Commercial general contractor laborer job description
A commercial general contractor laborer keeps the job site clear, moves materials to the right floor and room, and helps the trades on fit-outs and small new buildings. They clean, stage, protect and haul debris so carpenters and subcontractors can keep working.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, commercial building contractors · BLS, May 2025
General Contractor - Commercial - Laborer / Helper
Company Name:
[INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE]
Department:
Operations
Reports to:
[Field Supervisor]
Location:
[INSERT LOCATION HERE]
1. Position Summary
Assist skilled trades with daily project demands to ensure timely and quality completion of commercial construction tasks. Efficiently manage materials and maintain organized, safe job sites. Contribute to the overall operational excellence and productivity of the project team.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Support skilled trades by providing necessary tools and materials on demand.
Handle material transport and organization to optimize workflow and job efficiency.
Maintain cleanliness and safety on job sites by performing regular site maintenance and debris removal.
Assist with basic construction tasks as required by project leads.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Deliver materials and supplies to designated work areas in a timely manner.
Follow directions from site supervisors and skilled trades to execute job tasks safely and efficiently.
Engage in routine job site cleanup to ensure compliance with safety standards.
Perform periodic inspections of work areas and report any hazards or process improvements.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Job site cleanup efficiency: 95% compliance with established safety and cleanliness standards.
Material handling accuracy: 100% adherence to proper procedures without damage.
On-time task completion rate: >98% adherence to project timelines.
Incident rate: Less than 2% workplace incidents per quarter.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent.
Basic understanding of construction site safety and protocol.
Strong work ethic, reliability, and attention to detail.
Good communication and teamwork skills to effectively support skilled trades.
6. Preferred Experience
Prior experience working on commercial construction projects.
Exposure to general contracting operations and site management.
Familiarity with basic power tools and manual labor techniques.
Experience in fast-paced environments requiring rapid adaptation to changing priorities.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds consistently.
Comfort working outdoors in varying weather conditions.
Capability to perform manual labor tasks that require standing, bending, and repetitive movements.
Endurance to participate in continuous physical activity throughout the workday.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Typical work hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
Occasional overtime may be required to meet project deadlines.
Exposure to construction site hazards mitigated by personal protective equipment.
No significant travel requirements; primarily on-site work.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate ranging from $15 - $20 per hour based on experience.
Eligibility for performance-based bonuses.
Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
401k retirement plan with company matching contributions.
10. Company Culture and Overview
We are an inclusive, growth-oriented company dedicated to fostering professional development and teamwork.
Our culture emphasizes safety, continual learning, and community engagement.
We provide supportive leadership and clear career advancement opportunities.
Join a team focused on excellence, innovation, and making a positive impact in the construction industry.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
Laborers everywhere carry, clean and help. At a commercial GC, the work often happens on upper floors of buildings people still use, with lifts and fastening tools that need training first.
Posted floor loads limit the drywall stack
Stocking drywall and ceiling tile on an upper floor puts a lot of weight in one spot. OSHA requires stored material to stay within the floor's safe load limit, posted in pounds per square foot in storage areas above grade, and stacked material to be secured against sliding or collapse (29 CFR 1926.250). Spread the stock where the field supervisor marks it, not where the cart stops. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.250, general requirements for storage.
Exits stay clear while the building is open
Many fit-outs happen while tenants work on other floors. OSHA requires exits to be kept free of anything that blocks full, instant use in a fire or other emergency (29 CFR 1926.34). For a laborer, that means no carts, debris bins or material in stairwells or exit corridors, and a walk of the exit path before leaving each day. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.34, means of egress.
Powder-actuated tools need training first
Commercial interiors use powder-actuated tools to fasten steel track to concrete floors and decks. OSHA lets only a worker trained on that specific tool operate it, and the tool must be tested each day before loading (29 CFR 1926.302). A helper can hand up fasteners and loads, but shouldn't fire the tool until trained on that model. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 1926.302, power-operated hand tools.
A scissor lift needs training before the first ride
Laborers ride scissor lifts to stock ceiling grid, run cleanup above the ceiling or reach high windows. OSHA's hazard alert says only trained workers should use scissor lifts, they should show they can run one properly, and they should stand only on the work platform with guardrails in place. Train on the model you rent before the laborer works from it alone. Source: OSHA Hazard Alert: Working safely with scissor lifts (OSHA 3842).
On federal jobs, the task sets the pay rate
On federal prevailing wage jobs, a laborer who also does carpentry may be paid each classification's rate for the time spent in it, but only if payroll records show the hours worked in each one (29 CFR 5.5). Have the laborer log tasks and hours by classification on those jobs. State public jobs follow their own wage rules. Source: eCFR: 29 CFR 5.5, contract provisions and related matters.
