What a framing subcontractor does

A framing subcontractor builds the structural skeleton of a house. Floors, walls, roof system and sheathing. They work under a builder or general contractor's license and permit, usually labor only, assembling a lumber package the builder supplies. They start after the foundation is cured and finish before the roofer and the mechanical trades arrive.

Fully insured

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Firm quote within 24 hours of plans

Last updated: September 2026

Where the scope starts and stops

Framing is a window in the middle of a build, and knowing its edges prevents most scheduling arguments.

Before framing	Framing	After framing
Excavation	Floor system	Roofing
Foundation and footings	Wall framing	Windows and exterior doors
Backfill	Roof system and trusses	Siding
Anchor bolts set	Sheathing	Mechanical rough-in
Lumber package delivered	Window and door openings	Insulation and drywall
	Beam and column install	Interior trim
	House wrap

The framer's finish line is commonly called dry in, the point where the structure is sheathed and wrapped and the building is ready to be closed up.

What is in a rough framing scope

Floor systems. Joists, rim, subfloor, and the beams and columns carrying them.

Walls. Plates, studs, headers, king and jack studs, corners, blocking, interior partitions.

Roof systems. Rafters or trusses, ridges, valleys, sheathing. Setting trusses is framing work and usually needs a lift.

Openings. Rough openings for windows and doors, framed to the manufacturer's dimensions.

Engineered members. LVL beams, steel beams and columns, installed. Mavericks installs steel. It does not fabricate, weld or coat it, which is a separate trade.

House wrap. Part of the framing scope at Mavericks, not an add-on and never billed again under siding.

What is not

Foundation and concrete. Roofing. Windows and doors as product. Siding. Anything mechanical. Permits. Material, unless the job was quoted labor plus material. Equipment, which is priced as its own line.

How the relationship works

The builder or general contractor is the contractor of record. They hold the license, they pull the permit, they own the schedule and the relationship with the owner. The framing subcontractor supplies crew, skill and labor inside that structure. More on who pulls the permit, and on the rough framing scope.

What a builder should expect from a framing sub:

A quote from the plans in a defined window, 24 hours at Mavericks
Committed start dates in writing
Certificate of insurance, W-9 and registration on file, available the same day
Problems raised before they are discovered
A finished frame that does not generate a punch list for the trades behind it

Mavericks is a subcontractor to builders and GCs by design, not a direct-to-homeowner remodeler. Homeowners are served through their builder, or quoted directly for roofing and decks. For homeowner work that needs a permit, a partner general contractor pulls it and is the contractor of record while Mavericks does the framing labor.

Framing subcontractor vs general contractor

	Framing subcontractor	General contractor
Scope	Structural framing only	The whole project
Holds the permit	No	Yes
Hires other trades	No	Yes
Contracts with the owner	Rarely	Yes
Carries the schedule	For their window	End to end
Holds a builder license	Not required	Yes

Frequently asked questions

What does a framing subcontractor do?

A framing subcontractor builds the structural frame of a house: floor systems, walls, roof systems and trusses, sheathing, rough openings, and beam and column installation. They work under a builder's permit, usually labor only, assembling material the builder supplies.

Does a framing subcontractor need a builder license?

A framing subcontractor does not need a builder license to perform framing labor under a builder or general contractor who holds the license. The contractor of record holds the license and pulls the permit. Mavericks operates as a fully insured, SAM.gov registered subcontractor under the builder's or GC's license.

Do framers install windows and doors?

Framers build the rough openings. Installing the window and door units is usually a separate scope and a separate trade, though some framing contracts include it when the builder asks.

What does dry in mean?

Dry in is the point where the structure is framed, sheathed and wrapped, so the building can be closed up against weather. It is the usual finish line for a framing scope and the milestone builders schedule against.

Can a homeowner hire a framing subcontractor directly?

A homeowner can hire a framing subcontractor directly for work that does not need a permit. For permitted work, a contractor of record who holds a builder license has to pull the permit. Mavericks works with a partner general contractor who pulls permits on homeowner jobs while Mavericks does the framing labor.

How is a framing sub different from a general contractor?

The GC holds the license and permit, hires every trade, and owns the project end to end. The framing sub does one scope inside that, and does it well enough that the trades behind them do not inherit problems.