| |
| |
|
Home Improvement Information |
|
|
|
Acting As Your Own General Contractor When Building Your Dream Home
This article is intended for the DIY (Do It Yourself) home builder; however, it is very useful information for the new home buyer to understand what processes you can monitor even if you are not acting as the general contractor and hiring a general contractor. For the inexperienced DIY home builder, acting as a general contractor is one of the most stressful things anyone can undertake. After that statement, you ask yourself "Why would anyone really want to be the general contractor for their new home?" Well the number one reason is to save money, and in our society it's all about the money isn't it? It doesn't necessarily mean that you are building the home (but with this approach sweat equity has a whole new meaning), you are only managing the sub-contractors. Successful general contactors are either born good, or have been trained to be good. You, as your own general contractor, do not have the time to be as good as a contractor who makes their living building homes. For this reason, I will give you some guidelines to help you out and feel a bit more comfortable managing your new dream home as your own general contractor: Define Your Project; I have published an article on very effective ways to decide on a dream home floor plan. I recommend that you read that along with this article. The article is called Home Floor Plan Designing for Your Future Home by Robert Kempe. Once you have decided on the floor plan and all the associated up front planning projects, such as finding the right plot of land, gathering information on building codes and permits, having signed construction drawings, etc. you have to apply for the building permits. With the homework of gathering all this information prior the application process and having your construction drawings drawn to comply with city, county and state codes this process is just a paper work issue. If you have not properly done this entire process prior to the application, this will slow your time frame down considerably. Most DYI builders wait for the building permit application to find out what is needed. Make it easier on yourself and do it first. Execution of the Project; Now that you have a clearly defined project you can get accurate quotes from the contractors. The construction disciplines you will need are as follows: Electricians, Plumbers, HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning), Framers, Concrete, Drywall, Finishers, Painters, Roofers, Siding, Landscaping, Windows and Doors, Garage door. Etc. Keep in mind that most contractors will have multiple disciplines and will try to combine them as much as possible either with their own work force or they may hire out subcontractors as well. This is how you execute the project. Do your homework on the contractors that you will want to work with on your home. Ask people who you know that have recently built homes who they have used as contractors. Actually any resource on contractor evaluation is helpful. Have them evaluate the experience. With this process you can then get three to five contractor references from trusted resources without involving any salesmen. Have a set of construction plans ready for each of the contractors that you are going to have bid from the list you have generated. Make sure that all the disciplines will be bid upon. Deciding who to hire as your subcontractors; You do not always have to take the lowest bid! You want the contractor that is the most qualified and most prepared to build your home. It is highly suggested that each of the contractors break down the categories and itemize how they arrived at their price. This is best done by communicating this up front before receiving their price. Once you have all this information, evaluate the prices according to their breakdown. Rate the contractor on their responses on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest rank. If the bids are close then it's a matter of what contractor you favor the most. If there is a large gap in the prices, you need to determine why. This is where your breakdown of the work performed and the associated prices can help you determine this. This is also where you find out which contractors are the most serious and most qualified and which contractors are easier to work with. This might lead you to conclude that the best contractor isn't always the lowest price. You get what you pay for! Managing the Subcontractors You thought deciding who to hire as your subcontractor was difficult, try managing them! This is where most of the stress and "sweat equity" occurs. I have been a construction project manager for 15+ years and honestly, every time I am assigned a new project the fear of the unknown working relationships with each of the subs is a major concern. I feel your pain! To help you in your management, have a schedule ready during the bidding war between contractors. Have this presented at the time you present the construction drawings. In fact, have three schedules! What this will generate is three different prices from each contractor. Use this as part of your evaluation as mentioned in the previous paragraph. Your long schedule, medium schedule and short schedule will generate different responses. You want this information up front so that when it comes time to sign a contact with the subs, you can put in clauses that if they do not hold the schedule there are financial burdens placed on them. This will protect you from mismanagement on their part. After all the schedules and contracts are agreed upon, you become more than the customer, now you are the boss. Everyday you need to communicate with the subs and get an updated detailed report on what, where, when, how and why they are on or off schedule. Manage the project by the schedule. Keep in mind that the schedule will change if you decide to change your scope of work by issuing change orders (example: changing the cupboard or cabinet size, the flooring, or appliance). Keep in mind that during this time, this is a small business and your profit is represented by how close you come to your original agreed upon costs associated with the schedule after the contract signing. We could talk about management all day long. In fact there are training courses on this subject that cost thousands of dollars. Hopefully this bit of information will get you on the right track and help make a smooth transition from concept to actually building your dream home. Remember this rule of thumb, the more you prepare the better you will be when handling the bumps in the road. Gathering information prior to needing it will actually save you more money, time and stress than you can probably calculate. If you find this information useful you should visit the site http://www.homedesignfloorplans.com/ where you will find lots of interesting articles related to this topic provided by Robert Kempe. I have 15+ years in industrial construction and industrial engineered manufacturing as a project manager and a part time home inspector. Through my experience in construction and management and my unique prospective in the home industry, I have been able to simplify and make sense of home building and designing in what looks to be a complete chaotic project and decision making process. My articles will guide you through the most difficult decisions and make it a positive uplifting experience.