A general contractor with 25 years of experience dares to be honest and help. Introducing the owner builder program by Kelsch Construction. See more at www.howtobuildyourownhome.com. Also see kelschconstruction.com.
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome How feasible is it for a total novice to go through GC licensing and be successful at managing subs? I was considering getting my license simply to learn more about construction and rehabbing.
I went back to school at night for a construction trades certificate program. Learned the basics. Watched alot of RU-vid videos and bought and read two large Rubbermaid tubs of books on every area needed to complete the house. We lived paycheck to paycheck for 5 years and finished 2000sqft house in 2015. Moved in with no mortgage. First book I read was How to build your own house. Didn't do all the work, paid some professional help along the way( hvac, electrical, etc...). Looking to start build on another home in the coming months. This video was absolutely correct!
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome yes. Some just want you to do it for them. I am looking into using shipping containers as a building technique. Lots of interesting floor plans and containers her in raleigh nc are cheap. 40ft high cubes are 3500 to 5500. 320 sqft each.
As a GC (Alaska), I found it strange that there was less comments about the fact that hiring a GC doesn’t necessarily add the total cost of the GC to the price of the build. Most subs and vendors we use offer a 10%-15% discount on normal cost because the systems are so streamlined and they don’t have to chase anyone to get paid. When you compare a 10% cheaper “cost” by using a GC, it significantly tips the scales. We currently charge 15% markup on jobs. When you add in the 10%+ savings you get by hiring us over doing it yourself, that would leave you paying 5% for a GC that ensures that it’s done correctly, on time and within budget. A build that takes 5 months instead of say 8 months starts to see your savings dwindle in a hurry... but at least you get to deal with the headache and own the entirety of the issues too. When you build in extreme climates, you also need a VERY intimate knowledge of building science to ensure a long term success. A house built incorrectly can have high energy bills, mold or rot issues or overlaying resulting in sagging or even failing openings, etc. I don’t disagree that smart folks with the drive to spend the time and the know how to do it COULD do it, and save money as well. I’ve seen both and we have told clients that wanted us to GC Their home that they would be better doing it themselves based on their skills. But it’s a rare thing nowadays. I have seen some instances of owner builder that worked out really well, so in regards to those instances, you are correct. I also don’t think it’s a bad thing to teach people to think... although I would say some of the most difficult things I have done in a build was to “uneducate” a client who was not educated correctly and was adamant we do it the way their great uncle’s cousin’s brother Roy did it in the 40’s. Overall, some validity to the vid but I would slant it more to misguiding.
Great post, harsh climates like yours make it much harder to work through without knowing that weather. I build at 9,500 ft and at 2,000 ft levels, I would not recommend owner building at that higher level unless you are very aware of climatic changes.
Absolutely fantastic! We build homes year round in our factory for customers to build themselves w only a bag of tools and battery operated tools. Heaviest piece is 63lbs. Under roof in one day. Complete in 3-4 days.
As a mechanic/shop owner it has been killing me thinking to hire a contractor to start on our self investing short term rental career. We are looking more into the SMALL but modern or even strange architecture to help secure bookings in hot areas. The SMALL buildings are so tempting to just do myself if I didnt have to work but im glad to see the transparency in this video because its going to lead me to dive into the preparations as a self contractor. The money we would pay a contractor will be the money we need to secure the very next project. Thanks!!
This is an outstanding presentation of information! I've had relatives ask me for help in overseeing their home construction. They hired general contractors, and I witnessed overbilling, individual tradesmen telling me what they were doing their part of the job for, and then seeing the bill from the contractor doubling that amount. Another issue was that the contractor didn't perform tasks in the contract, specifically brick steps on the back of the house - the bricklayer said the soil/footer wouldn't support those steps, so there was just a slab put there instead - you guessed it, the contractor pocketed the cost of those masonry steps and conceded nothing to my deaf brother and sister-in-law. There are lots of "deals" going on during home construction. If you're your own GC, then you save $$ and see more value for every dollar you spend. I built my own home but contracted the masonry and drywall finishing. We saved 50%, but I did all of the carpentry, electrical, plumbing, siding, roofing, and so on. Worth it. Good advice.
Thank you for the comment and feedback. Many Contractors have attacked this video, and some have a valid issue with knowing the industry and being an advocate for their clients. But this is very rare. There are by far more corrupt contractors than good ones, and because of this it is better than owners take it one themselves. Even with a few hiccups and mistakes, they will still save.
Unless you have experience in the trades... I would say hire a contractor.. we are worth the money. We Carry the liability.. we push the schedule... we make sure it is done properly and know what to look for. If you want to do it yourself, that’s awesome... but it’s not as easy as it looks... we make it look easy. How do you know you are hiring trust worthy subs? Did you follow behind the framers and check for plumb, look for crowns and such... do you know what the slump of concrete is supposed to be? Do you know how to test? Do you know the needed add mix? Do you know the appropriate rebar needs for the foundation? Insulation r values? Where do you need ice and water shield... can you differentiate between poor good and great quality as it relates to craftsmanship? I mean... it’s not rocket science, but it is building science..
