A general contractor tradesperson does the hands-on work a residential general contractor keeps in-house: carpentry, small masonry jobs, patching and repairs on remodels, additions and new homes. They work from plans with little supervision, check their own work, and keep homeowners up to date on what is happening at their house.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, residential builders and remodelers · BLS, May 2025
Serve as a versatile skilled tradesperson and general contractor responsible for executing specialized tasks such as carpentry, masonry, and more with minimal supervision. Contribute to high-quality home service projects by ensuring all work complies with industry standards and customer expectations. Support project planning, execution, and timely completion, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Perform a range of skilled trades work including carpentry, masonry, and other specialized tasks with precision and independence.
Interpret project blueprints, technical drawings, and specifications accurately.
Ensure all work complies with safety standards and local building codes.
Collaborate with team members and subcontractors to complete projects efficiently.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Assess project sites and determine the scope of specialized tasks needed for each job.
Execute carpentry, masonry, and other tasks as per client requirements and project plans.
Conduct quality control checks on completed work and perform necessary adjustments.
Communicate with clients regarding project status and address any technical queries.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Job Completion Rate: 95% of projects completed on time.
Quality Assurance: Maintain a customer satisfaction rating >4.8 stars.
Safety Compliance: Achieve <5% safety incidents per project.
Efficiency Metric: Attain an average of $150 revenue per hour.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
High school diploma or equivalent with relevant trade certifications.
Minimum of 3 years’ experience in skilled trades or general contracting.
Proficiency in reading blueprints, technical drawings, and specifications.
Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous experience working in the home services industry or residential construction.
Background in carpentry, masonry, or related specialized trades.
Familiarity with modern construction methods and materials.
Prior role in a lead/trade supervisory position is advantageous.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. consistently.
Capacity to work in varying environmental conditions including confined spaces and outdoor settings.
Endurance for standing, bending, and working on ladders or scaffolding.
Physical stamina for manual labor and prolonged periods of active work.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Regular work hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with occasional extended hours as required.
Possibility of on-site travel across multiple local job sites.
Occasional on-call duties for emergency home service requests.
Work predominantly in outdoor and construction site conditions.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Hourly rate ranging from $25 - $35 per hour based on experience and qualifications.
Performance-based bonuses available dependent on KPIs.
Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision benefits.
401k plan with company match options.
Additional fringe benefits, such as paid time off and continuing education support.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we nurture a collaborative and growth-focused work environment where every team member is empowered to excel.
We champion innovation, continuous improvement, and a supportive culture that values both technical expertise and career development.
Our inclusive and dynamic team is committed to setting high standards in the home services industry while ensuring customer satisfaction and professional advancement.
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
What the job looks like at a residential general contractor
A specialty contractor's crew does one trade all year. A general contractor's in-house tradesperson moves between carpentry, masonry and repairs as each remodel or addition needs, while licensed subcontractors take the trades the company's license keeps it out of.
The company's license sets what the crew takes on
Who needs which contractor license is a state matter. In California, a B general building contractor may take a framing or carpentry job on its own. A prime contract that brings in other trades must need at least two unrelated trades besides framing and carpentry, unless the contractor holds that trade's specialty license or hires a licensed specialty sub. So what your crew does in-house depends on the licenses your company holds. Source: CSLB: B General Building Contractor classification (Business and Professions Code 7057).
Ladder rules a busy crew skips
OSHA's construction ladder rule has details small jobs skip. When a crew climbs to a roof or upper landing, the portable ladder's side rails reach 3 feet or more above the landing. If it's too short for that, its top is secured to something rigid and a grab rail is added. Measured level, the foot sits about a quarter of the working length out from the top support. Nobody stands on a stepladder's top or top step, and a damaged ladder gets marked or tagged and pulled from use. Source: OSHA: Ladders in construction (29 CFR 1926.1053).
Several trades in one week
One day might be framing a closet, the next resetting a block step or patching plaster around a new window. The template asks for carpentry, masonry and more. Hire for one strong trade plus a willingness to learn others, and name in the posting the trades your jobs call for most.
