An owner hires a construction manager for a project. Which statement about subcontractors is TRUE?

An owner hires a construction manager for a project. Which statement about subcontractors is TRUE?

• A. The subcontractors are prime contractors
• B. Subcontractors are the owner's employees
• C. Subcontractors cannot be used on CM projects
• D. Subcontractors always report to the architect

Answer: (A)

In a project managed by a construction manager, the owner hiring the CM often means the CM takes on the prime contracting role with the owner and then contracts with subcontractors to perform the actual work. Because subcontractors work under the CM’s umbrella and are responsible for their specific scope of work under those contracts, they are treated as prime contractors for their own packages within the CM delivery framework. They’re not the owner’s employees, they’re not barred from CM projects, and they don’t typically report to the architect; they report to the construction manager overseeing the project.

In a project managed by a construction manager, the owner hiring the CM often means the CM takes on the prime contracting role with the owner and then contracts with subcontractors to perform the actual work. Because subcontractors work under the CM’s umbrella and are responsible for their specific scope of work under those contracts, they are treated as prime contractors for their own packages within the CM delivery framework. They’re not the owner’s employees, they’re not barred from CM projects, and they don’t typically report to the architect; they report to the construction manager overseeing the project.