Anyone ever the general contractor on their own house?

[TheSiege]

I am just wondering what your general thoughts on it were, nightmare? easy? joyful?

and anything you can say about your house
size, location, floors so on and so forth

 

[jlee]

My mother's fiancee did, but that's what he does for a living...so I don't suppose that's too relevant..

 

[Capt Caveman]

Tons of work, project managing, if you're also working expect to spend a ton of time on the phone coordinating things and running back to the site to supervise.

 

[mugs]

If you're asking this question, I assume you're not a general contractor and should probably not try to be the general contractor for your own house.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: mugs
If you're asking this question, I assume you're not a general contractor and should probably not try to be the general contractor for your own house.

Yeah; it's definitely not going to be easy.

 

[Kirby]

My dad built our house, and several family members' homes. But he did it for a living for a while.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: mugs
If you're asking this question, I assume you're not a general contractor and should probably not try to be the general contractor for your own house.

qfmft

 

[Sluggo]

I've done it several times, but as above, thats what I do for a living, so it wasn't a huge difference. We did spend most nights and weekends here for 5 months and it gets tiring. You do have the advantage of getting (almost) exactly what you want, and there is a huge feeling of accomplishment when you are finished and finally get to move in.

If you arent in the business, it will be difficult, but not impossible. The hardest part is that while you are working at your regular job, the subs will be working at your home and have a million questions...and nobody to answer them.

Our first house was a renovation that had been burned, it was really difficult. the other 3 were new construction, so not nearly as much dirty work.

 

[TheSiege]

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: mugs
If you're asking this question, I assume you're not a general contractor and should probably not try to be the general contractor for your own house.

Yeah; it's definitely not going to be easy.

I don't do things because they are easy, If I didn't do things because they are hard I wouldn't go very far in life. I work in commercial/industrial construction as an electrician. With a little more experience I have no doubt, no matter how hard, that I can do this.

 

[Kirby]

Originally posted by: TheSiege

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: mugs
If you're asking this question, I assume you're not a general contractor and should probably not try to be the general contractor for your own house.

Yeah; it's definitely not going to be easy.

I don't do things because they are easy, If I didn't do things because they are hard I wouldn't go very far in life. I work in commercial/industrial construction as an electrician. With a little more experience I have no doubt, no matter how hard, that I can do this.

If you say so....

 

[shiner]

We were going to be our own GC but decided it was a bad idea. No way in hell I would have time to deal with all the subs needed to build a roughly 5400 square foot house.

 

[TheSiege]

Originally posted by: nkgreen

Originally posted by: TheSiege

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: mugs
If you're asking this question, I assume you're not a general contractor and should probably not try to be the general contractor for your own house.

Yeah; it's definitely not going to be easy.

I don't do things because they are easy, If I didn't do things because they are hard I wouldn't go very far in life. I work in commercial/industrial construction as an electrician. With a little more experience I have no doubt, no matter how hard, that I can do this.

If you say so....

And my uncle is a concrete worker who will be helping me which will be a ICF home and he has done several

 

[shiner]

Being able to do some of the work required on a house doesn't mean you will be a good GC.

 

[TheSiege]

Originally posted by: shinerburke
Being able to do some of the work required on a house doesn't mean you will be a good GC.

I agree, but I do work in the construction industry and you do pick up a lot. This isn't a thread about weather or not I can be a GC.

 

[xanis]

My grandfather built his own house when he came to America. I believe this was circa 1930 or so. The house was a 2 story, 4 bedroom, 1 bathroom house with a basement. He never really said whether or not he like it, but he said it was an "experience".

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: TheSiege

Originally posted by: shinerburke
Being able to do some of the work required on a house doesn't mean you will be a good GC.

I agree, but I do work in the construction industry and you do pick up a lot. This isn't a thread about weather or not I can be a GC.

Then you need to ask yourself if you're going to be able the time required onsite supervising the subcontractors.

 

[MattCo]

I did it. Lot of work getting people to do what you want/when you want. Unless you are moving 10-15 houses a year, subs don't treat you correctly. Fortunately, my dad is in the business (owns a framing comp) and I know a few builders.

 

[skyking]

you've got a major leg up with your trade and contacts.
I'd do some networking, I would bet you could trade framing for wiring the framer's house, etc.
I've built a few and helped others. it is a lot of work and a greater amount of satisfaction, IMO.
The last project was my garage/carport. it is wired the way I want it, and plumbed with air lines behind the sheetrock with drains.
You will know how it was done, and know that no shortcuts were involved.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: TheSiege

Originally posted by: JLee

Originally posted by: mugs
If you're asking this question, I assume you're not a general contractor and should probably not try to be the general contractor for your own house.

Yeah; it's definitely not going to be easy.

I don't do things because they are easy, If I didn't do things because they are hard I wouldn't go very far in life. I work in commercial/industrial construction as an electrician. With a little more experience I have no doubt, no matter how hard, that I can do this.

It's not about being easy or hard; it requires knowledge that you don't likely have. There's a reason why general contractors have licenses.

 

[Lonyo]

http://www.channel4.com/4homes.../Self-Build/index.html
Probably quite useful. In the UK we have a show called Grand Designs where people build their (usually dream-ish) houses, and often decide to project manage themselves. The website has a few tips on self-building that might be useful for general reference.
I'd assume the basics of building a house aren't going to be that different in the UK vs US.

 

[alkemyst]

I have known of people that have done it both successfully and not.

If you don't have the time to dedicate to it, then hire one. Even when you aren't the one doing the labor, there is A LOT of work to do. Unfortunately you really have to be on top of a lot of trades, it's bad enough when they know they have future work coming from a homebuilder; but when your little job is going to be the last they do...they don't always show up.

Many get incentives to finish jobs early, and penalties when late. The average private person usually is not in a position to negotiate this. Your jobs could get bumped.

Also if you know nothing about construction (and quite a few trades will test this), the trades will try to cut corners. If you are not capable of doing your own adequate inspections you can be cruising for faulty build quality.

Don't count on the city to do more than a quick look over...they are only checking code; not quality.

If you know what you are doing though and have the time, you can save a lot of money and know you are of top of getting the best job.

 

[alkemyst]

If you want to see the hardships you may face go volunteer at a few habitat for humanity projects. You will get to see the myriad of problems that seem basic to answer, but if that job foreman/GC did not give the go-ahead the problems just sit or get patched over.