- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Advice for a first time home builder
Posted on 1/25/21 at 11:28 pm to Purple Spoon
Posted on 1/25/21 at 11:28 pm to Purple Spoon
quote:
A good reputable GC has a network of guys that they work with regularly. Those guys are going to show up and do work on time so that the GC will keep them in the good jobs.
This leads into good subs are often hard to find for some things. A good sub is going to have a GC that keeps them busy and their work is always going to take precedent over your one job. In general they aren't going to do the work as cheap as they will for their normal GC.
As I mentioned before I am not sure I would do it again, I got some pride out of doing it and doing much of the work myself but the stress was unreal. Having built 2 homes using a GC and 1 acting as GC the stress on my relationship was double on the self-built home. With a GC it is kinda you and your wife against the GC on some things and your GC will usually fight for you if it is a sub issue but acting as the GC you kinda become the enemy to your spouse when you have to explain we "can't" do it that way or that way is too expensive. My wife would have literally added 50% per square to the cost if let run wild because no individual thing seemed that expensive. I had to be the bad guy almost all the time.
0
Posted on 1/25/21 at 11:40 pm to iglass
quote:
1) Have at least three or four exterior hose bibs, not one or two. One of them needs to be close to your garage door, not 30' around the corner.
Place the hose bibs at waist level above the ground, squatting to hook up a hose, and bending over to turn it on and off literally gets to be a pain as you get older.
Posted on 1/25/21 at 11:59 pm to Btrtigerfan
quote:
When it's complete, you will be 20% over budget and three months past your projected completion date.
Don't blame me. I'm just the messenger.
I’m 40% over budget and 6 months past due. I’m closer to 25% over budget but once you include the pool and all the other BS I’m at 40.
This post was edited on 1/26/21 at 12:03 am
Posted on 1/26/21 at 12:43 am to tigerclaw10
quote:You sound like my ex.
I’m an engineer and work with construction guys pretty regularly
Posted on 1/26/21 at 3:03 am to tigergirl10
Where are you from? 
Posted on 1/26/21 at 6:00 am to Purple Spoon
quote:
A good reputable GC has a network of guys that they work with regularly. Those guys are going to show up and do work on time so that the GC will keep them in the good jobs.
That’s the big deal to me. Explaining to my wife that we have to live with my parents for another 3 months because the plumbing guy is on his deer lease in Kansas is not in my wheelhouse.
This is where a GC has the advantage over you. You will have zero leverage over your subs. The GC has the leverage of his future (and ongoing business), whereas you don't. And trust me, they still shite on him and his timetable too.
I just finished a build, and wouldn't do it myself based on this issue alone.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 6:27 am to Hogwarts
quote:
Don’t be married and do it. It’s the ultimate relationship strain I’ve heard.
This isn't true. I generaled my own home and it presented no strain whatsoever. If you have a bad marriage it might expose it, but it won't strain a good one.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 6:34 am to Purple Spoon
quote:
The only guy I know personally to do it successfully was an engineer. It worked out but it took way longer than anticipated.
I'm an engineer (electrical), did it when I was 30. It was a 2200 square foot house (air-conditioned) with another 700 square feet of garage and porch. I finished it in 5 1/2 months, but could have finished in four and a half. My other house wasn't selling so I slowed down. I did my own plumbing, painting and electrical and kept failing inspections for the most trivial things.
I remember the lot was $35,000 and the house cost $105,000. It was a very nice brick and vinyl house for $140k back in 1993.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 6:53 am to Grassy1
quote:
This is where a GC has the advantage over you. You will have zero leverage over your subs. The GC has the leverage of his future (and ongoing business), whereas you don't. And trust me, they still shite on him and his timetable too
A friend is a GC and I asked him about this. Earlier in his career, he put pressure on a sub to finish and withheld the payment till they did something right and then he was blacklisted from that all the other subs in that category for a while due to word of mouth.
Just in my renovation, we had a 3 week delay on plumbers coming to redo the whole house. Despite me walking thethe initial bid with them and the GC, they showed up and acted like it was too much work and walked off the job. So now we have to rebid and I wasted a whole month and a half of mortgage and rent for temporary housing for 0 work to be done. They can fire the plumbers and never use them again maybe, but I was just screwed.
