Should I Manage My Own Remodel?
Many homeowners are tempted to run their own construction project, especially if they have done a remodel in the past. Bathrooms and kitchens are favorite projects of homeowners to manage on their own, and are typically doable, depending on the scope of the project.
Taking on the role of general contractor for any size project is typically more complicated than it seems with many moving parts, people management, supply management and of course time management.
Before you decide, answer these questions:
Are you in the construction business or is someone close to you a contractor, architect or engineer?
Have you been involved in a complex remodel in the past (other than a kitchen or bathroom)?
Do you have an existing relationship with the primary subcontractors who will be needed on your job, ie, a plumbing contractor, electrical contractor, painter, sheet rocker, flooring installer, tiler, cabinet maker, carpenter, laborer, HVAC specialist, glass company, insulation installer, stone fabricator, etc?
Are you familiar with the phases of construction, the timing of the associated tasks, as well as the deliverables and dependencies (what comes when)?
Can you prepare all the spec and cut sheets for your subs and make sure they all have the information they need to carry out the specifics of your project in a timely manner.
Do you feel ownership over your project and do you feel confident instructing the people on your project as to what to do when?
Are you eager to run your own job and not just looking to save money?
Are you tolerant of delays in your schedule and in spending more money than you anticipated?
Are you comfortable with the unknown and unpredictability?
Are you available by phone at all times during the day or to be onsite within 20 minutes to make decisions or answer questions in person?
Do you have someone you trust to be a representative who can act in your place when you are not available?
Do you understand that home improvement TV programs paint a completely unrealistic picture of the remodeling process?
Are you a skilled, organized, disciplined and persistent project manager type who is good at scheduling, keeping to a budget, anticipating problems, and coming up with solutions on the spot?
Can you comfortably ascertain the quality of the work of each of your subcontractors and assure that the work meets code?
Are you able to navigate the permit process in your municipality?
Are you comfortable writing up construction contracts with your subs, asking for insurance certificates, and for ultimately assuming liability for the project and workers safety?
Mostly Yeses?
If you answer yes to most of them, you probably have the skills to be your own general contractor on your next remodelling project.
Mostly Nos?
If you answered no to any of these questions, I suggest that you look at whether you are really up for being your own general contractor. Even people who work in construction, or have been on building sites for years, find it difficult to run their own jobs.
Managing your own remodel project
If you decide to take on the task anyway, just make sure you go in with your eyes open, with a positive attitude, and a good support system. This will be an exciting time and a great learning experience.
Read: Will Becoming My Own General Contractor Save Me Money?
We are general contractors working in the San Francisco Bay Area. We provide exceptional remodeling services for projects of any size which we carry out with the highest quality and most fastidious attention to detail.