1,200, jail time of up to six months, or a combination of both per offense. Ensuring that all required permits for your project are obtained before any work commences

• Helps you avoid fines, jail time, and other city-imposed sanctions like stop-work orders and teardowns of already completed work
• Ensures that the project conforms to all pertinent building safety codes and regulations
• Protects public safety, health, and welfare
• Helps protect your property value
• Makes it easier to sell your property
• Help you save money on insurance

Permits issued by the city's Development Services Department can be grouped into two main categories, namely Residential Permits and Commercial Permits, and applications for these permits can be made online via the Oklahoma City Citizen Portal. Note that the creation of a free user account is typically required by first-time applicants. To this end, the Development Services Department provides access to a user guide that can be used to glean information on registering this account and subsequently navigating the permit application process via the Citizen Portal.

Depending on the nature and scope of the project in question, applicants may be required to upload certain documentation when applying for their permits, such as site plans, specifications, and architectural drawings. Once the permit application and all necessary additional documents have been submitted online, and all stipulated fees have been paid, applicants will be sent an email either asking them to make necessary corrections or notifying them that their applications have been accepted by the department. At this point, the application, along with the submitted documents, will be reviewed by the Development Services Department and other relevant local and state agencies, such as:

• The Oklahoma City Fire Department
• The Oklahoma City Utilities Department
• The Oklahoma City Public Works Department
• The Oklahoma City Planning Department
• The Oklahoma City-County Health Department
• The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality

After the review process is completed and the application is approved, applicants will be required to pay any outstanding permit fees, following which the requested permits will be issued. Note that a list of required inspections is usually issued along with the permit, and these inspections typically have to be conducted before any work on the project is covered or concealed.

You can get additional information on the processes and requirements for obtaining permits and scheduling inspections for building and renovation projects in Oklahoma City by contacting the city's Development Services Department at (405) 297-2525. Queries can also be directed to the department in person at:

Do You Work with Subcontractors?

General contractors in Oklahoma City typically work with subcontractors for a variety of reasons, including:

• To increase the project's cost-effectiveness
• To get professional assistance on large, complex, or diverse projects
• To increase job productivity and flexibility
• To carry out tasks that call for specialized knowledge and experience or require individual state-mandated occupational licenses that the general contractor does not have

Some of the most common tasks that general contractors in the city often hire experienced subcontractors to perform include:

• Roofing
• Electrical work
• Plumbing
• Welding
• HVAC installation
• Painting
• Carpentry and woodwork
• Door and window installation
• Carpentry
• Insulation installation
• Roofing, siding, and sheet metal work
• Excavation and demolition

When selecting a suitable general contractor for your project, it is crucial to find out the aspects of the work that they will be delegating to subcontractors and also make sure that they keep you updated on their activities as the project progresses. By doing this, you can avoid any problems that could later develop as a result of conflicts between the general contractor and the subcontractors. In many situations, these conflicts are frequently brought on by:

• Less than optimal work and unsatisfactory service delivery
• Late or incomplete payments

One way to avoid these conflicts is by ensuring that all necessary payments for provided services are made on time to the general contractor for disbursement to relevant subcontractors. According to the provisions of Title 15, Section 520 of the Oklahoma Statutes, payments for private construction projects undertaken in Oklahoma City are required to be made within the following timelines:

• Payments from the project owner to the general contractor must be made as stated in the project's contract. However, in situations where a payment schedule is not specified in the contract, these payments must be made no later than 28 calendar days after the project owner receives a payment request from the general contractor.
• Payments from the general contractor to subcontractors, vendors, and materials suppliers must be made no later than 10 calendar days after the general contractor in question has received the necessary payment from the project owner.

This statute offers you some protection by making your general contractor responsible for unpaid payments in cases where you have remitted the necessary payments to them. Nevertheless, you can still be held liable if the general contractor neglects to make the appropriate payments to any subcontractor, vendor, or materials supplier that has secured a lien on your property.