We can both agree that many builders do not know much about building science. Also, I have found most builders are drive-by builders. They drive by, if lucky, to check on things. They are not problem solvers and they lack creative improvement skills. I mentor owner builders with detailed checklists, forms, budgeting and more, and the course is constantly improving and getting better. Since we cannot stop owner builders from being their own contractor, we can at least make them better at it. This is what my focus is all about. Where are you a builder. I need to refer clients from time to time.
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome I am in Washington state. Goldendale wa. Saint Joseph construction LLC. No really online presence as of yet. To busy focusing on the work I guess.
Super helpful, thanks for the video! The way I see it, a home is such a huge investment that as long as you have enough money saved up to last you a little while, you'd almost be crazy NOT to build your own home! Imagine you have a $40k income (after taxes), and you want to live in a $300k house (that's the cost WITH a GC). Let's say the GC markup is 18%, or $54k, so without a GC, the house would only be $246k. If you build it yourself, it's almost like you're getting to take 7 months off AND getting a $14k net pay raise!
great advice, I have spent the last 4 years buying the land, getting permits ect... and almost a year for the actual build. I have trade experience but I deffinetly have a greater respect for general contractors. I simply could not afford to build and hire a general, but with that said I will have over 300k in equity at closing. I would say its a huge gamble to build from the ground up and thinking back I am amazed I haven't sunk.
hello Keith, pleased/surprised to see your video. i'm retired, still very nimble, live 'somewhere else' and thinking about finding property in southeast ID and starting small w/ a pole barn (like 30x40) and build out part of it as an under 1000sf part time rental. the reason for this strategy is existing housing/income producing stock in the region is currently junk. i've owner built two homes (did 50% labor on one and it almost killed me). that was 40 yrs ago. anyway, i'd offset my costs w/ the rental when i am not using it when flyfishing. am absolutely terrified at the chicken little reports about shortage (increased cost) of supplies but more importantly shortage of subs. constantly ask myself why in the world would a contractor do right by me when his bread/butter depends on getting hired by a gc. i get it that i'd have to live in an rv on site during construction since i live out of state. at best, due to seasons, i'd be able to get work done 6 mos/yr. opinions? feasible?
I am telling everyone with limited funds to build in modular fashion, small and just enough to live in and then add on later. Look at loft or casita builds with a garage or carport. Start there
I'm just completing my build and have other reasons for contracting it myself. It's unconventional and I wanted to have direct input on how it came together, plus I wanted to establish an intimate relationship with this structure. A kind of "pride of place" thing. I wanted to create this structure or "paint my own picture" It's been more nerve racking than I imagined but I've never done anything good that didn't require some heart and nerve. In all, a very gratifying result.
That is great news. It's like running a marathon for the first time. During the run we say, "I am never doing this again, and then when you cross the finish line we say, "I did it." Cool feelings.
38 years experience in construction with the last 20 years being a licensed general contractor in my state. While you're busy giving people 5 reasons not to hire a contractor, I can give them 101 reasons why they should hire a contractor! All of these years of dealing with construction workers has made me very savvy in the ways of human nature, good & bad. Apparently, you decided to start a money-making consultation business and this is your way of swaying people away from hiring a contractor and hiring you to consult. I seen the recruitment in your replies and I think you went about this in a very unethical manner! By the way, if you were the GC on the house you're standing in front of, I can tell by the exterior sheathing that you don't have as much knowledge as you think you do, along with the subcontractors that installed it!
Thank you for the comment. We can either help owner builders become better because they do what they do out of financial necessity, or we can keep attacking them and criticizing them.
I couldn't agree more, a good reputable G.C. is priceless. There are so many people attempting to do this and they do not know what to look for, a good G.C. keeps subs in line and makes sure it gets done right.
My neighbor is the GC on his build. 2 years in and he can't get the inspector to sign off on all kinds of inspections. It now looks like the house might never be finished.
@@goldbuyer yip, local inspectors are usually on the side of contractors too. Just because I know how to change the oil on my vehicles doesn't mean I'm going to take on a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air restoration project! My uncle made that mistake with a rusted out 40s Sedan Delivery, guess where that is, still sitting in his garage, 10+ years later, still rusted out!
I did an owner builder on my first house, I used the Subs/Trades most of the GC uses in my area, I save over 29% of the market value of the property. I am doing 2 more construction. The GC was going to charge me 20K over the market value of my house.
I’m a General Contractor in Florida, and to be honest, I don’t agree with this video. Yes, you can be Owner/Builder, but building an entire home, managing trades is not as easy as online videos show it to be. Hiring a GOOD GC is just as important as upgrading insulation or roof in your budget. Anyone that says you don’t need “this” when THEY are “this”, are always selling some course/program, or want the youtube views for monetized videos. Why don’t you provide advice to homeowner’s on how to pick a good GC from a bad GC. What to look for, ask for, and know when the rates are reasonable. How to prepare a good contract, and make sure they have all the right paperwork. It’s misleading to say anyone can build their own home and skip the GC. I have filtered through hundreds of tradesman over the years, and kept only the good ones. Homeowners will test them all in the first project. There’s a reason why we exist, and charge money for our time. Just because you see “drive-by” bad contractors, doesn’t mean you don’t need a good one. Do your homework, research companies and their reviews. Ask to see projects in person they’ve completed. Saving 20% on your dream home by not hiring a GC sounds like a win, but the issues that follow will make you wish you’d spent them. DON’T rely on inspectors to oversee your projects and find mistakes. A good GC catches all the errors from the trades. Owner/Builder projects are ok for a detached garage, room addition or small projects. But building a home (at least in S. Florida) is more advanced than a homeowner can imagine. Imagine you pay a framer to frame your entire home, inspector comes and it’s out of code. He abandons the job, takes the money paid, and guess who has to pay a 2nd framer to fix the work. A GC would either catch it as it happens, or pay to have the framing re-done. THIS is why we get paid, not to take money and sit in our trucks. There’s good apples and bad apples...learn to pick them. Also, get a bonded contract. If the GC abandons the job, you have protection.
