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Message
Anyone ever been their own GC for a new home build?
Posted on 8/3/22 at 9:17 am
Posted on 8/3/22 at 9:17 am
Wife (no pics) and I are looking at buying a lot in Lee Rd and building our own house. Planning on financing the land by itself for a few years and paying a good chunk off and then rolling the rest into a mortgage. My brother is a Subcontractor and said that we should forgo the use of a GC and handle that ourselves. He said he can recommend all of the other subs that we will need and will assist in inspections of their work. Anyone ever done this and have thoughts/ advice?
14
Posted on 8/3/22 at 9:24 am to Bowhunter94
Yes. If you’re willing to visit the site daily/frequently and also oversee milestone events like concrete pours and you have flexibility with your job that you can visit during the day if there’s an issue, it’s not bad.
Do you know construction/are you mechanically inclined? Having someone with contacts in your pocket like you said you would have is a plus. Plus you can do some work yourself if you so choose.
I don’t buy into the myth of “contractors won’t work with you” or “contractors will charge you way more.” If that’s the case, you didn’t want them in the first place.
Do you know construction/are you mechanically inclined? Having someone with contacts in your pocket like you said you would have is a plus. Plus you can do some work yourself if you so choose.
I don’t buy into the myth of “contractors won’t work with you” or “contractors will charge you way more.” If that’s the case, you didn’t want them in the first place.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 9:28 am to Bowhunter94
I am ~6 weeks away from finishing a build off of Lee Road right now. I'm lucky in that I've got a great contractor, but regardless, I can't imagine having GC'd this project on my own in normal times - much less right now. I think it also depends on the level of home you're building. I think it would be easier for a smaller house with less custom finishes as opposed to a larger house with more custom or high end components and work.
Even with a great contractor, I'm pretty heavily involved and it takes a significant amount of time away from my job/personal life/etc. If I were GCing everything on my own, I would effectively have two full time jobs and it probably would have taken twice as long.
This is a big deal because right now, my friends in the industry have told me that getting subs to show up period is more difficult than it's ever been. Getting subs to show up that do quality work is even harder. I would only start a project like that with your brother serving that role if you two have a very good relationship.
Even with a great contractor, I'm pretty heavily involved and it takes a significant amount of time away from my job/personal life/etc. If I were GCing everything on my own, I would effectively have two full time jobs and it probably would have taken twice as long.
quote:
My brother is a Subcontractor and said that we should forgo the use of a GC and handle that ourselves. He said he can recommend all of the other subs that we will need and will assist in inspections of their work.
This is a big deal because right now, my friends in the industry have told me that getting subs to show up period is more difficult than it's ever been. Getting subs to show up that do quality work is even harder. I would only start a project like that with your brother serving that role if you two have a very good relationship.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 9:45 am to bluemoons
quote:
he industry have told me that getting subs to show up period is more difficult than it's ever been
This. Prepare to get raped on labor, being a "one time deal". These guys will show up and pull off of your house in a heartbeat to go hit a job for a GC that gives them any amount of volume and pays on time.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 10:04 am to Bowhunter94
Think you will have 2 issues here, and its enough to not consider it.
1.) Good subs are hard to come by, the good ones are pretty well booked with GCs already and get steady work from them. Breaking away from that for your one build isn't very smart decision that could cost them future work. Shitty subs are all thats left that will work for an owner.
2.) Construction loan will be harder to come by.
Then you get to deal with all that comes with permitting.
1.) Good subs are hard to come by, the good ones are pretty well booked with GCs already and get steady work from them. Breaking away from that for your one build isn't very smart decision that could cost them future work. Shitty subs are all thats left that will work for an owner.
2.) Construction loan will be harder to come by.
Then you get to deal with all that comes with permitting.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 10:08 am to absolute692
^^^Listen to this guy.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 10:08 am to Bowhunter94
"You are entering a world of pain"
Posted on 8/3/22 at 10:22 am to poochie
I have a decent amount of knowledge. I worked with my brother all through high school/ college and am blessed now with a job that is flexible and would allow me to be there frequently.
The main thing I would sub out would be the plumbing, foundation, roofing, and sheetrock. The rest I would most likely run through my brothers business.
He has told me which contractor I should use if I go that route but keeps stressing I can save a lot of money handling that part myself.
The main thing I would sub out would be the plumbing, foundation, roofing, and sheetrock. The rest I would most likely run through my brothers business.
He has told me which contractor I should use if I go that route but keeps stressing I can save a lot of money handling that part myself.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 10:26 am to bluemoons
We are very close. Fish together all the time and talk daily.
Subs are my biggest concern but he said he has all the ones that I will need to use and has good relationships with them.
It will be a standard 4bd house. Nothing super elaborate.
Subs are my biggest concern but he said he has all the ones that I will need to use and has good relationships with them.
It will be a standard 4bd house. Nothing super elaborate.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 10:59 am to absolute692
quote:
1.) Good subs are hard to come by, the good ones are pretty well booked with GCs already and get steady work from them. Breaking away from that for your one build isn't very smart decision that could cost them future work. Shitty subs are all thats left that will work for an owner.
This is a sound point. Subs are loyal to the GCs they know and work with. Even with those established relationships, the GCs are constantly hounding them to show up on jobs. You will have a difficult time getting subs to show up on your one off job and actually complete the work without being there hounding them the entire time. You will spend hours chasing subs if you go this route. Because of this you should expect really big delays on your build.
