Should You Hire A General Contractor for Your Remodel?
Sure, remodeling isn’t rocket science, but it is a science and an art in and of itself - and the folks who do it everyday know the ins and outs of what to do, what not to do, and they might actually save you time and money in the long run!
Kitchen remodel (part of a whole house remodel and addition) designed by E.L. Designs, kbg Design, built by John Fuchs Properties.
The Number One Question I Get Asked When Designing Remodel Projects.
As I’m working folks to design their homes, the number one question I get asked is if they should hire a general contractor their remodel or if they should just manage it themselves and hire local plumbers, electricians, tile setters and cabinet makers - and nine times out of ten, my suggestion is to hire a licensed general contractor.
If you have smaller, ‘single trade’ projects in your home like painting a bedroom, patching sheetrock, replacing light fixtures or replacing door hardware, you can likely find a licensed handyman for those projects (or you can do them yourself!). Whereas, if you’re tearing apart your entire kitchen or taking a bathroom down to the studs and you don’t hire a general contractor, it is incredibly complex; there are so many moving parts and professional trade contractors involved that unless you’re a skilled project manager, and don’t have a full-time job, there’s a good chance you’ll get yourself in over your head quickly… and you’ll end up spending twice as much time trying to get your project completed than if you’d hired the right contractor in the first place. It’s important to mention that mistakes can be costly when you don’t know what you’re doing!
Primary bath remodel (part of a whole home remodel) designed by E.L. Designs, built by Thompson Construction.
Take It From Me, Your Friendly Neighborhood Interior Design Expert.
I’m ‘in the business’ and my husband built my office himself - and every time we think about a project at our house I’m the first one who wants to hire a contractor! For the life of me, I cannot hang a picture straight or centered on a wall, I cannot paint a wall without drip marks running down, and I’ve stripped screws trying to hang curtain rods in the past - I am NOT a “DIY-er”… but I know the best people in the business and I’ll give you the top five reasons why a licensed general contractor is worth their weight in gold!
Kitchen remodel (part of a whole house remodel) designed by E.L. Designs, built by Talmadge Construction.
Why Licensed General Contractors Are Worth Their Weight In Gold.
Project management - A contractor will schedule the trade contractors, order material, be on site for inspections, communicate with you weekly about project status, answer your questions, help you make changes, and will tackle any unforeseen condition that pops up (dry rot, termite damage, mold, etc.).
Trade contractors - General contractors have relationships with tile setters, electricians, plumbers, slab fabricators, cabinetmakers, and so many more trade contractors that they know who to call and when to call them! These relationships are PRICELESS - the contractors know and trust the trade contractors so that you can rest assured knowing everything is done correctly, to code, and meets high quality expectations. When construction is booming and everyone is busy, the trade contractors are going to trust and follow the general contractor to the next job and it will be tougher to get a quality trade contractor to your home if you’re the one managing the process - the contractor knows what needs to be ready and what needs to happen on a job site so the trade contractors know that when they show up, the job is ready for them to do their work.
Material procurement - Sure, you could order all of your own materials, but what happens if the wrong product arrives or tile arrives broken, or a delivery is delayed? A general contractor handles all of this (and more!) for you. That’s why it’s a full time job. Unless you have the time to receive every order (tile, cabinet hardware, cabinets, appliances, plumbing fixtures, accessories, etc.), inventory them, store them, and make sure everything is in perfect condition and parts aren’t missing, then save yourself the headache and hire the right contractor.
Project schedule - Remolding is a puzzle and the pieces don’t fit together the same way on every project, especially if there’s a delay of some sort (permits aren’t ready, parts are backordered, etc.), but a contractor will know how to navigate the project at every twist and turn. Before construction even starts, they will have a schedule for you so you know what’s happening when and when you get to move back into your space - and they schedule all of the trade contractors!
Safety & security - When you hire a licensed general contractor to build your remodel, they are someone you’ve interviewed, met, and established a relationship with (most likely they have referrals too!) and they’re going to take care of your home while they’re on site. They will go over procedures for accessing your home during the day, who will have access, and who will be in your home during the project so you won’t have to worry about not knowing who or what is going on during the course of construction.
Bathroom remodel designed by E.L. Designs, built by Selador Construction.
Now that you (hopefully) have a better understanding of the benefits a general contractor can bring to your project, you may be questioning if the ‘mark up’ on the contractors estimate is worth it; (also a question I am asked regularly) and my answer is, the ‘mark up’ should really be called ‘project management’. The services I listed above are exactly what you’re paying for, and why you’d hire a general contractor - so it’s ultimately up to you if you see the value in paying for professional services and knowledge a general contractor.
I hope this post at least helps you understand if hiring a GC (general contractor) is the right fit for your project - and - if you decide a GC is the way to go, then please help yourself to my FREE cheat sheet, 16 Questions to Ask Your Contractor, to help you find the perfect fit!