Finding a good GC is not easy. I get messages all day, dozens, about nightmares with a GC. I keep hearing a few GC comments here and there about how great they are, and I want to believe them, and I am constantly pushing my own business to be the best it cane be, but we need to face that fact that there are a lot of bad contractors in the business. I know many contractors who never stop by the job on a daily basis, some never for weeks at a time.
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome Then how about you talk about that. Because when you say “reasons why not to hire a GC” sounds pretty inclusive of everyone. Not everyone is a GC, and lots of homeowners get blinded by an UNREALISTIC budget, and go for the cheapest guy and sometimes handyman who call themselves contractors without doing some research. If you’re saying you get dozens of emails daily, about 95% of those are from poor planning, poor research, and not writing proper contracts. Some homeowners want a mansion with a shed budget, a good GC will teach them on what is realistic. They get some guy online who says is a contractor, takes their deposit and disappears overnight. Then the real GC’s who have built a business on honest work, and know what they’re doing get choked and looked down on in rants by videos like these. Again, you’re teaching homeowners to buy your consulting program not to choose a GOOD GC. I could care less if you believe that we do good work or not, at the end of the day, you’re the one giving us GCs a bad name with your videos by saying the majority of us don’t do what we get paid to do. Come to S. Florida if you want to learn how to build CBS homes that withstand CAT 5 Hurricanes, then you tell me if a homeowner is capable of managing a project like these. When the Architect makes mistakes on the drawings, good luck to the homeowner if they can spot it before the trades have to redo their work twice.
@@mikhro87 I will produce a video tomorrow and post on Tuesday that answers the question "How to find a great general contractor, the things you should look for."
I don’t like paying doctors, lawyers, auto mechanics and restaurants. But because I’m not trained in medicine, law, automotive or cooking...I leave it to someone else. And that comes with a cost. If you don’t have a construction background, I suggest hiring someone that does. The addition 15% in cost will be well worth it.
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome I can see doing it yourself costing more quite easily. A contractor knows what a job should cost, more or less, and would know when bid is high. Someone else having never bid that type of work might accept bids that are out of line.
IF you can find a good contractor, They will save you money, process will be much less stressful, Contractor has great insight when dealing with the local City officials, knows how to deal with the building inspector, knows how to direct the Trades and not allow them to get away with shoddy work. A Good Contractor is looking out for your best interest, and will save you money, time, and stress in the long run.
Agreed, but these guys are kind of rare and even more difficult to find. It also depends on how many jobs he is running. However, if the owner builder has the time and is properly organized with a system, the savings is worth it to run it on their own.
@@KolyaYusenko It all starts with proper budgeting and too many GC's do not set realistic budgets because the client pushes for the lowest cost and together we have a terrible start.
As an electrician I prefer to work for a homeowners after the house is built. What I mean is to add or change things. Or make repairs etc. I've wired houses for both gc's and homeowners. I can say for certain homeowners slow the job down, then want changes and don't understand that adds costs. A contractor typically (good ones) have actual plans with architectural layouts. And appliamce cut sheets. Also light fixture specifications. If you are working for a homeowner chances are very likely they won't have all of the information we need. Thereby causing more delays. Take this with a grain of salt. There are both bad builders, and savy homeowners. But my experience is pretty typical.
Insightful video Keith. Thanks. I plan on checking out your website on being an owner/builder. I believe I have the skill set and time necessary for this endeavor as I've just retired from being a manger of 45+ people at a major aerospace company. My neighbor, who is currently building a house, told me a horror story of the GC he hired. The framers came and built all the walls 10' high. Owner stopped by to check progress and asked the framers why they built the 10' walls when the plans called for 8' walls? The framers said that's what the GC told them to do. They also said the GC never came by to check on their progress but the framers did come back out and lowered as many of the walls as they could. I see a lot of butthurt GCs commenting on your video; maybe they should be out checking on their subs instead of watching RU-vid videos!
Thank you for the comment, yes many GC's are attacking me. I see general contracting like waiters in a restaurant. A good waiter can only handle so many tables, and even a bad waiter cannot handle one. You will find the same in the general contracting profession.
