Isn’t it more economical to hire several specialty contractors than hire one general contractor?
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This depends on your experience and the scope of the project. Most laypersons who are about to deal with a significant remodel should just hire a general contractor. Depending on the state and licensing regulations, they may have to hire a general contractor.
in general its always batter to deal with general contractor and
not with subs the main reason is that subs usually blame each other for things that went wrong
in project and you need one person to deal with and one person to be in charge
So far I can’t recall a case that I know of where people did not hire a GC and things ended well.
People think they’ll be saving the money on the GC to then find out they are only spending more money and a tons of time coordinating between and chasing the sub-contractors.
Be smart - Hire one!
If it is a big project it is best to hire a general contractor. The general contractor is the “manager” of the entire project and is responsible for the overall coordination of the project. A general contractor is responsible for providing all of the material, labor, equipment and services necessary for the construction of the project. The general contractor hires specialized subcontractors to perform all or portions of the construction work. So in a nutshell it takes the responsibility off of you and puts it on the general contractor. It gives you piece of mind in knowing you only have to deal with one person versus several sub-contractors.
Responsibilities of the general contractor may include applying for building permits, securing the property, providing temporary utilities on site, managing personnel on site, providing site surveying and engineering, disposing or recycling of construction waste, monitoring schedules and cash flows, and maintaining accurate records.
i recommend using one good contractor less headaches and you dont have to waist time on finishing one thing to start another
A general contractor provides a single point of responsibility. If something goes wrong - and in the case of larger construction projects, things often do - the GC is there to assume the responsibility and make things right. When hiring individual sub contractors, there tends to be a lot of finger pointing and any issues with quality control, misordered materials, on site damages, delays, etc. become your problem. And because you don’t have the sort of ongoing relationship that a GC has with their subcontractors, it may be a struggle to get everyone back on track in a timely and cost effective manner.
Being a general contractor is a full time job. If you are looking to do any extensive work on your home and you currently have a full time job you may need to give up either sleeping, or any other social obligations you may have. Acting as your own general contractor could also cost lots of extra money, and extend the project completion time. Without any real relationships between the “DIY general contractor” and their subs you will probably be paying a retail price for the sub contractor’s services with all of the headaches of dealing with managing a sub! Not to mention acting as a General Contractor in many states without the proper Home Improvement Contractor license “HIC” from the attorney general’s office could cost you a hefty fine you’d have to chop right off of the top of any cost saving you’re banking on!
Long story short, Could we agree if you became sick or for some reason had a run in with the law you’d probably go see a doctor or hire a lawyer? Sure we could, and that’s because acting as your own doctor or lawyer could have lots of disastrous results! Same goes for hiring a quality General Contractor!
The big question is: " Are you up to the task of running a project?" If there is any hesitation then hire a General Contractor.
The general contractor will help coordinate all the various trades; plumbers, electricians, cabinet makers, flooring, etc. and schedule them so there are no delays. General contractors typically have various contractors in each trade that they can help them facilitate a lower cost vs. you cold calling contractors.
Not to mention they are a one point contact. It will cost extra to have a General Contractor oversee the project but it is well worth the money.
So far there are 8 answers to this question and they all basically state the same thing. What does that tell you. I don’t think that anyone can disagree that hiring a GC is a no brainer. Your setting yourself up a for lot of headaches if you don’t. Don’t even think about it if you have a regular 9 to 5 then its going to turn into a 24 hour job.
VCG Construction said it best… Would you perform root canal on yourself ? That’s probably what its going to feel like.
You can often save money by un-bundling the construction package and hiring subcontractors yourself, IF:
- You have plenty of free time to manage them
- You have specific expertise regarding construction contracts and construction sequencing, and
- Your tolerance for excuses, last-minute changes and general risk is high.
Managing and coordinating subcontractors means spending a lot of time planning, calling, scheduling, revising your planning, revising your schedules, and knowing when each trade must be at the job to make it run smoothly… then getting them there.
Expecting the subcontractors to show up on time and coordinate with other trades on their own is, unfortunately, wishful thinking.
Unless you are very familiar with construction of your project from beginning to end, you need a GC. There are too many subs to coordinate, you may not be familiar with the type and quality of the work needed or the requirements of each of the subs. Subs love to put blame on the last sub that worked on the project or push work onto the next sub. GC can usually pay for themselves in material discounts alone. For a fair fee, definitely hiring a GC will save you money, stress and time in the long run.
It is best to hire a GC that will be responsible for everything, including all subs. The project will go smother, and on time with someone there all the time making sure everything is done correctly.