In this segment of DIY's Be Your Own Contractor, the contractors discuss the decisions involved in determining who will actually do the work in the various aspects of construction. In other words, the address the question of what will be truly "do it yourself" and what will be handed over to professionals and subcontractors. Who's Doing the Work? - Betty King and John Spracklen emphasize the need to truly know what you are personally capable of before making individual decisions as to what portions of the work you will do yourself, and what you will hand off to pros.
- Andy Beasley acknowledges that he would typically prefer to hand most jobs over to subcontractors, but that the cost is what usually leads him to do the work he is capable of himself. Assuming that the do-it-yourselfer possesses the necessary skills and qualifications, the "money factor" frequently becomes key determinant in the decision of whether to hire subcontractors.
- For the extremely ambitious, Lynn Underwood believes that you can save as much as half of the cost of building a house by doing all of the work yourself.
- If your thinking about taking on an aspect of construction yourself, however, the most fundamental consideration is whether you possess the necessary skills and knowledge to do so. If you become overly ambitious, and take on a job that you're not qualified for, the potential mistakes you make or damage that you cause may cancel out any money you thought you'd save. Complex or potentially dangerous jobs such as plumbing or electrical work, for example, are often best left to the pros. This type of work will also have to pass inspection later, so it's essential that it be done according to relevant specs. Lynn Underwood advises watching professionals on a job site for several hours, and talking with them about the work that they do, before making a decision as to whether what they do is within or outside the scope of your abilities.
Just (Let Someone Else) Do It
- In terms of selecting subcontractors, Lynn notes that skill in picking qualified professionals is one of the key skills that a do-it-yourself contractor needs to have. "Part of being your own contractor," he says "is picking the right people that are going to be on your job. Remember that this is your home, and you have family who will be living on this site. You don't want to just bring anybody onto this project." Lynn advises knowing the credentials of the subcontractors you're considering -- looking at their licenses, interviewing them on the job site, etc.
- Stanton Saucier advises talking among your circle of friends and associates for recommendations for qualified subcontractors. Alan Sain's concern is that subcontractors may not bring the same level of attention and detail to a particular job that he would personally, so he was particularly selective in his decision of what subcontractors to use.
- Betty King and John Spracklen advise identifying and talking to people who have had previous experience with subcontractors you are considering. Find out whether they work according to their promised schedule, whether they do quality work and whether their charges are reasonable and fair.
- Alan Sain points out that, as a one-time home builder, you are at a disadvantage in dealing with subcontractors since you are only likely to hire them once. The assumption is that they may not be concerned whether you are satisfied with the job they did once they are finished, since it's not likely that repeat business is a consideration. John Spracklen notes that subcontractors are usually committed to multiple jobs at any given time, so their work schedule with respect to your job may have to be flexible. Skip Weahunt disagrees, and believe it's a misconception that subcontractors tend to be dishonest or likely to overcharge individual home-builders. He believes that reliability is determined by the integrity of the individual, and subcontractors operate in a competitive world. Most should be willing to give you the same pricing they would offer any small contractor.
In the segment that follows, the do-it-yourselfers give more advice on dealing with subcontractors.
RESOURCES :
The Brand-New House Book: Everything You Need to Know About Planning, Designing...
Model: 0609805835
Author: Katherine Salant
Full title: The Brand-New House Book: Everything You Need to Know About Planning, Designing, and Building a Custom, Semi-Custom, or Production-Built House
Three Rivers Press
The Well-Built House
Model: 0395629519
Author: James Locke
Mariner Books
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