I would say go for it. I have similar background managing IT for a large multi national company, and recently retired with lots of time and basic DIY skill set as well as research and analytical skills. I am just finishing a 5000 sf home with an elevator. I subbed out all the exterior work but did all the interior work after drywall. Today I just finished laying the last tile in the laundry room and doggie shower. Obviously I did it not just to save money but for the quality. For example, I use PL Premium glue for all my doors and window casing, and none of miter joints has even a hairline crack. If you hire a carpenter he is most likely going to use carpenter glue which would soon crack with changing seasons here in Canada. Since I am saving so much money being my own builder and subs, I buy the best materials, for example hinges with ball bearing to go with solid 8' doors.
Owner builders have been such a problem lately no cordanation of the trades bad scheduling. I am going to have to start bumping up my bids for them just to cover the changes and what not from them not having a schedule for insulation drywall etc...
I have dealt with owner builders a lot and I just give more time and I offer them help in scheduling, much like a first time builder that we run into here and there.
I agree with most of this “ on paper “ one huge costly mistake could far exceed the general contractors fee though. And trying to build an entire house on your own isn’t nearly as easy as. “ just having time” to those who attempt and succeed, great job, you are the exception to the rule
@@clintforest44 wrong standing seam roof being ordered, poor quality custom shower being done that needs tore out and replaced, same with a full kitchen, obviously depending on the size of the home, this could vary. Basically Something or several things just missed could add up to a lot of money and time.
@@davejones8799 So basically everything from the foundation to the roof... How could we ever live without a general contractor to hire the sub contractors for us, or set up the inspections that would prevent the poor quality work in your imaginary scare tactic. If you're a GC then don't worry, the number of owner builders is small, there will be plenty of other people for you to price gouge.
I'm a handyman. People that build their own homes are like gold to me. Most of my work comes when the building inspector pays them a visit. GCs know the building codes infinitely better than a do it yourselfer.
I thought it was a joke video, but at the end I realized you where serious. 🙄 I just did my roof by myself, I regret it 100%. But it looks nice and I learned that contractors are worth their weight in gold.
@@kedduff1814 there is a difference between general contractors and sub contractors. I teach people to replace the GC only and do sub contractor work if you know what you are doing.
@@kedduff1814 good luck trying to get a contractor who is busy to do the work. When I was a contractor I could have been busy 24/7/365. I was almost always a year out. My work was almost always for wealthy people.
A friend of our family bought a lot to build a house on. He had a job in finance that involved managing people so he thought he would save a lot of money by acting as his own GC. His mason left out the pilasters called for in the plans. His framers had no idea how to build the basement stairs. My uncle, a carpenter with at least 20 years experience as a GC, wound up figuring out how to fix the mistakes, and I think wound up as the acting GC half way through. I suspect it was partly because Micky was his friend and partly because oldest son and daughter in law had bought the house that Mick and his family was renting and were anxious to move in. A good GC has crews and sub contractors that he knows he can trust to produce an acceptable house. Acting as your own GC you have pick a number of tradesmen to work for you, any one of whom could turn out to be dishonest or incompetent. Even if you get a full set of honest, competent contractors you might not clearly communicate what you desire in the finished product.
It depends on the home, the design, the location and. market conditions and on the leadership ability of each person. I have three students building multi-million dollar homes right now and many more who have built homes as their own GC with no hitch because they were properly informed, which is what I do at howtobuildyourownhome.com. I even have single mothers who have managed their own builds with massive equity at the end. Never under estimate the power of a great teacher and a great system. I have seen many GC's with neither.
Please tell me how someone with no build experience will insure quality control and compliance with standards. While you are at it I’d like to see how the owner estimates the total budget. Thanks!
See howtobuildyourownhome.com for some help. I suggest taking the First Steps course. It's only $27 and worth it. It answers these questions and more in 13 modules.
I have a program I offer at howtobuildyourownhome.com. See my courses that I offer. You can also message me from that site or reply to this message with your email and I can reach out.
I’m contemplating doing a sizable addition to my home. A two story addition with a new kitchen, master bedroom, and a new shop or garage under the kitchen (it’s a basement walk out property now). Will your courses cover this type of construction?
It's a course on construction management, how to secure designed plans, the engineering process, geotechnical considerations, permitting, budging, finding subs and more. It basically helps you understand the process so you are not so in the dark.
What do you suggest for two disabled with 120,000, who needs specially ways for build. 2br 1 full baths with safety rails, 1 3/4 bath, Pantry instead of upper cabinets Open floor plan for wheelchair. No steps, Brs at each end Ranch style. In Northern Ky. Plus we would have to find land also. Every builder wants me to use their layouts and pay extra for cabinets I dont even want. Telling me its impossible. So just looking for advice.Thank you for your time.
Stay away from builders right now until you are better informed. Is 120K what you have to put down or all your can afford to finance? Take my first course "Thinking about being an owner builder" at howtobuildyourownhome.com. Click on courses. This first one is only $15. I strongly suggest starting there. I can think of several options for you but I need to know more.
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome Thank you so much for responding. 120k is all I can finance thru USDA 100% guaranteed loan. Apts are so high we cant afford and have money for meds and equipment Ins, wont cover. Houses they offer us is actual condemned homes, mold filled, etc. cost just as much to fix as the home. So we are looking to build to have what we need yet not spend way over what we have. We looked into modular, but told we couldnt do with cost of home and land. We are let down no matter which way we turn. We are living with my son and his family and not enough room, we all have to move by June 2021. I thought it would be easy enough to just build a small cozy ranch home, cheep by not needing some things and safe for us, But that is def. not the case. Thanks again for your time.
