Quote:
Originally Posted by 908/930
Well, I would be careful on this one unless you can and willing to do it all yourself, most of the sub trades are kept busy by the general contractors so finding them later will likely be difficult, and many don't want to deal with the home owner. Then there are likely other hoops to jump through, construction insurance possibly insurance for the workers.
|
Well, as a commercial general contractor, it’s easy for me to make this recommendation. But, here’s why I make it.
Most residential builders can’t do design work. Few do but they seldom can provide the architectural and engineering stamps required for a building permit. Most of them build complete houses, from plans they’ve purchased from some source or other, or they build the occasional house that gets designed by an architect. Rare these days.
Architects obviously make their living designing things, the design needs not be expensive as they can do a fairly generic set of plans that is just enough to meet the requirements for a permit. Meet the basic requirements, build the basic shell, finalize the permit and then you can be left to your own devices to finish it out how you choose.
It’s a little legwork to find the contractors for the dirt work, the concrete, the framing, the roof, the electrical, the drywall, etc. those guys are much easier to book then a residential builder. They are generally better at doing their own piece of the pie than a builder that does it all.
I wouldn’t hire any subcontractor that doesn’t care of their own liability and Workmen’s Comp. insurance. The homeowner can also buy a fairly inexpensive general liability umbrella from their existing home insurer, if they feel the need. I used to carry a liability umbrella for a million or two, just in case. You never know when a pack of drunk kids is going to jump the fence and go for a midnight swim in the pool or crap like that.