General contractors typically charge 10–20% of total project cost as their fee, or $50–$150/hour for smaller jobs. On a $200,000 renovation, expect to pay $20,000–$40,000 in GC fees. Costs vary by project size, location, and complexity.
General contractors typically charge 10–20% of total project cost as their fee, or $50–$150/hour for smaller jobs. On a $200,000 renovation, expect to pay $20,000–$40,000 in GC fees. Costs vary by project size, location, and complexity.
| Project Type | Typical GC Fee | Example Project Cost | GC Markup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small remodel | 15–25% | $30,000 | $4,500–$7,500 |
| Major renovation | 10–20% | $150,000 | $15,000–$30,000 |
| New construction | 10–15% | $400,000 | $40,000–$60,000 |
| Hourly rate | $50–$150/hr | Day rate: $400–$1,200 | — |
GC pricing is driven by scope management, permit coordination, subcontractor scheduling, and how much financial risk the contractor is carrying on your behalf. Small remodels often land at 15–25%, major renovations at 10–20%, and new construction closer to 10–15% because the overhead is spread across a bigger budget. On smaller jobs, travel, setup, and minimum service time can dominate the bill. On larger jobs, coordination, permits, material handling, cleanup, and warranty risk matter more than the raw labor hours.
Find the best programming books, guides, and tech resources to level up your skills.
View on Amazon →A solid GC quote usually covers project management, scheduling, subcontractor supervision, permit handling, procurement, site meetings, and a warranty buffer—not just a person showing up on site. Good quotes also define what is excluded, whether tax is included, and how surprises will be approved. If that detail is missing, a low headline price can turn into multiple add-on invoices after work starts.
⚡ Get 5 free AI guides + weekly insights
The easiest way to lower the fee is to lock the scope before demo starts, choose finishes early, and avoid mid-project decisions that force reordering or trade rescheduling. Use the Square Footage Calculator before collecting bids so dimensions, quantities, or payment assumptions are accurate from day one. Clear scope reduces padded pricing, and it makes apples-to-apples quote comparison much easier.
Watch for bids that hide markup, leave allowances undefined, or quote a low fee but push every coordination task back onto the owner. Be cautious with cash-only deals, vague allowances, missing license information, or proposals that never explain change-order pricing. The strongest bids show scope, timeline, payment schedule, and warranty terms in writing instead of leaving details to assumption.
Urban markets, high-permit jurisdictions, and custom builds usually run higher than straightforward suburban remodels with standard finishes. The smartest move is still comparing two or three like-for-like bids, then backing the project up with reusable paperwork from the GC Starter Kit and the full templates store if you want cleaner scopes, approvals, and documentation.
⚡ Get 5 free AI guides + weekly insights
These affiliate picks support the job planning, measurement, or documentation discussed above.
Useful for understanding remodel phases, allowances, and the questions to ask before you hire a GC.
View on Amazon →We have tested these tools ourselves. Here are our top picks for this topic.
Find the best programming books, guides, and tech resources to level up your skills.
Browse on Amazon →Some links above are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Quick field measurements help you confirm room counts and square footage before approving a quote.
View on Amazon →Affiliate disclosure: Wingman Protocol may earn a commission from qualifying Amazon purchases at no extra cost to you.
Most general contractors use a percentage of total job cost, a fixed project fee, or hourly billing for small scopes. That fee covers supervision, scheduling, overhead, markup, and profit.
Not automatically. Twenty percent is common on smaller or more complex remodels where coordination takes time, but the scope, allowances, and management duties should be clearly spelled out.
A subcontractor prices only one trade. A general contractor costs more because they coordinate every trade, permits, schedule, inspections, and project-level risk.
Negotiate the scope and allowances more than the headline percentage. Locked selections, fewer unknowns, and a realistic timeline usually reduce pricing better than demanding a random discount.
GC markup usually covers overhead, project management, insurance, warranty reserve, procurement, and profit. Permit fees, design revisions, and owner upgrades are often extra unless listed.
The GC Starter Kit helps you standardize estimates, change orders, and approval paperwork before scope creep eats the margin. Start with the GC Starter Kit or browse the full store.
Browse Templates →