Unless you are a professional builder/general contractor or you have a close friend or relative who is and would be willing to work with you at all times, acting as your own building contractor, more often than not, can have disastrous results.
Countless
times we have seen homeowners who have chosen to do their own home construction
contracting with the intention of saving money only to spend far more on the
construction budget than they would have spent had they hired a builder to
handle the whole project in the first place. Industrial General
Contractor
The
idea of saving money by being your own general contractor is a myth
General
contracting is a serious undertaking which requires the services of a licensed
professional. The following often overlooked but very important reasons
contribute to costly and unfavourable home construction results when homeowners
undertake the duties of a professional general contractor themselves: Home Contractors
Lack
of knowledge regarding up-to-date building code rules and regulations can
result in code violations, failed building inspections and the need for costly
reconstruction delays.
Inexperience
with the building process and construction procedures will adversely affect
scheduling of subcontractors. Work performed out of sequence can result in poor
quality and often require the need for expensive fixes and reconstruction.
Inability
to schedule subcontractors in a way that optimizes work conditions can be very
disruptive. Too many different subs working at once can cause confusion and
make supervision more difficult. Workers stumbling over each other and getting
in each others' way can result in expensive mistakes and costly damages many of
which are not discovered until it's too late.
Unfamiliarity
with the in-between job prep necessary to optimize each sub-contracting project
can cause construction delays. Each sub-contracting job needs to be properly
completed and ready for the next construction phase. Not handling all the
intricacies properly can cause delays and unnecessary extra expenses.
Lack
of knowledge regarding the proper building materials and supplies can result in
delays and re-stocking fees when re-ordering the correct supplies.
Inability
to coordinate timely delivery of building materials can also result in delays
and rescheduling sub-contracting work.
Poor
command of job-site logistics will result in materials being off-loaded to
improper strategic areas. This can make access for workers difficult and
inconvenient, further adding to the delays and construction budget.
As
a non-professional, pricing discounts are not always available from suppliers
for a one-time only job. As repeat customers, general contractors and builders
receive much better pricing and billing advantages which are then passed on to
the homeowner.
As
a one-time only job, subcontractors will not provide the same discount pricing
to homeowners that they give to their builders. Professional builders can offer
their subs a continuous flow of jobs and income.
As
a non-repeat job, subcontractors will not provide the same favourable treatment
to homeowners that they give to their regular general contractor. It's only
natural that they would give preferential treatment to their regular employer,
showing up at those jobs first and going the extra mile.
Although
they may get recommendations for subcontractors from good sources, homeowners
will not have firsthand knowledge regarding the quality of work. Professional
builders with at least several years of experience will have weeded-out poor
quality subs.
Along
the same lines, homeowners will not be familiar with the personality and
behavior pattern of a subcontractor, something that is just as important for a
good working rapport.
Homeowners
don't generally have all the equipment and tools that builders have which are
necessary to properly carry out the entire construction project. This can
result in the need for expensive purchases and rentals.
For
the inevitable call-backs and repairs for which your general contractor is
responsible only one phone call will be needed.
General
contracting is a full-time job requiring a major commitment of attention and
energy over a period of at least six months to one year. Homeowners would
certainly have to abandon their regular duties or employment to properly deal
with such a significant these reasons
the tempting desire to save the customary contractor mark-up by acting as your
own general contractor can end up costing you much more money and headaches in
the long run. Consider other safer methods such as smaller, value-engineered
house plans that use simplified construction techniques to save on building
costs rather than put your new home at risk of becoming a disaster.