General contractors manage more moving parts than almost any other business type — multiple active projects, dozens of subcontractors, permit timelines, materials deliveries, client communication, and invoicing all happening simultaneously. When the GC is also answering phones, chasing subcontractors, and managing their own calendar, the business operates below capacity. A virtual assistant who understands construction project workflows takes the coordination layer off your plate.
What a General Contractor VA Does
Project Coordination and Tracking
Your VA serves as a remote project administrator:
- Maintain project status trackers for all active jobs
- Update timelines as milestones are completed
- Flag delays, upcoming deadlines, and critical path items
- Prepare weekly project status reports for you and clients
- Track punch lists and coordinate completion items
With multiple projects running simultaneously, a VA who owns the tracking and status layer prevents things from falling through the cracks.
Subcontractor Communication and Scheduling
Coordinating subcontractors is one of the most time-consuming parts of general contracting. Your VA can:
- Send scheduling confirmations and day-of reminders to subs
- Coordinate availability across multiple trades for sequencing
- Follow up on delays and communicate rescheduling to affected parties
- Collect and file certificates of insurance (COIs) from subs
- Track subcontractor invoices and flag payment timing to you
Permit and Inspection Coordination
- Track permit application status across active projects
- Coordinate inspection scheduling with municipal offices
- Follow up on permit approvals and communicate status to the project team
- Maintain permit documentation files per project
- Log inspection results and flag failed inspections for follow-up
Client Communication
GC clients want consistent updates without calling to chase status. Your VA handles:
- Sending weekly project update emails from your notes or site reports
- Responding to routine client questions using your approved information
- Coordinating site visit scheduling for clients and inspectors
- Sending change order documentation and tracking client sign-offs
- Following up on outstanding client approvals that are holding up progress
Materials and Vendor Coordination
- Track material orders and delivery ETAs
- Follow up with suppliers on delays
- Coordinate delivery scheduling with site availability
- Log material receipts and match against POs
- Research vendor pricing for upcoming project bids (under your direction)
Administrative Support
- Invoicing clients upon milestone completion
- Tracking accounts receivable and following up on unpaid invoices
- Organizing project files, photos, and documentation
- Maintaining subcontractor and vendor databases
- Preparing bid packages and proposal formatting
Tools for GC VAs
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Buildertrend / CoConstruct / Procore | Project management for construction |
| JobNimbus | Lead and project tracking |
| QuickBooks | Accounting and invoicing |
| Google Workspace | Documents, spreadsheets, email |
| DocuSign | Change order and contract execution |
| Loom | Video updates for remote coordination |
What to Pay a GC VA
| Level | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| Entry (scheduling, filing, client communication) | $9 – $14/hr |
| Mid (project tracking, subcontractor coordination, invoicing) | $14 – $22/hr |
| Senior (full project admin + permit coordination + financial) | $22 – $30/hr |
Most GC businesses start VAs at 20–30 hours per week and scale as project volume grows.
Why Contractors Resist VAs (And Why That Is Costing Them)
The most common objection: "No one can manage my projects the way I do." That may be true for on-site judgment — but not for scheduling confirmations, status emails, permit follow-ups, and tracking spreadsheets. These are time-consuming administrative functions, and doing them yourself while projects are running means you are undermanaging the high-value work.
A VA handling coordination frees you to focus on bids, client relationships, and site supervision — the work that actually grows revenue.
General contracting businesses that scale past one or two simultaneous projects almost always have some form of back-office support. A VA is the most cost-effective way to build that infrastructure without adding full-time W-2 overhead.
Virtual Assistant VA places VAs with construction businesses including general contractors, specialty trades, and commercial developers. Find a candidate who understands project-based work and construction workflows.