Per Title 42 of the Oklahoma Statutes, also referred to as the state's lien law, any party that provides labor or materials for building and renovation projects in Oklahoma City has the right to place a lien on the property. These parties can subsequently lay claim to the property in question if they do not receive the agreed-upon payment for their services. The following issues can arise when a lien is placed on your property:

• Double payment for the same services
• Difficulty selling, borrowing against, or refinancing the property
• Foreclosure

As such, even though it is possible to contest liens placed on your property, doing so is usually a time-consuming, energy-intensive, and costly process that is better off completely avoided. To avoid finding yourself in lien-related situations when undertaking building and renovation projects in Oklahoma City, always do the following selecting a general contractor in the city:

• Proper Research and Due Diligence: make sure you always conduct proper research and do your due diligence on any general contractor you plan to hire in the city. Look them up online, request and contact references, confirm that they have a good reputation, especially regarding timely payments to subcontractors, vendors, and laborers, and verify any claims of trade association membership that they make.
• Preliminary Notices: ensure that your general contractor informs you of every subcontractor that will be involved in your project before they commence any work, as well as the nature of the work that they will be performing
• Written Contracts: always obtain a written contract for the project outlining all of the agreements you and the general contractor have made
• Timely Payments: always make timely payments to your general contractor for all services rendered
• Obtain Lien Waivers: insist on getting lien waivers for every payment you make to the general contractor and also for every payment made to subcontractors, vendors, and any other parties directly involved in the project. This is an effective form of protection against having liens placed on your property and is also a good way to keep your general contractor accountable.
• Take Advantage of Contractor Bonds: look out for general contractors with contractor bonds that can be used as collateral if they fail to promptly pay subcontractors, vendors, and other relevant parties involved in the project.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for General Contractors in the City?

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 21 percent of the fatal occupational injuries that were recorded in 2020 occurred in the construction industry, with each injury costing as much as $27,000. As such, when searching for suitable general contractors to hire for your building and renovation projects in Oklahoma City, the insurance status of your preferred contractors is a crucial area to consider. Construction workers in the city regularly risk fatal and nonfatal on-the-job hazards and injuries, most of which can be attributed to four major causes:

• Falls: this includes falls from heights and slips and trips from the same level. Falls are the most common cause of construction-related injuries and account for over 310 deaths and 10,350 serious injuries every year
• Electrocution: this category includes injuries at project sites caused by exposed energy sources, overhead powerlines, and the improper use of extension cables
• Struck-by injuries: this includes injuries sustained at the project site from flying, falling, swinging, or rolling objects
• Caught-in/Between injuries: this includes injuries to workers and other parties at the project site caused by cave-ins or any of these individuals getting pinned between two heavy objects on the site

Per the registration requirements of the Oklahoma City Development Services Department, general contractors in the city who wish to bid for or perform work on private property must carry the following types of insurance:

• General liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $50,000 per occurrence
• Workers' compensation insurance with a minimum coverage of $100,000 per occurrence

You should always make sure that your preferred general contractors are adequately insured, regardless of the nature and scope of your intended project. You can do this by requesting copies of their insurance certificates and contacting the appropriate insurance providers to authenticate them. Ensure that the contractor has adequate coverage to meet the scale of your project and that their insurance policy also covers third-party injuries, property damage, and contractor negligence.

Note that per state law, general contractors who fail to carry proper workers' compensation insurance can receive fines of up to $1,000 per day. However, exemptions from this insurance requirement are made for general contractors operating small family businesses that consist of no more than five employees, all of whom are related by blood or marriage, and also for independent contractors.

You can reach out to the Oklahoma City Development Services Department at (405) 297-2606 to get additional information on its insurance requirements for general contractors. Queries related to workers' compensation insurance coverage can also be directed to the Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission at (405) 522-3222 or toll-free number 1-855-291-3612.

Do You Provide a Warranty for Works Completed?

