Why Hire a General Contractor For Your Home Remodeling Project?
Forty-four percent of the people who remodeled their homes in 2014 used a general contractor, according to the latest Houzz Report – with people of older generations being more likely to hire a general contractor. That means 56 percent of people who remodeled did not use a general contractor. Why not? If we consider that a general contractor has the knowledge and experience to make the home remodeling process easier, and you still want to do it yourself, what’s holding you back?
Budget – A general contractor works within the constraints of a budget every day. Your budget is no different. The contractor can advise you how to stay on track and on budget. He can give you a more realistic picture of what you can expect for your money than you can determine on your own. In addition, he may be able to secure better pricing on materials simply because he buys them in bulk.
Designers – General contractors can work with designers. The best teams work together to learn as much about your lifestyle and goals for the renovation as possible. They can make recommendations for conveniences that you may never even have dreamed existed. General contractors are in the field every day, they see new innovations in building products and design, and they are able to not only give you great renovation ideas, but they can also be a sounding board for your ideas.
Scheduling – Despite the fact that you think you will get a remodeling project done more quickly than a builder, you are usually mistaken. Think about it. You have a job to go to every day. You are tired on the weekends. When are you going to do all this building work? Even if you can’t get on the builder’s calendar for three to six months, you’re still more likely to have a finished renovation within the year than if you tried to do it yourself. Also, the general contractor will have long-term relationships with sub-contractors, enabling him to schedule them more easily than an individual homeowner who is a single job for the specialty tradesmen.
Work Quality – A picture is worth a thousand words. Look at the builder’s website, social media sites or brochures. Ask for some photos of his most recent home renovations. You can see the quality of his work. Choose wisely, but do consider the choice – the advantages of a general contractor far outweigh the do-it-yourself remodel that never seems to get done. Maybe the older generation’s wisdom will rub off on you.