Another example was after we got done with plumbing, was waiting on drywall. Replacement lumbers finished 2 weeks before Thanksgiving and drywall said they’d be out to get started. Didn’t come. I asked before we left to see our folks if it was going to get started during the break and GC said yes. We get back and nothing was done. Then nothing starts the next Monday. Then I call GC and he said he’ll start Tuesday. Don’t come Tuesday. I don’t even text my GC because he knows they didn’t come. I get a text at 5 pm that he has a promise they’ll start Wednesday. They don’t show Wednesday.
As much anger as you have over it, they’re dealing with the same thing. I like I our GC, but I’ve been pretty pissed at them more than once. It’s just the nature of subs.
My brother in law used to be a manager at Sherwin Williams and he made a statement that very few painters chose this life, life chose it for them. Same applies for most subs.
This post was edited on 1/26/21 at 7:15 am
Posted on 1/26/21 at 6:57 am to tigerclaw10
quote:
Any dos and donts from the OT?
Don't be your own GC if you don't know what you're doing. It will take longer and be more expensive than you realize. Some things are worth the money, like a GC.
I'm a subcontractor and I will give a higher price to someone GCing their own house because I know it's going to be more trouble than if a GC is involved.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 7:23 am to tigerclaw10
quote:
I’m an engineer and work with construction guys pretty regularly
Don’t do it. The fact that you are asking the OT for advice on this should tell you that you shouldn’t do it.
I’m picturing one day talking to the mason, “well, I read on Tigerdroppings that you should have reinforced that wall better”
Posted on 1/26/21 at 7:27 am to tigergirl10
quote:
You sound like my ex.
Walk, unless you are gay, your ex was a female engineer who worked with construction guys? No wonder she is your ex, someone was laying the slab on her.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 7:42 am to BeerMoney
quote:
Don’t let the contractor build some small arse back patio. You need something large if you want outdoor space.
Needs to be stated in every - “building a home” advice thread.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 7:51 am to lsuroadie
quote:
never build a home for an engineer, might want to keep that under your hat
Hahaha was wondering how long it would be until this is posted. 100% seems to be some of the worst to build for.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 7:56 am to tigerclaw10
Here's a thread from a couple years ago where someone asked the same questions. There are a lot of good advice.
LINK
One thing we did that I'm glad we did was have regular stairs leading into the attic instead of a pull down. It's so much easier getting things in and out.
Good luck.
LINK
One thing we did that I'm glad we did was have regular stairs leading into the attic instead of a pull down. It's so much easier getting things in and out.
Good luck.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 8:06 am to tigerclaw10
quote:
I would try to save some money
likely won't do this, especially if this is your first rodeo, learn as much as you can about contracting/building your own home so that you can at least have some understanding of the process, there are some pretty good books on this at half price book store/Amazon, be aware that you won't become an instant expert just by reading the book, but it will help, remove the emotion, expect delays and miscommunication, treat it like a job, and keep the wife at bay
Posted on 1/26/21 at 8:21 am to 3nOut
quote:
My brother in law used to be a manager at Sherwin Williams and he made a statement that very few painters chose this life, life chose it for them
The single biggest exception, of course, being Hitler.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 8:28 am to tigerclaw10
quote:
Advice for a first time home builder
quote:
Any dos and donts from the OT?
Don't fricking believe whatever he tells you about when it will be finished.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 8:29 am to USMEagles
quote:And Chicken.
The single biggest exception, of course, being Hitler.
Posted on 1/26/21 at 8:29 am to 3nOut
quote:
As much anger as you have over it, they’re dealing with the same thing. I like I our GC, but I’ve been pretty pissed at them more than once. It’s just the nature of subs.
Yeah, lot of chicken littles in this thread telling homie to hire some scab builder to wrangle the subs. In reality, you’ll be doing that for the GC.
Bottom line, construction is full of drunks and drug addicts. Your GC isn’t going to change that.
I live in a neighborhood that sees gobs of renovations and upgrades. I’ve done major projects (houses to studs) alone and hired GCs for others. I can’t say any was easier but I’ve always saved money not hiring a GC.
Building from scratch would be a fun challenge if you like that sort of thing.
Page 4 of 5
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News