General Contractor, Be Your Own or Hire a General Contractor

Bathroom in need of a renovation

Folk lore tells you that you can save a lot of money by being your own general contractor. Yes, you can. Is saving money your first goal, or is finishing your project on time and budget your first priority? No, general contracting is not as easy as you might think it seems. Being a general contractor requires a history of craft,  networking and experience, an ability to judge the competent from the incompetent. Anyone can call themselves a contractor; not everyone is insured, licensed, knowlegeable, trustworthy and skilled enough to work in your home. Showing up on time, and on the day promised, is half of the challenge of being a contractor. If my experience is any measure, way too many don't posess this skill. There are various reasons for this state of affairs. Some contractors are completely lacking in courtesy and will not telephone you to say that they are not coming on the prescribed day. Another set of contractors have no intention of demonstrating this skill and yet other contractors are intending to fulfill this expectation, but more often than not, they do not. Realize that some of this is intentional choice by the contractor, some of it really is a simple lack of organization. A contractor may show up the first day to receive a check to start the job, yet not do any work. You'd be sure to show up for pay if you hadn't done anything yet, wouldn't you? Alas, they may not return for some time to start work, rather disconcerting to say the least. Be sure to find out exactly how your contractor works or intends to work...and get it written down specifically in your contract.

Kitchen in need of a date with a contractor

How do you get a handle on this? This is where the experienced general contractor, and a written signed contract comes in. The experienced contractor knows who is going to show up on time, come in on budget and finish on the set time frame so that the whole project stays on trajectory. A contractor that stiffs you in one way or another, sinks your time schedule. One week without that subcontractor working means you are at least one week behind schedule...and likely more like a month behind schedule because you have to find another contractor to do the said work.  That new contractor might not be able to commit to you for another month because their calendar is filled for the next month. A competent, experienced, general contractor has a little black book of numerous "subs" who he can alternately go to to perform the same work. She or he will know who is flexible, reliable, and competent and, she will have alternatives up her sleeve to get your job done. You do not have this font of knowledge to draw from. If you take on the general contracting your own project you will need to interview contractors after collecting information from trustworthy friends, family and acquaintances.  You will want to know what contractors they have employed that have demonstrated trustworthy competent work. Consider this professional font of knowlege, when you are deciding whether to hire a general contractor or not. Every general contractor is not equal.  The best general contractors have the ability to identify competent work, quality craftsmanship, and trustworthy subs. You want this knowlegeable contractor working on your house, don't you?

Give serious consideration as to how much you can save, weighed against how much the blunders of an incompetent contractor could cost you in money, time and product. You are in the driver's seat, just consider these points seriously before you make your decision.