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People hire GC's so they dont have to deal with business end of building. It's not as simple as calling in a few guys to build stuff.
I've had mixed experiences both with GCs and without. Back in 1990 we did a new build and acted as our own GC. It went well but was hugely time consuming. Luckily we weren't in any kind of a rush, in fact things were done as money became available which is why it took close to 2 years. But most people don't have that luxury. The upside was that we got everybody we wanted (and knew from prior use) on every phase of the job: excavation, foundation, framing, roofing, drywall, masonry, electric, plumbing, tile, yadda yadda.
On the other hand I had a nightmare experience with a GC in the early 2000s. That reno was under a 6-month time constraint and was supposed to be a 2-month job. He wouldn't let me bring in any of my own subs: "I know my own people, I don't know yours". Turns out His People were a bunch of incompetents and I spent lots of money having My People fix their sloppy work a few years down the road. That reno relationship did not end well, LOL. Job was done four days before the 6-month deadline but it wasn't a sure thing until literally that week.
Got my brother Giuseppe, hes currently at final stages for licensing for Nassau, he will be redoing my entire house in new hyde park once these dam permits clear!
DGJ Contracting 347-453-1877
Hes got 9 years experience in commercial buildings and homes
I got 2 more estimates and waiting for one more before we pick to get the work started.
1. Roughly 40k (allowance for bathroom materials and kitchen backsplash) minus the kitchen cabinets. 15k for bathroom + 16k for kitchen + 8.6k general carpentry.
2. 30k (just labor, without materials) he can do electric work but is not licensed, I think.
This is the reno checklist that I gave them:
Bathroom (Gut) Renovation Checklist
• New window
• New vanity, toilet, tub w/ glass door
• New mirror + new lights
• Spotlights in ceiling + exhaust fan w/light
• New cabinet in wall or on wall above toilet
• New tile flooring + tiles in tub area
• In-wall niche
• New bathroom door + molding trims
• Crown molding ceiling and floor
• Paint walls
Kitchen (Gut) Renovation Checklist
• New window
• New cabinets w/ quartz countertop and backsplash
• New door and screen door
• Recess lighting (6)
• Crown molding ceiling
• Open left half wall and remove rest of the wall between kitchen and dining room
• New porcelain flooring
• Paint walls
• Add additional outlets and add GFI outlet
• Recess lighting (8)
• Ceiling fan w/ light
• Crown molding ceiling + base shoe molding
• Remove curtain molding
• New closet and shelving
• Paint walls
We hired an architect to draw out plans for the second-floor dormer. He already drew out a plan and is going to submit it for approval and get the permits. We are just going to frame it, do the sidings and roofing. We can finish the interior down the line. We have someone to start the work once it's approved and we have the permits.
We decided to skip the other 2 estimates that we received, which was well over our budget.
Tell me about it, those HGTV "costs" always make me wonder what planet they are on.
Murphy's Law......
That Izzy guy from Flip or Flop always made me laugh - "New bathroom? $3K" "New kitchen? $8K" Even my old landlord who did bathroom remodels on the side in Queens charged $6K....25 years ago...
A little confuse. You plan on renovating the first floor first and then dormer up after you finish your renovation on the first floor?
We plan on doing both, hopefully at the same time, if possible. If not, then the first floor then dormer the second floor. The architect confirmed that would be fine as load-bearing beam/posts are in the right location, so the flooring does need to be redone.
We plan on doing both, hopefully at the same time, if possible. If not, then the first floor then dormer the second floor. The architect confirmed that would be fine as load-bearing beam/posts are in the right location, so the flooring does need to be redone.
The building permits have an expiration date, past that date they need to be renewed. Keep that in mind.
It took almost 6 months for our plans to get approved by the TONH. Good Luck!
I had used a local company my neighbor recommended from Baldwin, Contracting Services Unlimited. Scott the owner had come over the same day and had a nice portfolio of work to show me. Never have done anything of this magnitude to our home it was a real relief how much he knew and helped with. The whole project was only a little over a week start to finish. They’re also on yelp and angies list which made me feel good. 954-579-1357
The building permits have an expiration date, past that date they need to be renewed. Keep that in mind.
It took almost 6 months for our plans to get approved by the TONH. Good Luck!
Thanks for the heads up! I called the town yesterday regarding the permits, they said I don't need one if I'm just replacing everything with new stuff in the kitchen and bathroom, and the layout stays the same. However, since we are planning on adding recessed lighthing we would need a permit the electrical work.
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Had a great experience on my bathroom
