Do I need a general contractor to build a house?

[Steppenwolfe]

DC area actually,,,

OK... Fairfax Co and Prince George are two of the worst to work with imo, Anne Arundel isn't bad, and Montgomery Co is excellent. DC is fine once you get out of permitting.

 

[Sberry]

Why would i need subs? Ha

 

[Handloader109]

Daughter just finished her home next to ours. 50% over budget and 2 or so months longer than we anticipated. In our local, every one building is very good busy. If you di not have ties to subs, you can most probably forget being your own contractor. No one will call you back, or if they do, they are sub par workers as they can't get real work. It took our contractor pulling as many strings as he could to get the job done. Supplies are twice as long or longer to get, 16 weeks on windows, 9 weeks on counter tops. Neighbor is now 5 weeks plus waiting on siding on his build and he is a recent gc retiree. Even concrete was 3 weeks out.
Just contract it out, and get to know him. You won't save money doing it your self now. It ain't 1995.... Oh, I did all interior work on my home in 1991.....

 

[MasseyFerg231]

One other item to mention. If you are going to be your own GC make sure you know the defined scopes of each trades work. For examples:
- where we work in PA, the excavation contractor does the excavation for the footing contractor. In Indiana, our concrete sub does all of their excavation.
-caulking- who does the caulking of trim, the painter or the carpenter? I’ve bought it both ways depending on the geographical region.

 

[mgstevens]

I see one post noting that you can't add trusses to a roof stamped by an engineer. Uh, no, because the engineer stamp is tied to the exact structure covered under the stamp, which is under the engineers errors and omissions insurance should it fail, and is what the building dept. is relying on when there is a deviation from the building code. That's why you can't change it one single bit.

Also:

Believe me; when something went south I almost always heard from the county council members in whose district the problem occurred. Political pressure usually greases the wheels

Man, this one floored me. Here in BC - actually I think across Canada, there just isn't political interference in the professional (regulation) side of civil services. A politician trying to push a professional-in-govt-service would be boiled in oil around here, especially on a professional standard like building code. Just isn't done. Even at the national level, we had a PM (prime minister) who tried to muzzle govt scientists. The hue and cry was incredible, bought him a trip to the golf course at the next election. Can't imagine how your society can work credibly like that?

 

[dstig1]

One other item to mention. If you are going to be your own GC make sure you know the defined scopes of each trades work. For examples:
- where we work in PA, the excavation contractor does the excavation for the footing contractor. In Indiana, our concrete sub does all of their excavation.
-caulking- who does the caulking of trim, the painter or the carpenter? I’ve bought it both ways depending on the geographical region.

This is a very good point. One story from my build is on the HVAC. I had gotten a quote from one place to do a ground source heat pump while I was still thinking through things. That was early on, well before we started. A bit later I found out one of my co-workers was a former HVAC tech who was fully able and willing to install ductwork and a furnace and AC for me. He put in all sheet metal ductwork, with the only flex ducts being where you needed the ability to move it around a bit (like a vent in a suspended ceiling panel). He told me that the outfit I got a quote from would have run flex duct for everything from the furnace main duct as he had worked for them briefly. I was quite shocked that this was never mentioned as ductwork = sheet metal in my head. I have never seen or heard of anyone pulling flex duct for an entire house as it is horrible practice. But it sure it faster and cheaper than sheet metal!

But without a detailed quote specification in hand they just did what they would normally do without giving it a thought. Had they started and I saw flex duct I would have been in a pickle as it is a shoddy way to run duct but i would have felt stuck at that point. I consider this a good example of not knowing to ask the right questions. I got lucky on this one.

 

[mgstevens]

When I did my own plans for my workshop in 2011, I had my mentor architect still working with me. When it came to the house in 2014, he had retired and I was on my own. To make sure I did not run afoul of the local inspector, I went in to the building dept with my rough plans and got my inspector's boss to work with me on the structural span tables and other items that were crucial to the building and would be of particular note to the inspector.

I did this b/c my particular inspector (one of 3 or 4 for the area) was known to be a demanding jerk. I noticed on my first building that he really needed to be right - about something. I realized that if he wasn't allowed to be "right" about something, he would niggle until he was. So, on each stage after the second one (and when the point finally registered..) I made sure to leave one thing on each round a little sloppy. When he caught it, I thanked him for saving me. He was calmed and I was free to proceed.

