We Built It Ourselves! With a Little Help.
Being your own GC can be a lot easier when using experienced consultants.
By Paul Olson
Tom and Marie Quarles bought their acreage in Beaver Creek with a 1980s era home that they planned to remodel into what Marie, a gourmet cook, called a “truffle house” — not too large but very rich inside. They hired their friend Benjamin Tarcher, a San Francisco architect, to design it. After interviewing several contractors, they decided to try to build it themselves with the help of Skändia Design, Inc., as a building consultant.
When asked why they decided to go the consultant route Tom said, “Because it was a combination of saving money and having control of the project. We knew that Marie could be on site so she could supervise the project.” Marie added, “Having the professional help of a consultant tipped the balance for us; it would have been stupid for us to try to do it alone.”
Tom, who did his doctorate work at Berkeley and works writing software for a high-tech firm, is an avid do-it-yourselfer and loves to work around the house and farm, but he admitted, “I have never done anything on this scale before. However, we felt we had a good safety net knowing that we could back out and have Skändia Construction take over as the general contractor.”
Marie did the day-to-day supervision on the $500,000 “remodel” in which the whole house was demolished except the garage. They added a few hundred square feet, but the rest of the project was rebuilding the house from the floor up. When asked what it was like for a woman to run the job, Marie, a charge nurse, said, “I do it every day. It was no different working with plumbers and electricians than surgeons and physicians. Not being a construction expert, sometimes I had to ask myself about the subcontractors, ‘Do they know what they’re doing? Did they put that in correctly?’ But having a consultant to check with gave me confidence that they did.”
She stated that the hardest part of her job was “…making sure the materials that the subs needed arrived on time. Otherwise we would have guys standing around doing nothing.” She added, “But everyone stepped up to the plate and did a great job. They really take pride in their work and they want to make us happy.”
Tom’s warning to anyone considering the consultation/do-it-yourself system is, “Be aware that there are a lot of little tasks that fall through the cracks which normally a general contractor would have a laborer do. The owner has to step up and do them and/or hire someone to help get them done. Things like cleaning up, digging ditches, getting stuff at the hardware store. But the subs respected us for doing ‘whatever it takes.’ You have to be realistic about your expectations and realize who you are in the process — you are the gofer!”
Marie’s advice is, “Get a card file to hold all the subcontractors’ cards in. Develop a filing system with a file for each sub and supplier on the project. Pay your bills on time. It’s amazing what great service the guys will give you.”
She also advised, “Don’t be afraid to have the subcontractors come back and do things. They want to do a good job, and if something needs to be redone, they will do it. If there was a question about how something should be done, I would just ask them, ‘Can we look at the plans again?’ It was also reassuring that I had a consultant who I could use for backup.”
Tom’s advice: “It’s annoying having all those nickel and dime expenses, so it’s important to have a ‘miscellaneous expense account’ set aside.” He also recommended that you only use experienced subcontractors. “Knowing that all the subs were recommended by the consultant was great. They were all very professional.” Also, he advised, “Be realistic about how long it will take. It won’t get done in four months!”
Having the right team was the key for Tom and Marie. “You’ve got to have a framer who shares your vision and is willing to ask questions as well as give advice. The framer has to be able to think independently.” During the framing process, Marie found that she had it easy compared to the rest of the job. During the rough-in of the plumbing and electrical, “Sometimes it was an eight hour day. I had to make decisions about things constantly. Other times, there wasn’t much to do. We probably only averaged about two or so hours a day actually dealing with the project and working on the job.”
“Our project was different than a spec house or the usual kind of job the guys get to work on, so they enjoyed being here,” Marie said. “They felt they were an important part of the creative process, and almost all of them have remarked about how much they like the end product. We threw a Christmas party when it was done, and many of the guys showed up. It was fun.”
Tom mused, “It is very satisfying to see how much you can get done yourself.” And Marie stated, “We had a great experience. It’s not for everybody. You have to have the right personality and lifestyle. I’m actually sad it’s done because I miss everybody!”
Skändia Design & Constructionis a design and consultation firm. Skändia Construction is a general contractor. They can be reached at 503-698-3444 or visit skandiaremodeling.com for more information.
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