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Your Building Your Dream Home, But Where Do You Start? You have finally found the perfect lot, in the neighborhood of your choice, and at a price you can afford. Now you have to decide what type of house you want built. Why Laminate Flooring is the Perfect Choice for Families If you've ever had carpets or vinyl flooring you've probably had your share of stains, spills, and rips that no matter what you do, you can't quite wash out. Or perhaps the family pet has scratched the carpet edging, or even worse - had a bathroom mishap on the children's favorite playing area?Your flooring nightmares can finally end! Laminate flooring was designed to stand up to the rigors and demands of a busy family household and when compared to other types of flooring solutions easily outperforms in almost every category. Deck Building Basics In my previous article, "planning for a new deck," I outlined the steps for planning for a new deck. This article takes the process one step further. Grandfather Clocks Bring a Sense of Awe?Theyre So Tall Standing tall and big are the stately grandfather clocks. They are huge, immense beings with personalities of their own, and do they tell time. Worktops and Countertops for Kitchens - Buyers Guide to Materials Worktops and Countertops for Kitchens - Buyers Guide to MaterialsThe worktop or countertop is not only necessary for a kitchen it is also an integral part of its design. Food preparation can deliver a large amount of wear and tear to the surfaces in the kitchen. Protecting Yourself from Miter Saw Hazards A miter saw, also known as a "chop saw," is a circular saw that is mounted on a frame. It is designed to be portable and to make very accurate angled cuts between 45 and 90 degrees. Kitchen Remodeling Costs It is important to prepare a budget for your kitchen remodeling plan before you start implementing it. Without a complete and detailed budget prepared before the kitchen renovation begins, you may get swept into a spending spiral of unbudgeted extras. Single Pane Window Glass Repair in an Aluminum Frame Let's suppose you still have those old aluminum single pane windows in your house,and one of the neighbor kids throws a ball through it. ( Your kid would never do that!) Depending on where you live in the country, you can pay anywhere from $75 to $150 to get it repaired. Why Double Glazing? Why replace your single-glazed windows with double glazing ? For most, the precipitating factor for looking into double glazing is a need for new construction (or renovation) to conform to modern energy standards. Others decide to replace their windows as an energy saving measure. Planning Permission Tips UK: The Value of Design Statements When Submitting a Planning Application New Construction Windows Or Replacement Windows? Which Is Right For You? Hello, my name is John Rocco.I grew up around the window and door business. Guide to Bathroom Design The first step is to plan the design - as with kitchens, your local supplier will run off a computer-generated plan based on the room's dimensions and your particular requirements.If you're sticking with the same layout, measure your bathroom suite carefully before you go shopping for a replacement so that you know the new items will fit. Kitchen Design - No Need to Do It Alone You can't opt out of the process altogether, though, because you need to decide what equipment you want in the kitchen, the type of units, fitted or freestanding, the flooring, lighting ? the list goes on.The size and shape of your kitchen will, to some extent, dictate the equipment you have and where you put it. Allow Me to Introduce You to the Fungus Family What exactly is mold? There are over 100,000 different kinds of mold in the world so it is literally everywhere. Molds are organisms and are members of the fungus family. Why Is Your House Cold? How many of you have experienced this situation? As the wind blows outside and the temperature drops, you get chilled even while you are standing in the middle of your home.How does this happen?The three biggest problems with the comfort of your home are,1) air infiltration2) air infiltration3) air infiltrationThe total air infiltration in an average house is the equivalent of having a door or window open every day of your life. Tips and Suggestions To Help You Plan and Build Your Own Log Home Log Cabin Homes: They have come a long way. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you plan and build your own. How to Paint Your Own Artwork - And Save Money Everyone wants to save money. Don't you? Well, painting your own, color matched art can be a lot easier than you might think!Usually the picture that you want for your room will have an outrageous price. Repairing a Hole in a Sheetrocked Wall It is quite simple to repair a hole in a Sheetrocked wall, however there are minor differences in methods of repair depending on how large the hole is.Small size holes (1/4" or smaller)With small holes, simply apply a little joint compound or wall putty with a small putty knife or trowel. Window Shutters On A Budget While there is great value in installing custom-made interior wood window shutters, sometimes they are still too expensive for certain applications. Some alternatives - including poly or vinyl shutters - are less expensive but also much less attractive. How to Care for Laminate Flooring It's hard to damage and easy to care for laminate floors. Here are some tips on how to properly maintain them:1.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2007 |
