FAQ
Straight answers.
For general contractors first, then for project managers.
General contractors
For general contractors
- Do you need a contractor’s license?
- No. Onyx Project Partners is a staffing company, not a contractor. We never contract with the owner and never take on the construction. You keep your license and stay the contractor of record on every job, and the PM works on your jobs under your license.
- Is the PM my employee?
- No. The PM is our W-2 employee. We are the employer of record: we run payroll, pay the employer payroll taxes, carry the workers’ comp, and handle benefits, HR, recruiting and training. You pay a service fee, not wages, so your company can stay lean.
- How is the 6% calculated and billed?
- It is a flat 6% of the gross revenue of each job the PM manages: the contract value both sides can see, not your profit. We bill it as you bill your client. When you send a draw or progress invoice on a managed job, we invoice 6% of that amount. No hourly rates, no wages, no placement fee.
- How many jobs does one PM carry?
- Between 2 and 5 at a time, depending on the size of the jobs and how close together they are. When your pipeline outgrows one PM, we add another.
- What if the PM isn’t a fit?
- Tell us and we place a different PM. Replacement is part of the 6%: there is no new search on your side and no extra fee.
- Who is insured, and how do I get named additional insured?
- Before any PM starts on your job, we have Workers’ compensation, General liability, Professional liability (E&O), and Employment practices liability (EPLI) in force. Each partner GC is named additional insured on our general liability policy, and we send a certificate of insurance (COI) on request. The staffing agreement carries a mutual indemnity. Request the COI from our contact page.
- What does a PM handle day to day?
- Your jobs, run to one playbook: the schedule, coordinating your subs, tracking progress and budget, and keeping your client informed. You stay the contractor of record and make the calls that are yours to make.
- Do my subs or my structure change?
- No. Your subs stay your subs and your 1099 relationships stay as they are. Using an Onyx PM adds no employees to your payroll.
- Can I scale up or down?
- Yes. Coverage follows your pipeline. Add a PM when work grows; when a job closes out, its fee stops with its last draw.
Project managers
For project managers
- Is this a W-2 role?
- Yes. You are a W-2 employee of Onyx Project Partners, with a steady base and benefits. We handle payroll, workers’ comp and HR.
- What kind of projects will I run?
- Residential and commercial jobs for general contractors in Southern California, 2 to 5 at a time depending on size and distance. You start on farm-system jobs run to our playbook before you are placed with an outside GC.
- What do you look for?
- Verified experience running residential or commercial projects, a clean background check, and someone organized, communicative and calm under pressure who wants to work to one system. We train you to the playbook.
- How do I apply?
- Use the application on this page and attach your resume, or email hello@onyxprojectpartners.com. If it looks like a fit, we will call you.