DIY build a house?

[eddie1278]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

No, sorry, you are completely wrong. The problem was I did not watch people. Left unwatched, they did work improperly (or not at all). When I was there, I had my own work to do (wiring the house, building out the basement, painting, planning, ordering materials, scheduling, handling finance, doing my professional work, settling fights between trades, raising a family) It is not my first picnic either. I have been advising construction companies for 26 years. However, I was accustomed to dealing with real professionals on projects in the hundreds of millions, not the level you get at the single home project level of company. I know how to deal with a large highly professional sophisticated company. However dealing with the mom and pop operations can be a whole different world.

One of hte biggest problems were trades people who thought they know more than I do. For example.. the plumber who installed trunk and branch lines when I was not watching him, thought it was dumb to require home runs from the manifiolds. "trunk and branch will work just as well ' I guarantee it." It doesn't He was wrong. He did not understand the difference between volume and pressure, he did not understand the impact that each PEX connection has in restricting flow and decreasing volume. The result is a shower no one will use because the volume delivered through all those small connections is too low. I should have realized he does not understand PEX when he tried to convince me that copper is better.

Had I been able to do what I did on our prior project in California (hired weekend crews from clients who were large sophisticated companies.) iI would not have had any problems. Of course there, I did not have any need for a schedule. the work we were doing doing be done on weekends with no real deadline.

So you are a certified plumber and electrician? You went through the apprenticeship programs and obtained your journeyman and masters certifications?

[eddie1278]

Didn't think the guy would respond to my question lol

He said "One of hte biggest problems were trades people who thought they know more than I do."

I ask him if he is a certified master plumber or electrician and he's nowhere to be found lol

[Nlambert]

Honestly.... no GC knows EVERYTHING about every trade. Otherwise they would do the work themselves. Subs are brought in BECAUSE they specialize in a key area of a build. Plumbing, electrical, framers, roofers, brick layers, HVAC, cabinet makers, countertop specialists, flooring specialists, foundation companies, etc.....

There is a vast amount of knowledge needed by each skillset.. much more than the average person can learn in a few years. When you hire in a sub, you do so with the understanding that they know what they are doing. You pay them for the expertise. If they end up not getting the job done correctly it is because you didn't do your research and in many cases (dad and I have fixed many mistakes like this) because someone tried to save a few bucks and hire a fly by night "contractor" to come in and do the work.


That doesn't mean you can't get the job done. What it does mean, is that you may not be as efficient or economical as hiring to a good sub.


I'm not surprised that coldjensens had so many issues if he/she were micro-managing a sub. It's never ok to tell someone how to do their job. Once you agreed on what you want, let them decide how it gets done. As long as it fits within the cost/schedule window and is done to code that is their responsibility.




We specialized in vinyl siding in the beginning. When I moved here, I had some friends decide to do their own vinyl siding. They loved to tell me how easy it would be to install and decided to ignore my offer to help show them the proper installation methods. What they ended up with was buckling walls (drove the nails all the way into the wall, so the siding couldn't expand/contract), overlaps that separated because they didn't allow the 2" required for expansion/contraction, overlaps that faced the driveway and walkway (should face away), stacked seams, walls where the corners didn't line up, horrific j-channel fitment, and the fascia metal looked as if a 2 year old installed it. I've never in my life seem that many buckles and waves on one run. They didn't account for fascia board sag from the roof settling, so they pushed the metal tight to the fascia board and nailed it in. After 2-3 years when the siding began popping loose, they had me come out and replace it all in my spare time.


Point being.... let the subs do THEIR job and you'll get good results more times than not.