General Contractor. Well if you do not have building skills and a basic knowledge of construction, local building code then yeah you most likely will need education. General Contractors can either be running a construction company, or they can be a person who knows people - meaning while s/he may not actually do a lick of work, they have people lined up for the various projects - there 'own' teams usually of subcontractors, plumbers, electricians, architect, engineers, drywallers, carpenters, roofers, etc. While it may not require a lot of money - cash, it does require a good deal of credit that you can use - especially if you plan on launching into a big project right off the top. Most contractors contract to buy the materials, pay the labor and then charge the client. The client pays a percentage of the estimate before start of construction, a percentage halfway and then the remainder upon completion - between these payment points there are usually expenses that the GC pays for on credit, paying if off when the client pays. there is some money required for the business itself - such as a contractors license - and depending on where you live you might need certificates that come through night school.