Hire a specialist when the job is one trade: a new roof, a re-tiled shower, a panel upgrade. Hire a general contractor when several trades have to work in sequence or the structure changes, like an addition, an opened-up kitchen or a finished basement. One party then schedules the work, handles the permits and answers for the result.
Neither is automatically cheaper. A general contractor’s price includes coordinating the work. Hiring trades yourself can save that cost, but you take on the scheduling, the permits and the disputes when one trade blames another.
Which Fits Your Project
A rule of thumb. The dividing line is how many trades depend on each other.
| Project | Usually the right call |
|---|---|
| Roof replacement, same structure | Specialist |
| New cabinets and counters, same layout | Specialist or cabinet installer |
| Panel upgrade or a new circuit | Licensed electrician |
| Water heater or fixture swap | Licensed plumber |
| Deck | Deck builder or general contractor |
| Kitchen with a wall or plumbing change | General contractor |
| Full bathroom rebuild | General contractor |
| Addition or finished basement | General contractor |
| New home | General contractor |
What Ohio Does and Does Not License
According to the Ohio Attorney General, state law does not require home improvement contractors to be licensed, though many Ohio cities do. Ohio licenses HVAC, refrigeration, electrical, plumbing and hydronics contractors, but those state licenses are written for commercial work and do not apply to residential projects.
So the local requirement is what you check. Columbus licenses home improvement contractors. Grove City, Dublin, Hilliard, Upper Arlington and Pickerington require registration. Gahanna asks for proof of insurance with each permit.
What to Check Before You Sign
- Local registration or license, for the city your project is in
- Certificate of liability insurance and workers’ compensation
- A signed written contract with scope, materials, price and schedule
- Who pulls the permits. The Attorney General advises the contractor should
- More than one written estimate, and no large down payment
- Your three-day right to cancel most contracts signed at home
Questions, Answered
Does Ohio require a general contractor license?
Not at the state level for home improvement work. The Ohio Attorney General says state law does not require home improvement contractors to be licensed, but many cities do, so ask for the local license or registration.
Is it cheaper to hire subcontractors myself?
Sometimes, on paper. You save the coordination cost, but you take on scheduling, permits and sequencing, and a delay in one trade can cost you in the next. It tends to work on simple jobs and get riskier as trades overlap.
Should I hire a general contractor for a kitchen remodel?
If walls, plumbing or wiring are changing, usually yes, because several trades depend on each other and permits are involved. If you are only replacing cabinets and counters in the same layout, a specialist can be simpler.
Who is responsible if something goes wrong?
With a general contractor, one company answers for the whole job under one contract. With separate trades, each one answers only for its own work, which can leave you sorting out whose fault a problem is. Get that spelled out in writing either way.
Not sure which your project needs?
See what we run start to finish, with real project photos and reviews, on our General Contractor page, or request a free written estimate.