I'm in Florida. I have half an acre and want to build an apt building of 25 units w/ a first floor garage. I don't think I can do it as an Owner Builder. What do you recommend for me to save $$ and build a good building?
Contractors are as varied as doctors, lawyers and other professionals, it's often hard to find a good one. I am writing a book that will help you see the difference.
I want to be my own gc, I want to build a small granny suite on my property, all I want done is slab, rough plumbing, framing, rough electrical, roof and siding everything else I can do. As far as subs..I have a cement sub, plumber sub,roofer sub, and electrical sub..just need to find framer....hard to find market is crazy right now....
No if u want to be the contractor why don’t u do the entire job yourself first so u have a clue what every phase and trade goes through and make sure to get a permit and then u will see the bs contractors go through for you
You can do it. Sub-contracting out the hard stuff is a good way to go. Start with a plan, but talk first with the local building department to see what you can do. The investigation and research begins. Do not get discouraged.
Challenging to be an owner builder is how to finance it. I’ve yet to find a lender that will finance a deal without a GC. Any advice or do you have a video already dedicated to that ?
How does one who wants to be an owner builder get a proper contract from a “builder” to show to the bank in regards to loan purposes? This is my biggest question as I am in the trades and would like to do my own subbing and electrical work. Thank you for any advice much appreciated!
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome I believe so. I have spoken with them a few times now and a contract with a GC is one of there requirements. I am pre-approved right now, wanting to get everything else in line.
I’m not sure if I am hundred percent agree with this one I am a general contractor in the state of Florida. And I fix and get hired by tons of homeowners they try to do it themselves and are clueless of the orders they have to be done first. In the first time a subcontractor sees a homeowner building a home they will 100% take a vantage of that. Most subs realize that a contractor will not allow that to happen. And a lot of times homeowners don’t know the scheduling to get a house built in a timely manner it could take up to two or three or possibly four months longer for a homeowner to build their own home.. I could go on and on about disagreeing with this.
Agreed, but my take is we need to help owner builders and give them as many tools as possible in budgeting, networking for subs, scheduling and checklists to use in looking for quality. I used to complain about owner builders and then I realized that is how I got my start thirty years ago and now I help them. Thanks for the comment.
As a former remodeler, I thought I would use a builder for our new home. He came back with a price of $325/sq ft. It is 2021, but that price says to me "I don't have time but will do it if you show me the $$." Looks like I will be the GC.
I am afraid you are just completely incorrect. It requires in-depth knowledge in each trade when coordinating a project like building an entire home and all its connecting systems.
The American spirit is based on self-reliance, the ability to mange and do things ourselves or to learn how on our own. I would not assume that anyone cannot draft a curriculum that effectively walks a person through a process that is more thorough than what most general contractors understand.
I get it now. He's selling training on "how to build your own home." Ask a local inspector about "Owner-built homes"? There's a good reason for Lawyers, Doctors, electricians and trades people...
Here in NC, you are allowed to build your own home as an owner builder, you do have to live in the home for 12 months until you are allowed to sell the house.
My Dad used a GC several years ago on a build. Constant cost over runs. Finally hired an auditor and discovered GC was purchasing enough product (footed by my Dad) for two homes. Sued and got his money back.
I can't help but be distracted by all the windows being flashed with no house wrap or waterproofing on the OSB, UNDER the butyl and running to the ground. So....the water gets past the window flanges and hits butyl tape then rolls off straight onto the sheathing. Why no house wrap or at least the sheathing getting flashed all the way to the ground so that it never gets onto the sheathing? I'm hoping they peel the butyl back and put something under it that runs to the ground but then, why do it that way? It's more time and a pain especially in hot-weather building where the butyl just won't peel back off. Those framers I'd say have their head on a little backwards and need to flash those walls to the ground under those windows PRIOR to the butyl flash and windows.
House wrap got installed under the window flashing. Bottom of wall was also decked with an exterior primer and mesh seal, none of which are seen in this video. It all came later.
best video ever!! poor boy the project and pay the GC twice as much in the long run. Perfect video to lead you to understand why you really need a GC, Hilarious!! lol you cannot afford to not hire a GC
Most people are not competent to build their own home. People don't know what they don't know. People that try to " be their own contractor" take twice as long and make so many mistakes it costs them more in the long run. You have twenty five years experience.
People, if they financially cannot get into a home any other way than owner build, or if they are determined to figure things out, I believe we need better resources for them, which is why I do what I do. Thanks for the comment.
GC’s up in arms in the comment section, but your industry is at the bottom of reliability, quality, full of scammers, and just horrible to deal with. I’ve hired and fired more GC and trades people than I’d ever want to deal with ever again on 10 houses over my life around the country. This guy is calling it how he sees it and how a lot of your customers see it too.
This might work for building your own home but not a kitchen or bathroom renovation. As a GC ive had HO try to use me as a starter but use their own people and its a nightmare and headache. Its too much! Just hire someone!
