Building a home yourself is both an admirable goal and an ambitious undertaking. Many books and websites will tout the ability to save money as a reason for doing the work or acting as the general contractor. The reality is, however, when you hire a contractor to build your home, you save time, money and a lot of grief. A professional homebuilder has mastered the systems and created the relationships that allow for a streamlined process, as well as the ability to deal efficiently with the unexpected, such as weather delays. If you are considering building a home in the Lower Mainland or Fraser Valley area, take a moment to consider these benefits of hiring a professional contractor.
1. A Contractor has More Buying Power than a Homeowner.
Contractors build multiple homes in a year–year after year. They develop relationships with suppliers and purchase materials, fixtures, etc. in large quantities in order to get the best prices and discounts. Someone buying for a single project will most likely pay full price for the same items.
2. Building a Home Takes More Time than You Think.
Managing home construction is time-consuming and difficult to fit into your “off hours.” The likelihood of having to take time away from your “real” job, your family, and all other aspects of your life is quite high. Time away from work means lost income or lost opportunity for other business–which effectively adds to the cost of the project. Your new home is your contractor’s job, which means he has the necessary time to devote to managing all aspects of the project.
3. Being Good at Home Repairs rarely translates into Being Good at Building an Entire House.
You may be very handy at repairs or small construction projects such as building a deck. Building an entire house from the ground up, however, requires substantial expertise in managing many trades and an understanding of how they all work together.
4. A Contractor has Years of Experience and Knowledge.
Building homes and managing construction is a passion for most contractors, not a hobby. They have mastered best practices over many years of working in a variety of conditions. They know how to avoid mistakes or handle unexpected circumstances that could otherwise cost you a lot of money in down time or wasted materials.
5. A Contractor has Key Relationships with Good Sub-Contractors.
Subcontractors like to work with experienced contractors who have a reputation of doing quality work and using accepted business practices. Working for a general contractor with whom they have a strong, time-tested relationship is much less risky for them than working with a homeowner. That means if work for a contractor they know comes along, there is a strong chance they will prioritize that work over yours. Experienced general contractors spend years cultivating relationships with subcontractors they can count on and who have exceptional skills. Typically, the highest quality subcontractors only work for these types of general contractors.
6. A Contractor has a Streamlined Process Ensuring: a Home is Built Quickly and Done Right the First Time Around.
Delays in finishing your home can affect your construction loan and add unnecessary costs to the project. Delays can occur when subcontractors aren’t properly scheduled or don’t show up on time, or when work is done in the wrong sequence. Through trial and error, and years of experience perfecting their craft, professional contractors know how and when to schedule subcontractors to make the best use of their time (e.g. dry wallers aren’t waiting around for electricians and plumbers to finish) and to ensure that work doesn’t have to be redone. They know what to do to complete your home on time and to your satisfaction.