While your subs will generally know how to build within code you will need to know the codes and also the permitting and inspection schedule/process.
This post was edited on 8/3/22 at 11:01 am
Posted on 8/3/22 at 11:46 am to Bowhunter94
I did it about 10 years ago. I don’t know about now, but back then, it wasn’t hard. The variables that will make or break you are location and the subs, and they’re tied together. I had the fortune of building in a small-town market where I could evaluate subs by word-of-mouth and reputation. I was able to line up the people I wanted and make the schedule work. Because the people I picked were reputable, I didn’t have to worry so much about the work quality as I might have had to do with someone I didn’t know. I did have one crappy contractor out of the bunch, a stucco guy, but it wasn’t too bad. The bank was great and we worked everything over text and email.
It’s definitely doable if you vet the subs and have a good lumber/supply company to work with. We did ours in 9 months. Based on the GC estimates we got, we saved about $40-60K by doing it ourselves.
That being said, because of the current climate, I think you have to resign yourself to the fact that there will be material delays and higher costs. The stressful part will be dovetailing the contractors in and making sure you don’t have huge gaps of time where no one is working or waiting on materials. Do your prep work now and have all decisions made and everything picked out. If you’re 100% you’re going through with the build, start shopping now for lighting and plumbing fixtures, tubs, toilets- stuff you’ll have to have. We got a lot of stuff online and we’re able to save money there. Once you start building, keep changes to an absolute minimum.
It’s definitely doable if you vet the subs and have a good lumber/supply company to work with. We did ours in 9 months. Based on the GC estimates we got, we saved about $40-60K by doing it ourselves.
That being said, because of the current climate, I think you have to resign yourself to the fact that there will be material delays and higher costs. The stressful part will be dovetailing the contractors in and making sure you don’t have huge gaps of time where no one is working or waiting on materials. Do your prep work now and have all decisions made and everything picked out. If you’re 100% you’re going through with the build, start shopping now for lighting and plumbing fixtures, tubs, toilets- stuff you’ll have to have. We got a lot of stuff online and we’re able to save money there. Once you start building, keep changes to an absolute minimum.
This post was edited on 8/3/22 at 11:50 am
Posted on 8/3/22 at 11:52 am to Nump
quote:
That being said, because of the current climate, I think you have to resign yourself to the fact that there will be material delays and higher costs. The stressful part will be dovetailing the contractors in and making sure you don’t have huge gaps of time where no one is working or waiting on materials. Do your prep work now and have all decisions made and everything picked out. If you’re 100% you’re going through with the build, start shopping now for lighting and plumbing fixtures, tubs, toilets- stuff you’ll have to have. We got a lot of stuff online and we’re able to save money there. Once you start building, keep changes to an absolute minimum.
Great advice. Thanks
Posted on 8/3/22 at 12:12 pm to poochie
Be prepared to be the least important client any of your subs work for. If you got time, and patience, and persistence on your side...maybe.
Me, no way in hell I would right now.
Me, no way in hell I would right now.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 12:38 pm to Bowhunter94
quote:
Anyone ever been their own GC for a new home build?
quote:
My brother is a Subcontractor
Tell him to get his contractor's license and take the responsibility. Trying to do that on your own, without ANY experience is absolutely asking for a real life nightmare. Do it and I guarantee you 2 things. You will spend way more than you should AND your marriage will fail.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 12:47 pm to tigerfoot
quote:
Be prepared to be the least important client any of your subs work for. If you got time, and patience, and persistence on your side...maybe.
I didn’t have this issue at all. If you pick shitty subs, then yes. I shopped by word of mouth and quality. ETA: you may have this issue if you wait until a Monday to call them out for a Tuesday, they’ll tell you to pound sand. I stayed in touch with each sub months and weeks and days in advance to be sure we were on the same page always. Communication is key.
The only one I went cheap on was my trim guy who I had to fire and the new guy ended up working out an hourly rate with me to finish everything and it came out to what I would have paid in the first place.
It’s not some big scary monster if you take your time and know what you’re looking at.
This post was edited on 8/3/22 at 12:51 pm
Posted on 8/3/22 at 2:38 pm to Bowhunter94
However you choose to do it, Make sure your windows are ordered as soon as humanly possible.
Otherwise, you'll spend weeks or months stalled while waiting for windows.
Good luck however you choose to proceed.
Otherwise, you'll spend weeks or months stalled while waiting for windows.
Good luck however you choose to proceed.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 3:50 pm to Grassy1
Yes. And you garage doors and appliances.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 4:21 pm to poochie
quote:That is fine and well, but todays world is different than it was a couple years ago. It would be a horrible experience now. An experienced contractor would be worth what every price you pay.
I stayed in touch with each sub months and weeks and days in advance to be sure we were on the same page always. Communication is key.
Posted on 8/3/22 at 5:34 pm to Bowhunter94
(no message)
This post was edited on 10/26/22 at 9:24 am
Posted on 8/3/22 at 7:17 pm to tigerfoot
quote:
That is fine and well, but todays world is different than it was a couple years ago. It would be a horrible experience now. An experienced contractor would be worth what every price you pay.
This is the truth. You're lucky if your workers show up 50% of the time they tell you they will.
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