Can you act as your own general contractor? Sure you can—though it’s not really advisable. The general contractor of a large remodeling project is like the maestro of an orchestra: his job is to make sure all the parts contribute to a coherent and melodious whole. If the timing of, say, the flutes (or the electricians) is off, then the woodwinds (or the carpenters) get thrown off, too. What causes construction delays, why complications arise, how to avoid them—that’s where the expertise of a professional comes in handy: to handle and manage all the multi-component and subcontracted jobs that inevitably attend home remodeling projects.
Managers hire personnel. That’s a big part of the job description, and it can be difficult to arrange by yourself. Subcontractors are the tradespeople like carpenters, electricians, and plumbers who are essential to the job. While a professional will likely have subcontractors on speed dial, you as a DIY contractor will have to shore those folks up on your own, and that will involve research, outreach, and vetting that can be exceptionally time-consuming.
Outside of hiring subcontractors, the general contractor also makes large and small decisions throughout the process. The schedule, the coordination of the subcontractors, the ordering of various products—all of this is the domain of the general contractor, in addition to the critical perspective and managerial savoir-faire required by the position.
At Tom Curren Companies, we like to coordinate everything to help limit miscommunication. That includes placing orders: we’ve found that when customers who are unfamiliar with complex items order their own products, installation complications and unexpected costs start to pop up. Our job is to make you, the client, happy. And no matter how complicated the job, we’re committed to making sure both the products and the installation are up to our standards and that the project is completed to your satisfaction.
