Remodeling Without a Contractor: Homeowners Clinic

• home improvement
• DIY
• projects
• decks

Q: I’ve built a large deck and a shed and fixed up a bathroom. Now I want to build an addition onto the back of my house. I’ve never worked with an architect before—do I need one for this job? Also, is it a good idea to split some of the work with a contractor?

A: It sounds like you have enough mechanical experience to tackle the project, but you may not have the design expertise, so I’d recommend getting an architect to draw the plans. And I like your idea of farming out some of the work to a contractor. That allows you to concentrate on what you do best while letting somebody else handle stuff you’re not interested in or can’t do. However, while going that route makes some aspects of a big project easier, you will need to be meticulously organized. There’s a lot of scheduling on major remodeling projects, and it’s only intensified by working with others. Be sure to give yourself adequate time to do the work. In my experience, a homeowner will take three to five times longer than a construction professional to do the same job. Here are the basics for getting started.

First off, you’ll need a building permit. To get one, you’ll submit plans to your town for approval. Right there, one advantage of working with an architect becomes apparent. Building officials are far more likely to accept plans drawn by a professional, because they’ll expect the plans to meet building and zoning codes. “You can’t underestimate the importance of working with an architect, especially on your first project,” says Jeff Geary, an architect in Staten Island, N.Y., who specializes in remodeling. Geary grew up working as a carpenter in his father’s remodeling business and is familiar with these types of jobs—and their pitfalls. “You can turn to an architect with questions or when things go wrong,” he says.

Building code officials agree. “Professionally drawn plans are like a set of instructions,” says Ray Nees, director of zoning and building for Rock Island County in Illinois. “Typically, if you follow the instructions, you won’t have any problems.” Despite his own extensive experience, Nees hired an architect when he added onto his own house. “They paid for themselves five times over in the course of that project,” he says of the plans.

Once the plans have been approved by the town, map your strategy, including what work you’ll do yourself and what you’re considering hiring out. Draw a grid divided into three major project phases: preparation, construction and cleanup. Break down each phase into its constituent parts (such as excavation, foundation masonry, framing, finish carpentry, painting and debris disposal) and then identify the tools, materials and process needed to complete each step.

If you’ve determined that you’ll hire out work for one phase of the project, you’ll need to find an appropriate contractor. Some won’t work with homeowners, so finding one who will can be tricky. “It’s a lot like courting,” says Matthew Wendorff, a home builder and remodeler in Morris Plains, N.J. “If your personalities don’t sync, it’s probably not going to work. In fact, it’s liable to be a disaster from the start.” Next, you’ll need to set specific start and end points for the parts of the job you’re doing and work with the contractor accordingly. “When I work with a homeowner who wants to do some of the work himself,” Wendorff says, ”I write separate contracts for each phase of work that I’m involved in. When the homeowner finishes his work, he calls me back and I contract for anything else he wants me to do.” “You need to be incredibly specific,” Nees explains. “Don’t make assumptions about the work the contractor will do. Ask.”

1. RE: Remodeling Without a Contractor: Homeowners Clinic
be careful in canada when sharing work on your new home with a builder. tarion warranty program won't help if the value of your work exceeds a certain % value of home. as always, do your homework

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