I have dozens of checklists to help owner builders so they can look at the work as it is done. You will not catch everything but you will be far more informed and ready to manage your own project. See www.howtobuildyourownhome.com. Click on courses.
i will not say but what does that have to do with it? when you work this much you do not have time to check on others work and if it will pass inspection
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome You know I've notice you made a lot of videos and perhaps my questions are already answered. I'm going to watch them all and at the end I will see if I have any questions. This I think will be most productive. Thank you for posting all the videos.
Over 40 years building if anything can go wrong it will. Better be good at problem solving. I'm slow learner it took along time to learn all you need to run a job.
I feel the same pain, but I have seen some really bad GC's take advantage of clients. If I can help a lot of people become better informed, then that is a good thing for the market.
Maybe you should also note that if a home owner wants to be their own contractor they will end up paying more for materials because they don’t have access to the professional supply stores and if they play as a contractor they will end up over paying for the cost of labor when they subcontract to other tradesman like plumbers and electricians. So don’t miss lead people by telling them that they will save money because if they are not contractors they will spend more money on tools to get the job done and they also have to give up on their own job in order to be their own contractor now do the math!
Actually, anyone can apply for wholesale and builder credit. Just go into any supply story or lumber yard and ask for an application and fill it out. I did this very thing before I was a GC. Handy Man do it all the time and owner builders do it also. Love your comment.
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome at least in California you can only buy hvac supplies if you are licensed and the supplies stores here can open a cash account but they don’t give you the contractors discount.
What's the difference between a GC and a home builder?? I am looking for someone to build my new home now... Trying to find the right one is like looking for a needle in a haystack 😌😁😂😢
I have never seen a home built by a homeowner that didn't have mistakes and poor workmanship. I get discounts on materials the homeowner will never get. I get it done much faster and without hassle. Many times I have given a price for a home complete and the people always spent more than I would have charged them.
The concern we should have is to help owner builders because they are building their own homes because financially it is what they need to do to get into a home.
A good honest conscientious contractor worth their weight in gold, sadly if you get a bad or marginal one your life will be hell and btw what are the chances a contractor is passing the savings they get on materials to the home owner anyways? What concerns me about the process is this, and I have trade experience , I am a fabricator by trade, I have legal experience, yet still I am terrified that I won't be able to anticipate all the ways my subcontractors will try to short change, cheat, skimp, cut corners on me. Never assume your people want to do a good job.
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome So often they have not added up the costs they don't know about. Which is often about 20%. The average homeowner has no clue about what the costs are and how long things should take. They also have no idea about all the decisions that need to be made in a timely manner. Once they get into the project they realize how much it takes emotionally. They also make mistakes and that costs money. Today building a home is not what it once was. There are hold downs and bracing that requires a knowledge of how to install them. So often they don't get a soil test and so comes the foundation problems. Good people enjoy doing work for people that want things done right. Most others just want $$$$$$. Not all contractors are the same. So many start as carpenters and do not know how to do the entire project. In some areas there are contractors who started building a home with no experience and eventually went into business. I was licensed in a state that required four years of documented experience with at least one of those at the journeyman level. I think there are only two states that require that to get a license. The rest treat contracting as a business only.
Yes, but not for the first build. You need to get one build job under your belt with some degree of focus. My first build was my own home. I worked full time at the local college and then worked late into the night on my own home. I wish it was the reverse. I would have learned more. After the first build, yes you can be a GC with a full time job. I do that now. I work full time on How to Build Your Own Home and part time as a GC, well actually it is full time on both.
Every day you are not finished is another day of costs and another day of physical and emotional tiredness. It is amazing how many divorces I have seen after a major remodel or build. Years ago to gain some more money while I was working full time I bought houses that were foreclosed on or some I knew I could flip and make money. Some buy them and fix them up while they live in them. I did that with several until I got enough money. When I got enough money then built a new home for myself and paid cash for everything.
But , you need to know what you're doing before you start !! Many Contractors & Sub-Contractors don't want to work for an average person . Also many of these different Contractors - Sub-Contractors will Really try to over charge you for the work they do , plus most of them will over mark-up the cost of materials ! If you supply all the materials , they really want to over charge you !!! So do your research First and know what you are getting into , or better yet , know what you are doing !! If you don't know all the building codes then hire an inspector to keep checking every thing and every step of building your home !!! That way you catch all the goof-up short cuts that will bite you in the butt later on !!!
Owner builders actually tend to do more research on new tech and local markets that even some builders, not always but a lot of do. But you are right, know what you are doing as much in advance as possible.
This guy is so funny! Telling people without any construction knowledge except from TV to not hire a general to build their house? Too funny!! He's so Serious too!! Lol yeah that's a great idea!! Lol what could go wrong!! Lol
🆘 YOU FORGET TO TALK ABOUT QUALITY WORK ! GC ALL WAYS HAS THE BEST QUALITY JOBS AND IF HOME OWNER CHOOSE TO BUILD HE CAN NOT SEE THE WRONGS THINGS = LEVEL AND SQUARE.
Some good points but owner builders are getting more informed and I have seen many out-perform a GC. The American Transcendental movement in the mid 1800's was all about self-reliance and learning to stand on one's own. We are moving back to that.
