|
Author: Robert Kempe Article source: http://www.msjsoftware.com/. Used with author's permission.
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.
How to Kill Poinsettia
Here's the secret tips for killing poinsettia plants - bah humbug.
Purchasing Florida Investment Property And Various Considerations
Considering researching the purchase of Florida Investment Property or properties for sale in central Florida? Do you find yourself wishing you didn't have that...
Residual Income - Part Three Finding Leaders
In my last article on Creating Residual Income I mentioned that employees are a pain. In addition to the "regular" problems of payroll, sick time, legal issues,...
Planning For a New Deck
Part of the fun of a new deck is the planning! When you plan your deck, you can let your imagination run wild and add all kinds of fun features. As your plannin...
How Can I Get Name Recognition?
Tips on how to get name recognition for your business.
Home Equity Loan: What You Need to Know
The idea of getting a home equity loan while interest rates are low to help you pay off your bills, buy a car, or even pay for your child's education may seem l...
Do You Over Promise and Under Deliver?
What do you do when a customer or client asks you to tell them when you will deliver your product or service? Do you have a systematic way to estimate when you...
Media Training 101: Mastering the Television Interview
Are you winning the media game?
Why Balancing Your Polarity Can Make Life Better
When we slow down, we rejuvenate. And when we've been lethargic, we come to life by doing more. This is the dance of polarity. While we may prefer one end of...
Hows Work Going?
We will spend about 1/7th of our lives working and unfortunately too many of us work at a job that we can't stand. If you are going to spend 1/7th of your life...
The Key to a Clear Conscience
I have discovered as I grow older in Christ Jesus and wiser in all things spiritual, that one of the best possessions any person can have is a clear conscience....
Fitness Scams
Caveat emptor is Latin for "let the buyer beware". Nowhere is this phrase more applicable than in the weight loss industry of today.
Oklahoma Real Estate – Cowboys and Indians
Oklahoma is a state that conjures up images of cowboys, indians, college football and dirt track racing. If these subjects appeal to you, you'll be happy to lea...
High Impact Traffic by Writing Articles
So you have a website but your traffic counters not exactly burning? Maybe it's not even turning! You may have tried reciprocal linking to gain search engine ra...
Alzheimers and Challenging Elders: Behavioral Strategies
Jacqueline Marcell,well-known eldercare expert/speaker and author of the best-selling book, "Elder Rage", offers solutions for effective management of challengi...
What That 70s Show Taught Me About Christianity
What did the characters on 'That 70's Show' teach me about the problems with Modern Christianity? Read this article and find out!
Rightful Owner
Direct Answers - Column for the week of January 20, 2003 I was recently looking through some old photos when I found some of an ex-boyfriend when he was a child...
The Top 5 Issues Facing VPs of Sales
Every year millions of dollars are spent investigating and pursuing ways to grow sales. Any business owner knows that sales are the life blood of the company. I...
Conversation Starters Can Save Your First Date
Conversation starters can literally save your life on a first date.
They can serve as a great base for a flowing, lively, enjoyable conversation, that can let y...
Dieting Strength
What's holding you back from your diet and exercise program? It's not the food or the scales. . . read further. . .
Three Great Reasons to Take Up Golf
How many times have you non-golfers out there wondered what the big deal is with this game called golf? The majority of people who haven't had the chance to pl...
Dealing With Emotional Stress
One very difficult form of stress to cope with and manage is emotional stress. After all, it is often self-created...
Affiliate + Blogs = Money
Do you blog? Are you a struggling affiliate? Here are my Top 10 Tips for combining the two.
Help Prevent Wrinkles Through Dieting
Need some tips for helping preventing wrinkles through dieting? Read this article.
|
Print this page