DIY vs Hire GC

I have personal experience self-performing a few major projects. A barn build, a full home remodel, decking, fencing and outbuildings, patios, and more. The experience was always very similar; my projects were second or third priority at best. Your attention is divided: employers, family, friends can easily push your schedule. However, it saved money and once complete I was able to gaze at my hard work every day with a certain satisfaction.

Before you decide whether to self-perform a project, or find sub-contractors on your own to avoid prime contractor markups - take a moment to review the process and potential downfalls. It may be a wise decision to tackle yourself, or it may ruin the experience.

Planning:

There is a lot of preparation before any hammering: design, engineering, budgeting, comparing quotes, finding suppliers, scheduling, financing and draw schedules, permitting and plan reviews.

This phase of construction is more than a full-time job if the schedule is compressed. Additionally, certain aspects cannot be self-performed and selecting the right professional takes several calls and meetings.

An often overlooked cost is a software stack. Having CAD viewing software or modeling software to conduct virtual walkthroughs and plan reviews is extremely helpful when confirming design decisions and getting estimates on labor and material. Scheduling software is helpful for communicating milestones and expectations with subcontractors and clients alike. There are several methods of tracking request for information, change orders, costs, suppliers, and more. Developing these systems is important and takes time.

Scheduling:

How extensive is the project and how quickly would you like to complete it? How many man-hours will it take, and how much time can you commit from your evenings and weekends? A single contractor works 40+ hours a week to complete your project. Can you work 20hrs each weekend and 4hrs each day after work to achieve that tempo? Burnout is real and often dangerous, but if the project doesn’t have a schedule driven by seasons or living conditions you can always break up the work.

If you decide to subcontract work yourself, the capacity and availability of your contractors needs built into the schedule.

Quality:

Do you have the experience and tooling, or a network of trade workers available to perform the task or help a friend. With the Internet it is easy to learn a new skill, so that alone should not stop you. However, the researching, planning, purchasing, and finally performing a task takes a lot more time than hiring someone that does it everyday. Not having the correct tools can create delays or risk quality. I used ladders and a pole sander to drywall and finish one of my personal projects. After a week I spent the money for a quality vacuum random orbital drywall sander and lift. I finished the remaining walls in 25% of the time with a fraction of the mess. I valued the time saved on that and future projects more than the cost.

Liability:

Contractors will typically offer a one year warranty on craftsmanship. If you subcontract the work out yourself keep a good record of contacts.

Additionally, there are legal steps to consider such as requiring lien wavers from paid contractors, and verifying their payroll. Oregon Senate Bill 426, effective January 01, 2026, places the liability of unpaid wages and benefits on the owner and prime contractor. A contract indemnification clause does not protect against this scenario. There are exceptions, however it is best practice to choose contractors wisely.

Contracts are the legal backstop for construction. Ensure they are read and discussed before signed. It’s a dull task but there is often standard language and knowing what irregularities to look for is important.

Beyond contracting, having an understanding of local ordinances, permit and inspection requirements, and building codes can prevent major headaches. Talk to your local building division. Determine any “hidden fees” such as System Development Charges for building impact on local utilities.

It would be unfortunate to seal a wall only to realize it needed an inspection, or worse, an HOA does not allow a metal roof on a pergola that was just completed.

Site Coordination:

If you jump through all the hoops and finally break ground you are not yet finished. Contractors will have questions. Not everything will be anticipated and things can change. Being on site is critical. Yes, you can do a walkthrough in the morning assuming everyone needed is there on time. You can review work complete in the evening and make a phone call if something isn’t right. Better yet is to be present during the work in case there are questions or issues. Address things before they need fixed and save time and money. My recommendation is to create a quick and easy office on site. A plan table, and a spot to sit and use a computer and phone. You can be looking ahead at the plan and if people completing work have questions they know where to find you and you can dial in the solution then and there - not tomorrow over FaceTime.

Summary:

Building is fun. Big or small projects, it is satisfying to complete a job and see the transformation from a paper plan to a useful construction. If you have the capacity to self-perform some work or self-manage contractors, I recommend it. The process can be daunting but it is possible.

If it proves to be too much to do alone with everything else going on in your life, that’s when you hire someone like Cascade Ridge Carpentry. We can GC the project and manage the process so you can focus on the fun part.