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Message |
    
kriss
Citizen
Username: Kriss
Post Number: 256
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 12:36 pm: | 
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We want to redo our (small) kitchen and add a powder room on the first floor. We had an architect draw up plans and we solicited bids from a few contractors a while back. They were all very expensive, one outrageously so, especially considering the postage-stamp-size of my kitchen.
I'm wondering if anyone has any experience managing your own home renovation project. Would our costs decrease significantly if we acted as our own GC, or is this something I shouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole?
Thanks for any advice, warnings, etc. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 418
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 1:32 pm: |
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Yes and No. Just went through this myself. You'll pay retail for your supplies/materials, and incur lots of extra delivery costs (material) and co-ordinating Plumbers/Electricians/Carpenters with the various stages of the job and with town inspectors (who have to inspect various stages of the work along the way) is absolutely grueling. If you find a contractor you are comfortable with, make sure he's worked with the town building dept. before, and my recommendation is to go with him. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 6788
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 1:42 pm: |
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It really, really, really depends on so many things. We self-GCed our major renovation. I'd do it again because now I know what I didn't know.
The one thing that I would change is not hiring a contractor who spent many of his afternoons in a bar. But, I digress.....
We took it on ourselves less to save money than because we are anal-retentive control freaks who knew that we would scrutinize every aspect of the job no matter what. We knew and trusted our electrician and plumber. We (thought we) knew our contractor.
If you are incredibly detail-oriented and have the time to devote to it, maybe. For example, we remeasured framing every night. This is how we found that the frame for the fireplace was off & avoided having to redo it later, when it would have been a major delay & affected the walls. We went thru the project every night and made to-do lists for them.
I scheduled the plumber and electrician and had the pull to call and ask them to change schedules or come for an emergency (like when the drywall idiot took all the boxes out of the wall the day after the electrician installed them).
The other thing you have to be honest with yourself about is how you treat people. We all like to think that we are nice, but some of us fly off the handle when things go wrong or get incredibly demanding. This is a "more flies with honey" project. Which is not to say you should be a doormat because you also have to stand firm.
The contractor doing the work has to buy in to the idea or you will both be miserable. You have to recognize that there will be unforseen delays and be willing to roll with it. All your spare time will be consumed by this. You need to know something about codes, permits, etc. and not assume that your contractor knows Maplewood code.
You need to spell out things like who will buy the supplies (Pros get discounts that you won't), file the permits, etc. You have to get everything worked out up front or be willing to handle issues as they arise.
We saved maybe 10%-15%??? Of course, the guy we used did shoddy work and we spent several thousand dollars redoing it. I don't think it was us being GC but rather his work.
If you have the time and energy, know the Pros who will be doing the work well and have a basic knowledge about these kinds of projects, it could work. Otherwise, I wouldn't get near it. |
upondaroof
Citizen
Username: Upondaroof
Post Number: 567
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 4:23 pm: |
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from "Roof's Guide To A Happier Life":
"Never represent yourself legally.
Never file your own tax returns.
Never go on vacation with friends or relatives.
Never compress your hard drive.
Never GC your own projects.
Do what you do well so that you may pay others to do what they do well!"
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george H
Citizen
Username: Georgieboy
Post Number: 137
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 5:35 pm: |
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Amen |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 526
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 9:03 pm: |
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Greentree - would you be so kind as to PL me with the name of your shoddy-work/hangin' in a bar/contractor, so I am sure to avoid your same troubles?
Thanks! |
Kitchenguru
Citizen
Username: Kitchenguru
Post Number: 3
Registered: 9-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, February 26, 2006 - 11:46 pm: |
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I think you definitely can GC your own job if you already know a great designer, cabinet company,
plumber, electrician,carpenter etc. AND you can be on the job to direct them and have good problem solving plus good communication skills. There is no such thing as a simple kitchen or bathroom to an amateur.
If you want me to address your questions directly(I've been in the business since 1987) feel free to email me at jahdesignr@aol.com
Good Luck! |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 10808
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 4:44 am: |
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You also have to have enough knowledge about construction techniques to know what is good work and what isn't. You also have to have the respect of the contractors so when you tell them something isn't OK they will correct it. You have to be around the job site daily, when the contractors are working for communication to work. If you get home at seven in the evening and leave notes, it isn't going to work out.
For 99 percent of us it probably isn't going to work out.
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greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 6804
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 10:35 am: |
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What Bob says is absolutely true. At the time, I worked close enough to home to be around & was able to see them almost every day. There were several times that the contractor agreed to come over in the evening if I had questions and didn't see him or his crew during the day.
We had two major problems: one was something that we knew about and agreed that he would fix later. The other was something that we did not see (the shower pan was built incorrectly and then the crew ripped a hole and tried to patch it). In both cases, the contractor was unable to fix it correctly. If we couldn't tell that it was done incorrectly or that his suggested "fixes" would not work, we'd probably still be fixing things.
PDG - I had promised long ago that I would not give the name of the fake-contractor unless specifically asked. So, if you send me a list of people who you are considering, I will confirm if he is on it. But, I wouldn't worry. Several people on this board had major problems with him, so I don't think he's working around here much. |
kriss
Citizen
Username: Kriss
Post Number: 259
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 4, 2006 - 11:24 am: |
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Thanks to everyone for your input. Kitchenguru, I sent you an email.
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jeb
Citizen
Username: Jeb
Post Number: 99
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, March 4, 2006 - 2:55 pm: |
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you are welcome to visit my renovation project ( still ongoing ) and get my two cents. pm me if you like... |
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