Warranties refer to promises or guarantees offered to the buyers of products and services, assuring them that the items or services they paid for are in proper working order and will perform as expected or required. Two main types of warranties are typically issued for building and renovation projects, namely:

• Explicit warranties: these are written assurances that are typically included in the general contractor's bid or contract for the project
• Implied warranties: these are non-written, legally recognized assurances that apply to all building and renovation projects, whether or not an explicit warranty is ultimately issued

Listed below are typical examples of these explicit and implied warranties:

• Call-back Warranty: this warranty specifies a timeframe during which the general contractor may be called back to address any defects discovered in the building or renovation project. Call-back warranties are typically explicit warranties.
• Material and Equipment Warranty: these are typically explicit warranties that assure the project owner that any warrantied materials and items used for the building or renovation work are new, defect-free, and will perform as required
• Design-build Warranty: these warranties are issued by architects, engineers, and other design professionals involved in building and renovation projects to assure the project owner that their services were provided professionally and per relevant industry standards
• Workmanship Warranty: workmanship warranties are issued to assure the project owner that optimal and high-quality work was done by the subcontractors and laborers involved in the project. These warranties can be implied or explicit.
• Vendor Warranty: vendor warranties refer to explicit warranties that are issued by the manufacturers or vendors of products and appliances used for the product
• Warranty of Habitability: this warranty, usually implied and offered for residential projects, assures the project owner that the completed building or structure will be suitable for its intended use and safe to occupy.

Make sure you confirm the types of warranties that your preferred general contractors offer before signing any contracts with them. Be wary of contractors who do not or are hesitant to issue explicit warranties. Bear in mind that these warranties' specific terms and conditions often vary by contractor, client, and project. Nonetheless, warranties offered by professional general contractors in Oklahoma City typically cover the following areas:

• Workmanship and materials used for finishes like paint, siding, stucco, doors, trim, and windows are usually covered for up to one year.
• Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems are usually covered for up to two years.
• Major structural defects or flaws, such as collapsing roofs, are usually covered for up to 10 years.

Ensure that you carefully read any warranties that you are offered to avoid voiding them. Note that, per Title 12, Section 109 of the Oklahoma Statutes, claims for breaches of warranties offered for your building or renovation project must be filed no later than 10 years after the substantial completion of the project.

Can You Provide References of Clients Served in Oklahoma City?

You should always ask for references from general contractors in Oklahoma City before signing any contracts with them. When planning your building or renovation project, you may get referrals to general contractors in the city from friends, relatives, or acquaintances who have completed similar projects or through directories provided by reputable organizations like:

• The Associated Builders and Contractors of Oklahoma
• The Associated General Contractors of Oklahoma
• The Association of Oklahoma General Contractors
• The Central Oklahoma Home Builders Association
• The Oklahoma Municipal Contractors Association

However, it is always in your best interest to request verifiable local references from these contractors, irrespective of how you come in contact with them. Professional general contractors in the city will readily provide you with this information, as it is an effective way to verify their claims of competence and high-quality service delivery. Note that you should always contact any references that you are offered, and be wary of general contractors that cannot come up with up to three references of local past clients that can vouch for the quality of their services.

In addition, you can utilize websites like the Better Business Bureau, Yelp, Google Review, and other similar third-party platforms to look up testimonials, reviews, and complaint details, if any, on your preferred general contractors.

What Is the Expected Timeline for This Project?

Several factors affect how quickly building and renovation projects in Oklahoma City are completed after they commence, such as:

• The nature and scope of the project
• The time and season of the year
• Weather conditions
• Cash flow
• Availability of resources, such as labor, skilled subcontractors, and required building materials
• Compliance with local regulatory requirements
• Adjustments made to the nature and scope of the project after the work starts

By hiring a qualified and experienced general contractor, you ensure that your building or renovation project will be managed safely, properly, and on schedule and completed within your expected timeline. Advantages of having your work completed within your set timeframe include:

• It helps you plan for events like new births, weddings, relocations, retirements, and visits from friends and family
• It makes it easier to monitor your project's progress
• It improves resource control and task allocation in the project
• It increases work efficiency
• It makes it easier to identify and mitigate potential delays to the project.
• It reduces the occurrence of misunderstandings and disputes between you and your general contractor.