General contractors in Uganda take responsibility for building a whole project under one contract with the client. The general contractor, also called the main contractor, plans the work, buys the materials, hires and supervises the trades and specialist subcontractors, and answers to the client for the cost, the quality and the programme.
Building Construction Company Uganda works as a general contractor on residential, commercial and industrial projects across Uganda. This page explains what a general contractor does, when to hire one and what to agree in the contract.
What a general contractor does
- Prices the project from your drawings in a detailed bill of quantities.
- Plans the work: the programme, the order of the trades and when materials are needed.
- Buys and manages materials to the specification, and keeps the site stocked so work does not stop.
- Hires and supervises the workforce: masons, steel fixers, carpenters and labourers.
- Manages specialist subcontractors such as electricians, plumbers, roofers, glaziers and aluminium fabricators.
- Controls quality, checking work at key stages before it is covered up.
- Keeps the site safe, fenced and secure.
- Reports to you on progress and costs, and handles changes formally.
- Hands over the finished building.
General contractor or managing it yourself?
Many owners in Uganda manage their own building projects, hiring a fundi for each trade and buying materials themselves. It can work on a small house, but you become the one coordinating every trade, checking every delivery and settling every dispute.
When you manage it yourself
- You hire and pay each trade separately.
- You buy, transport and store the materials, and carry the risk of waste and theft.
- If one trade’s work damages another’s, you sort it out.
- You need to be on site, or trust someone who is.
When you hire a general contractor
- You have one contract and one point of contact.
- The contractor coordinates the trades and is responsible for their work.
- Materials are bought and managed as part of the contract.
- Problems on site are the contractor’s to solve, within the agreed price.
On larger projects, or when you cannot be on site often, a general contractor is usually the safer choice.
What to agree in a general contracting contract
- Scope. Exactly what is included, by reference to the drawings and the BOQ, and what is not.
- Price. Whether it is a fixed lump sum or remeasured as the work is done, and how material price changes are handled.
- Payment stages. Payments tied to completed stages of the work, such as foundation, wall plate, roofing and finishes.
- Programme. Start date, key milestones and completion date.
- Variations. How changes you ask for are priced and approved in writing before the work is done.
- Retention. A small part of each payment held back until defects found after handover have been fixed.
- Disputes. How disagreements will be resolved.
Our guide to construction contracts in Uganda covers each clause in more detail.
General contracting, design and build, or construction management?
- General contracting: you appoint the designers; the general contractor builds what they design.
- Design and build: one company is responsible for both the design and the construction. See design and build.
- Construction management: a manager runs the project on your behalf, and you contract each trade directly. See construction management.
Choosing a general contractor
Ask for the company’s registration certificate and confirm it with URSB, visit projects it has run, compare BOQs from more than one contractor, and meet the person who will manage your site. Read more on building contractors in Uganda and see the projects we have worked on in our projects.
We take on house construction, commercial construction and industrial construction projects as general contractor. See all our construction services in Uganda.
Frequently asked questions
What is a general contractor?
A general contractor, or main contractor, is the company that signs the building contract with the client and takes responsibility for the whole project, including the work of any subcontractors it hires.
What is the difference between a general contractor and a subcontractor?
The general contractor holds the contract with the client. A subcontractor is hired by the general contractor to do part of the work, such as electrical installation or roofing, and answers to the general contractor.
Is hiring a general contractor more expensive than managing it myself?
The contractor’s price includes its management and overheads, but managing a project yourself has hidden costs: wasted or stolen materials, rework, delays and your own time. Compare a full BOQ from a contractor with a realistic budget for doing it yourself.
Should the contract be a fixed price?
A fixed lump sum gives you more certainty, but only if the drawings and BOQ are complete before you sign. If the design is still changing, a remeasured contract may be fairer to both sides.