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Feb 21, 2014

When does it make sense to hire a general contractor? Do-It-Yourself projects are becoming the “in” thing when it comes to making changes around the home. The many home improvement television programs make it all look so easy and it’s one way of saving money. So should you hire a general contractor or not? Or would you be better off to do-it-yourself and hire subcontractors directly? Let’s take a look at what types of projects might require a professional general contractor and what he or she will bring to your project.

While you may enjoy digging your hands into a project that you hope will ultimately find you reveling in satisfaction when it’s completed, do-it-yourself projects can often become more complicated than you intended, especially if you are not completely sure of what you are doing.

Home improvement projects come in many different shapes and sizes, from painting a single room to a major home remodel that involves knocking down walls or even raising the roof.  You may ask, “what constitutes a do-it-yourself job vs. one that requires a professional contractor?” Key things to keep in mind are the level of skill and industry knowledge required to complete the project.  A job that requires pulling a building permit and bringing in a host of subcontractors — electrical, heating, plumbing, carpentry, and flooring — will likely benefit from the expertise of a professional and the connections that he or she has with subcontractors.

In these cases, if you hire a general contractor you will benefit in the following ways:

Project management Expertise

They think “big picture” about the whole project and can effectively connect the dots with their excellent project management skills. A licensed contractor will work with you through the entire project from the idea phase through to the finished product. It may seem fairly simple, but they manage workflow like a worker pushes a product through an assembly line. They know the baby steps and the order by which they are required to accomplish even the simplest of tasks.

Experience: They’ve done it before!

A professional contractor will know building codes, industry standards, appropriate materials, proper construction methods and safety.  This knowledge will save you from having to learn, for example, how to deal with pouring concrete in cold temperatures or if it should wait for a warmer day; what subfloor materials to install to ensure a solid base under a tile floor; or how to install a proper perimeter drain around the exterior of a new foundation. Because of their experience they are able to anticipate issues before they arise and stay one step ahead throughout the process. They also know how to get the project completed in the most cost-effective way.

Access to Quality Subcontractors and Better Pricing

This is an important reason and one that may end up saving you the money you thought you would save by doing it yourself. Licensed contractors either have staff who they depend on or hire subcontractors to do the specialty labor. They have working relationships with these subcontractors, which makes it easy to line them up as the project progresses. To the subcontractor, a general contractor customer has the potential to provide a steady flow of work as compared to the individual homeowner.  As a result, a do-it-yourselfer may not have the clout with a subcontractor who has a greater incentive to serve the needs of its general contractor customers. That subcontractor will also likely give a homeowner more of a retail price vs. a discounted price they give to a general contractor. As an example, a do-it-yourselfer may spend $100,000 in hiring subcontractors on his/her own where in hiring a professional he or she might spend $110,000. So for just another 10% you could have had a pro do the work, saving you all of that time, learning and stress.

Speed

As a do-it-yourselfer, you will very likely be doing this project on top of your full-time job. When you hire a contractor, he or she will be completely focused on getting the project done and will work much more efficiently to get the job done faster than you would be able to do. Again, the contractor’s access to subcontractors will help in keeping the project moving.

Guarantee and Warranty

A general contractor will be responsible for making sure the work done is of the highest quality. If something goes wrong during the process, it is up to the general contractor to fix it and the cost comes out of the contract budget, as opposed to your pocket. Similarly, most licensed contractors warranty the work they do for a period of time after the project is completed. If you do the hiring yourself, the subcontractors may not be as willing to perform warranty work since you are a one-time customer vs. a general contractor with whom they may have a long-time working relationship.

As you can see, a professional contractor makes a lot of sense to call on for more complex projects and could save you a lot of time, aggravation and potentially money. In the end, it will be for you to decide if your job warrants a general contractor or if you can handle the project yourself.  So, go ahead and consult with an experienced general contractor. Raven Homes would welcome the opportunity to provide you with a risk-free consult to kick start your next remodeling or renovation project. Contact us today.