General Contractor
Big Bear Construction
- Veteran-owned
Residential renovation and additions. Kitchens, baths, lanai enclosures, hurricane retrofitting.
Ocala, FL
Browse trades
General contractors in North Central Florida
1 local business across the 8-county service area. Independents only, no national chains.
About general contractors in North Central Florida
A general contractor (GC) coordinates trades on larger projects — additions, gut renovations, hurricane retrofits, lanai enclosures. In Florida, a GC license (CGC for state-certified or CBC for state-certified building contractor) is required for any structural work, additions, or projects exceeding $2,500 in labor + materials per the state thresholds.
For NCF, GCs handle everything from kitchen/bath remodels ($25,000–$80,000+) to full additions ($150–$300/sq ft) to hurricane retrofitting (impact windows + roof tie-down + door bracing, $20,000–$50,000 typical). Verify the license type matches the project — a CGC can do basically anything residential including 3+ stories, while a CRC (Residential Contractor) is limited to 2-story single-family.
Common questions about general contractors in NCF
- Do I need a general contractor for a kitchen remodel in Florida?
- If the project exceeds $2,500 in labor + materials, includes structural changes (load-bearing wall, foundation), or requires permits — yes, FL law requires a licensed contractor. Cosmetic-only refreshes (cabinet doors, hardware, paint) without electrical/plumbing changes can sometimes be done by individual sub-trades. When in doubt, a GC is cheaper than a code violation at sale.
- How much does an addition cost in Marion County?
- Bedroom or family-room addition runs $150–$220/sq ft for typical finishes; $220–$350/sq ft for high-end. A 400 sq ft addition is therefore $60,000–$140,000 all-in (permits, foundation, framing, MEP, finishes). Lanai enclosures (converting screened porch to AC space) typically run lower at $80–$150/sq ft since the slab + roof are existing.
- What's the difference between CGC, CBC, and CRC licenses?
- CGC = Certified General Contractor, no restrictions, 3+ story commercial OK. CBC = Certified Building Contractor, residential + commercial up to 3 stories. CRC = Certified Residential Contractor, single-family + duplex only. For typical NCF homeowner work, all three are qualified; just confirm the contractor's license type covers your project.
- How do I avoid contractor fraud in Florida?
- Verify license at myfloridalicense.com. Get the contractor's name on the permit application (the homeowner should never be listed as 'self-build' on a contractor's project — that's a fraud pattern). Pay no more than 10% deposit per FL Construction Industries Recovery Fund guidance, with progress payments tied to inspection sign-offs. Never pay cash. Never sign a contract with blank fields.
- Should I hire a GC or individual trades?
- GC if the project crosses 2+ trades (e.g., kitchen = plumbing + electrical + cabinets + countertops + flooring) or includes structural work. Individual trades if you're doing one thing at a time (just a new water heater, just new flooring). GC's markup is typically 10–20% of subs' costs — worth it for coordination and single-point accountability on permits/inspections.