When it came to the house, the structure was more complex and the systems were more intricate. I knew if I didn't get a hedge against his need to be right, it would be a nightmare. So, by having his boss guide me in all the critical structure elements, and in the process, overlook all the drawings, I could refer to that review process to defect any excess niggling. In fact, when his boss realized what my game was, he made a point to bring the inspector in for two of our sessions and make sure he knew I was not trying to be a "cowboy."

It worked in more than one instance, when the inspector would question why I did this or that, I could refer to the fact that is was either him or his boss, or both, who reviewed that choice in the planning stage and directed me to do it that way. He couldn't argue with that. He tried, but had to give in to the fact. Also, with my building permit costing thousands of dollars, once I learned I could go in for advice and review, I really got my money's worth from that permit fee.

 

[fishdrivel]

I am recently retired. I have done my own repairs or upgrades in regards to electrical and plumbing over the years.
I can do basic carpentry and have the tools to build anything.
I have project management experience in the manufacturing world.

I recently bought an IRC 0016 book online to review and have house drawings approved with an architect's stamp.

My son recently had a house built and says that he became his own contractor as he went there daily to see the work and got up to speed by asking the builders questions. I know contractors manage more than just overseeing the work but I am wondering if it's necessary.

I know enough about carpentry, electricity, and plumbing but I don't feel I know enough about footers, foundation, and waterproofing (basement) to do this on my own.
The foundation scares me a bit. i know a big box company has a reputation for cutting corners but I don't know the details. I am considering hiring a qualified contractor to oversee this up to the point where the concrete is all poured and is ready for framing.

I can afford it but I will also be twiddling my thumbs watching others do the work if I hire this out.

Hoping others here can give some advice.

As a contractor in California, One of my clients was a "Owner builder Center"
They would "teach" usually very successful clients how to build their own home.
This was not to save a few thousand bucks. We were talking about multi-million dollar dream homes.
They did save money - never as much as expected.
As a landscape contractor, I was one of the last subs to work with the client. They often said some of the same things!
1) "it's a lot of work"
2) "if it wasn't for those 2 or 3 bad subs!"
3) my decision making at the end was like, "just get it done!"

It is always a lot of work, there are always 2 subs that got on the bottle or got a divorce or whatever - and you never know who it will be. You will have personality issues with your subs.
You are an owner and it will be hard to distinguish between "acceptable" and "that's good enough"
You won't have a builder to blame for your bad decisions. Are you married?
The level of quality of contractors in North Carolina is questionable. Do you have the knowledge to tell if you are getting correct answers to your questions?
Do you have the contracting experience to know when you can throw a non-performing sub off the job?
Do you know how to prevent getting a surprise bill for materials after you have paid your sub in full?
These questions are the tip of the iceberg.

 

[fishdrivel]

I see one post noting that you can't add trusses to a roof stamped by an engineer. Uh, no, because the engineer stamp is tied to the exact structure covered under the stamp, which is under the engineers errors and omissions insurance should it fail, and is what the building dept. is relying on when there is a deviation from the building code. That's why you can't change it one single bit.

Also:


Man, this one floored me. Here in BC - actually I think across Canada, there just isn't political interference in the professional (regulation) side of civil services. A politician trying to push a professional-in-govt-service would be boiled in oil around here, especially on a professional standard like building code. Just isn't done. Even at the national level, we had a PM (prime minister) who tried to muzzle govt scientists. The hue and cry was incredible, bought him a trip to the golf course at the next election. Can't imagine how your society can work credibly like that?

In California it does not!

 

[PILOON]

On 2 of the houses I built I did all the electrical myself.
Actually also a 3rd that a jealous electrician sicked the inspectors on us, LOL it passed with flying colors.

Mine was signed off by our mayor who was also a friend.
The other signed off by the home owner as he was an electrical engineer.

OK, I was aviation certified in electrics and avionics so not lost with codes and techniques.
My junction boxes don't look like a tangled mess either, everything is neatly tied and U can actually follow wires.
Also I generally over killed, like 12 circuits in kitchen and all # 12 g wire, why not, only pennies more (back then).
Everything tagged or labeled etc. and generator switching panels properly wired etc.
AND, my ground rods are FULLY driven in, all 9 ft! (a Kango sure helped there)

The term "under supervision" by a qualified person is the key to lots of 'DIY'.