Where is this labor going to come from ? I’m assuming the owner would have to have savings of their own to do this and likely sign paperwork as an owner builder and be responsible for injury and work comp issues. What you save could cost you a lifetime of headaches as well. Quality control is done by a GC. You’re asking a common person to approve of work they know nothing about. Truly hilarious. I’ve seen them homes from the discounts seekers and the foundation level is off, bad tile work is most common , rough patchwork. Sometimes it’s better to finance and get a monthly payment and suck it up. You can hold a GC accountable with a guarantee. You could have the license board demand they correct work if needed. Without experience , the money you save can easily be spent on correcting errors. Lastly, most people have jobs and families so one would have to be retired in my humble opinion, and have accrued wealth and time for this task. I’m a GC from California by the way.
I do not teach owner builders to do anything, yes I have seen the same things, hiccups, problems in quality etc, but the demand to do it yourself has never been higher and yet nobody is trying to help that demand with viable systems and processes to follow. Essentially, I teach how to manage your own built without doing any of the work. Most GC's have never been taught project management. They learn like the rest of us, hard knocks. I appreciate your comment.
No GC hurt me, but I have seen many get hurt by them. The worst GC's are those with no experience in all the trades, and I mean all, but particularly excavation, concrete, framing, and up through mechanical.
I’ll give you 10 reasons to hire a General Contractor. Considering people that can afford homes, are people that are too busy to deal with sub contractors. Especially affordable sub contractors. Not to mention all the mistakes that sub contractors make. Man this can go on forever
All true, but for those in a financial situation who cannot afford a GC, they are left with alternative directions. This year I am building two a high-end luxury homes and two for low-income clients. The two low-income homes are discounted on my side, because getting people in a home and out of renting is a good thing for the community.
Haha this is like does Lowe’s , Home Depot videos do it yourself!!! Is easy then you realize is not and you spend more money because now someone has to fix everything you did plus the work. Also mark ups are usually made because owners change plans but If you stick to the blue print there’s nothing to worry about this video is a jk. Building a house requires knowledge on a significant amount of feels building a home without that knowledge can skyrocket your budget to the heavens just saying.
I appreciate your comment. I focus on construction management, hiring, managing, setting budgets and more, a lot of information many GC's do not know or keep hidden. I do not teach DIY construction, I teach the process.
And yet 55,000 people built their own homes in 2020 without a GC. It’s not for the masses, but those on this channel are not looking for someone else to do our build. We are old school roll up our sleeves and want to builder like our ancestors did.
Five reasons: 1. You have the time to figure it out. 2. You want to add value to your home, which a GC will skimp on. 3. Save $$$ 4. Control change orders and mark ups. 5. General Contractors add between 7 to 23 percent expense to any project. Too expensive.
One reason to NOT hire a GC is that YOU don't appreciate the task at hand. You're better off paying a premium and buying a new home from a repudable production builder. A GC needs to be managed, and if you're not willing to do that, and many people aren't, then you're going to find yourself repeatedly dealing with issues. If you do decide to hire a GC, then find a way to break out some of the biggest expenses and manage them yourself. For example , hire your own HVAC sub, this person's going to service your equipment in the long run, and it's there's no need to pay a premium to a GC to manage their job. And if this is too much of a task, then go to point one, and don't even go down the road.
More Americans need to become self-sufficient and learn how to manage, how to hire, how to schedule out and line out work. This just makes us a better culture and helps more of us save. If you an afford a GC, by all means hire a good one.
Yeah, but even then a lot of these homes that are mass produced are poorly made with cheap materials.. I’ve read so many reviews from the new homeowners who were not happy with the work that was done, and that’s basically what they’re left with unfortunately.
@@alialvarez9327 100%. That's why perhaps I should have emphasized "reputable" builder. For me, if I were to by a New Construction home, I'd absolutely want to talk to several people that have purchased from that developer. In addition, the most critical factors I'd consider would be the bones of the home (what kind of framing was used, type of insulation, WRB, roofing material, type of plumbing, Hvac ductwork) , since everything else is lipstick, and can be upgraded in time. Sadly, most look at the kitchen countertops to make the decision. It's kind of like dating, looks are important, but what's on the inside counts the most.
What happens when you hiring a framing crew and they make a lot of mistakes? Unless your a framing expert you might not realize the mistakes are being made. HIRE A GC!
As expected, half the comments are contractors saying lol yeah right, and the other half prospective owner builders saying omg thank you! I'm the first type, and while I don't wanna piss on your consulting business - also recognizing that this video is basically just clickbait to hook yourself clients - I don't see how someone who has been in the trades as long as you have can lump all contractors together and basically publicly disparage us. Playing your own contractor is a FULL time job. How is someone who needs to save money gonna just not work for at least a year? My biggest response to this video is that you can choose to either vet your contractor, or vet like 20 subs. You will strike out on some of those subs. A good contractor? Has relationships with subs and they are already vetted. How are you gonna handle a sub who does bad work when you won't always know what bad work looks like? Someone said in the comments yeah but the inspector will catch that. Hah! Yeah maybe, AFTER the work is done. Then what? You go chase the sub down? Make them correct it? Sounds fun. Man I could go on, and I don't think that people shouldn't feel empowered to play their own contractor, on the contrary I support it! A very specific type of person though, this is not for probably 95% of the people thinking of building a house. The title of your video is insulting to all of us hard and smart working contractors who believe in our work and have integrity. Stay away from the bad ones who are just after the money and obviously don't have their shit together, and support the ones who care about your project as if it were their own...
