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Working As Your Own Contractor. Is it Worth It?
| | Wednesday, October 20, 2004 @ 12:00 PM EDT
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Contributed by: Joe Wroble
Joe Wroble Properties
Read more archived articles about Construction and Building
Building a home can be an expensive proposition. It's no surprise, then, that consumers often look to cut costs when building.
One way to reduce the costs of a building project is to act as your own contractor. Generally, consumers can see savings of anywhere from 15 to 30 percent when they decide to act as their own general contractor.
But are those savings worth it?
That depends largely on your patience, organizational skills and, most importantly, the amount of time you want
to spend on hiring electricians, plumbers
and carpenters. And don't forget, you'll also have to deal with your municipality's building department to obtain the necessary permits to build your home.
"Acting as your own contractor can be a very tricky proposition," said Larry Nielsen, estimator, designer and sales manager with Krause Construction in Chesterton. "When you're working with a contractor, that person acts as a buffer. That person deals with all the subcontractors. When you're the contractor, you're
the one that has to deal with all the problems."
What You'll Have To Do
Contractors are responsible for overseeing an entire building project. If you decide to act as your own contractor, that responsibility falls on you. You'll have to meet with officials in your municipality's building department to earn the permits you need to even begin construction.
You'll have to interview the subcontractors you'll need to complete your project, the carpenters, drywallers, electricians, plumbers and anyone else involved.
You'll also have to set up a schedule for the project. This means you'll have to juggle the schedules of the subcontractors, making sure that the electrical systems are in place before the walls are drywalled, or that the plumbing is installed before the floor guys come to work in the bathroom.
It's enough to give anyone a major headache.
"Acting as your own contractor is certainly not for the faint of heart," Nielsen said.
You'll also be the one who handles the problems. What if the plumber doesn't show up? You'll not only have to reschedule with him, you'll also have to call the subcontractors whose schedules now have to be pushed back as a result.
"People have done it, and it will save you money," Nielsen said. "But you have to use common sense. There are pitfalls involved."
In fact, Nielsen and his company have come to the assistance of many a consumer who began a building project acting as general contractor only to give up when they couldn't get the work finished.
"Then we have to come in and fix someone else's mess," Nielsen said. "No one likes to do that."
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