Billable hours drive the scorecard
The template measures revenue per hour, which rewards finishing tasks without return trips. Every run back to the supply house, and every callback to fix a missed item, pulls it down. Track it by job type, because a punch-list day and a framing day won't produce the same figure.
How much general contractor tradespersons make
The closest BLS group for general contractor tradespersons is carpenters. Carpenters who work for residential builders and remodelers earned a median of $29.13 an hour ($60,600 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $60,580 median for carpenters in all industries. About 204,290 of the 670,090 carpenters in that survey work for residential builders and remodelers.
An hourly wage, with KPI bonuses layered on, is the template's setup. BLS counts this work with carpenters; a tradesperson who mostly lays block or brick falls under brickmasons and blockmasons instead.
Residential builders and remodelers
$60,600$60,600 median Middle half $48,190–$75,740 10th–90th $40,700–$92,230
All industries
$60,580$60,580 median Middle half $48,510–$76,830 10th–90th $40,410–$99,910
$30k$40k$50k$60k$70k$80k$90k$100k$110k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Residential builders and remodelers
$40,700
$48,190
$60,600
$75,740
$92,230
All industries
$40,410
$48,510
$60,580
$76,830
$99,910
BLS doesn’t publish pay for general contractors on their own. These figures cover residential 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
Strong in one trade, usually carpentry, with real masonry or tile experience
Reads plans and specifications and asks when something is missing
Works alone in a customer's home and leaves it clean
Finishes punch-list items right the first time
Explains to a homeowner what is being done and why
Teach these on the job
A second or third trade, with a lead teaching
Ladder and scaffold setup to OSHA rules
Your time tracking by task and job
Your suppliers and how to order from them
Which work your company's license lets the crew self-perform
Expect the person to carry carpentry hand tools and a basic masonry kit: trowels, a jointer, a level and a mixing paddle. The company usually supplies saws, ladders, scaffolds and mixers, and the ad should split the two lists.
General contractor tradesperson 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 · Holding to code
You're building deck stairs, and the homeowner wants taller steps to save space. What do you do?
A strong answer: Explains the riser height limits in the code your area enforces and why even steps matter for safety, won't build it out of code, and offers other layouts.
Behavioral · Working independently
Tell me about a remodel task you did alone, like hanging doors or a trim package, that passed the PM's or client's check the first time.
A strong answer: Names their own checks (measuring twice, checking level and plumb, comparing to plans) and a result such as passing inspection the first time.
Does a general contractor tradesperson need a contractor license?
Not to work for you as an employee, in California at least. The template's summary calls this person a general contractor, but an employee works under your company's license. California's board exempts an employee paid wages who doesn't usually work in an independent business and doesn't direct the work or decide its final result. Side jobs are different: a license is needed if the job needs a permit, uses other workers, or totals 1,000 dollars or more. That line rose from 500 dollars on January 1, 2025.
How much does a general contractor tradesperson make?
Carpenters who work for residential builders and remodelers earned a median of $29.13 an hour ($60,600 a year) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $48,190 and $75,740 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and overtime.
Who trains a tradesperson on ladders?
The employer does. OSHA says each worker who uses ladders gets taught by a competent person about the fall hazards in the work area, how to set up, use and care for ladders, and how much weight a ladder can carry. Retrain when someone's habits show they need it. OSHA's text sets no paperwork for this, yet a short log of who trained whom, and when, is easy to keep.
Is one strong trade better than several decent ones?
If one trade fills most of your crew days, hire for it. If your jobs mix framing, block repair, trim and punch work, an all-around person saves you from calling a sub for half-day tasks. Ask candidates for their strongest trade and the two they can do without help, then test one of those two.
What should a tradesperson tell the homeowner?
Enough that the homeowner knows what is going on: today's work, what comes next, and when the noisy or dusty parts will happen. Questions about price, changes or the overall schedule go to the lead or the project manager. Agree on that line before the first job, since the template asks this person to talk with clients.
The template asks for physical stamina. What should my ad say instead?
Name the work, not the trait. "Stamina" and "endurance" are about the person, not the tasks, and they can put off qualified people. Say what a usual week asks for on your sites: carrying block and sheet goods, mixing mortar, kneeling to reset a step, and climbing ladders and scaffolds.