I am not insulating contractors. If contractors take it as an insult, it is not my doing. We all need to admit that some contractors can be good at what they do, and there are many who are terrible and in fact more costly to their clients. My goal is to help owner builders, that's all. I was a teacher for 25 years and I have combined that with building. Owner builders are going to do what they do because financially they cannot get into a home any other way. We all need to help them, and if I am the first builder willing to take on this challenge to give a course in construction management that even most builders have never done themselves, we only make owner builders better. You might be surprised how many Owner Builders I have helped and how many GC's I have help improve their business.
Very well said. When I didn't hire a general contractor when I started building my own home. It took longer than expected, but I save more and able to have better control. I just need to run to Legoland to pick up few more pieces and my house should be done. She will be all mine. All 3000 pieces.
I'm doing more and more research and I see that one has to satisfy building codes in the city/state you are building. The house has to pass city/state inspection. How would I know that the codes are being honored by the subs, if the work is being done correctly? How to spot a mistake or poor craftsmanship. I won't be able. You said in another video 40 different skills are needed. For someone who never done it, how would I know who I call upon at any given time, when order the right material, what is the right material? If I would save the $30K-$40K, it will be saved under tremendous stress. Haven't heard one testimony of a person who has no home building experience that actually succeeded in general contracting one.
@@HowToBuildYourOwnHome Problem is I would not even know what is wrong. Also if someone is working full time, where would you find the time to oversee the project? Do you have any testimonies of people doing what you suggesting and actually working full time?
Yep IF that person building has the experience. Other wise its a joke. You will be dealing with your own screw ups for years and years to come. That spells divorce. I have seen it. It is usually teachers or the overly 'educated' who assume that cause it looks easy, or the crew uses the wrong vocabulary or the classic line 'I could do it if I just had the time' Sure you could! And I could operate on some one but it does not mean that they will be fully functioning after the operation. In the end he is shitting on contractors to push his course...Go for it but it is not easy and you will be having many sleepless nights like the rest of the contractors out there.
Some can handle it, some cannot. The all of nothing is not what makes America a thriving place. It thrives because people want to learn how to manage and run their own thing. Take that away and we become a dependent culture. I do not recommend owner builders do anything, but I do teach how to manage their own projects. Most GC's have never had any training in project management, and we both know this to be true. They learn from making their own mistakes.
This is stupid. Most people will pay more for subs and have no idea if things are done right. They have no relationships subs will charge more they will end up paying the same and having an enormous headache
If subs are as dishonest as you say, then can we say the same thing about most GC's. I have known countless GC's who have over charged many thousands of dollars. If only a GC can find the good subs, then how to clients find the good GC's.
@@kristianhartman1472 Actually they can get the same prices we get. Anyone can open a builder account at any lumber yard, supply house etc. Just fill out the application. I love a great GC, they are worth their salt. I was on a job all day working with a framer to ease his uncertainty about a complex build with over 11 different top-of-wall height elevations. I lost valuable time fielding other jobs but we got it done. I drive around town and I never see builders on their sites, not once, and I live in one of the top five fastest growing areas in the country. I took time away two years ago from my own company and worked for another luxury builder in the park city area, and what I learned made me sad for my profession. He spent more time selling and pitching the next job than actually making sure quality was getting done. I saved clients from hating his guts and I then left feeling better about what I can do as a builder. After I left his company, I launched this site and howtobuildyourownhome.com . I do not do what I do against great builders. I do what I do because of the bad ones. When you see a builder frame over 4 feet of snow inside a stem wall without airing it out and later finding mold all over the framework below, and when he asked me to scrape it off and say nothing to the clients, this is why I try to help so many owner builders and even some general contractors learn systems, processes and ways to manage project better. Sorry for the long response, I just needed to communicate to someone.
Um... The problem is that the owner has to be knowledgeable of construction and the process will definitely slow down. It's not like everyone can read prints. Let's be serious. You are borderline crazy for suggesting this. If what you are suggesting is indeed feasible, GC's would not exist in the first place.
A GC is a new idea and not an eternal one. In the original founding of this country and for many decades after, Americans all knew how to build things. It is time we all learn the skill to build. However, I do not teach this. I teach how to replace a general contractor, if it works best for someone to do this.
Do not listen to this guy. You need a general contractor. You do not know what you are doing or you wouldn’t be on RU-vid watching this stuff. The sub-contractors will eat an amateur home builder alive and leave you broke and homeless. Average folks can’t manage their own home build anymore than they can take out their own appendix. Telling them that they can is irresponsible.
If sub-contractors will eat an amateur up, then it can be said that a general contractor can do the same. Why the assumption that a GC is better than a sub? It is an honest question from your words. I just produced a video on how to find a great general contractor. It gets posted Thursday. By they way, I just witnessed another owner builder manage their own project and save tens of thousands. Not all are eaten up, more and more are nailing it.
