Contractor

(1) Individual or business that is engaged to do some sort of construction work for another for a fee. There are basically three types of contracting: A general contractor enters into a direct contractual agreement with the property owner for the entire construction activity. A subcontractor is employed by the general contractor to do part of the work. An independent contractor is directly engaged by the property owner to do a portion of the construction activity (a specific item). The independent contractor controls how the work is performed.