How much commercial general contractor laborers make
The closest BLS group for commercial general contractor laborers is construction laborers. Construction laborers who work for commercial and industrial builders earned a median of $24.01 an hour ($49,940 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s above the $47,120 median for construction laborers in all industries. About 118,700 of the 1,096,780 construction laborers in that survey work for commercial building contractors.
Usually hourly with overtime pay. The template's hourly range sits below most BLS figures for construction laborers in commercial building, and on a prevailing wage job the wage determination sets the minimum rate.
Commercial building contractors
$49,940$49,940 median Middle half $44,070–$63,490 10th–90th $36,780–$82,000
All industries
$47,120$47,120 median Middle half $38,620–$59,740 10th–90th $35,090–$78,090
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Commercial building contractors
$36,780
$44,070
$49,940
$63,490
$82,000
All industries
$35,090
$38,620
$47,120
$59,740
$78,090
BLS doesn’t publish pay for commercial general contractors on their own. These figures cover nonresidential building construction, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Shows up on time and follows the field supervisor's directions
Moves and stacks materials without damaging finished work
Cleans up as the work goes, unprompted
Speaks up about a hazard instead of working around it
Stays polite with tenants and building staff
Teach these on the job
Finding room and door numbers on a floor plan
Scissor lift operation
Powder-actuated tool use
Basic power tools for demolition and blocking
Your site safety rules and orientation
Laborers use brooms, shovels, debris carts, drywall carts, pallet jacks and shop vacuums, plus basic hand and power tools. Say in the ad whether you'll train them on scissor lifts, powder-actuated tools or a forklift.
Commercial general contractor laborer interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Recognizing floor-opening hazards
You're moving materials across a floor and see a piece of plywood lying over a hole, with no marking and nothing holding it down. What do you do?
A strong answer: Doesn't step on or move it, keeps others away, and tells the supervisor right away so it gets secured and marked.
Behavioral · Following instructions
Tell me about a time at work, school or volunteering when you followed instructions exactly, even though you thought there was a faster way.
A strong answer: Did it as asked, then raised the idea respectfully afterward.
Those template targets are only examples; a month of the supervisor's end-of-day checks shows what fits your sites.
Job site cleanup efficiency
Score the site on the field supervisor's end-of-day checklist: exits clear, debris bagged, materials stacked and floors swept. Track misses by area as well as by person.
Material handling accuracy
Count damaged or misplaced items the laborer handled, such as a cracked sheet of drywall or tile left in the wrong suite. Note the cause so training targets it.
On-time task completion rate
Compare the tasks the supervisor assigned in the morning with what was done by the end of the day, and note what held up each unfinished one.
Incident rate
Count injuries and near misses involving the laborer per hours on the job. Go over each with the supervisor and write down what changed afterward.
Career path
Laborer / helperCleans, stages and helps the trades on commercial sites.
Skilled tradespersonFrames, hangs doors and finishes the work the company keeps in-house.
Field supervisorLeads a site, its crew and the subs working on it.
Other roles in a commercial general contractor business
How is a laborer's day different on a new building and a tenant fit-out?
On a ground-up job, the laborer works mostly outdoors: cleaning the site, setting up fence, helping on concrete pours and keeping the perimeter clear. On a fit-out, the work moves inside an existing building, with carts, building rules and tenants nearby. Many laborers have done only one kind, so ask which, and pair a newcomer with someone who knows the other.
How much does a commercial general contractor laborer make?
Construction laborers who work for commercial and industrial builders earned a median of $24.01 an hour ($49,940 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $44,070 and $63,490 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Does a laborer need to read construction drawings?
Enough to find rooms. Commercial plans number every room and door, and deliveries go by those numbers. A laborer who can read a floor plan and a finish schedule puts the right carpet tile in the right suite without asking. Teach it in the first weeks with the job's own plan set.
How does a laborer move up into a trade at a commercial GC?
Pair the laborer with your in-house carpenters or whichever trade you do yourself, and hand over more tool work as they show they're ready. Some later join a formal apprenticeship run by a union or contractor group. Write down the skills that earn each raise so the laborer can see the path.
What do the template's lifting, bending and endurance lines mean on the job?
They describe the day: carrying sheets of drywall and boxes of tile, loading debris carts, sweeping and picking up scrap, and walking floors and stairs from the start of the shift to the end. On ground-up jobs much of it happens outdoors. Describe those duties plainly in the ad. If someone asks for an accommodation, have that conversation.
