Planning a much needed renovation, but working on a budget? What if you could manage the project yourself and save as much as 50% to 70%? Would it create some opportunities you hadn't thought possible? Chances are, you may already have some experience. If you've ever hired a painter or had an electrician install some new light fixtures then followed up with them to make sure the work was done correctly, then you've had a small taste of what's involved. It is basically planning and managing the project from start to completion.General Contractors (GC's) provide a valuable service, but it can be an expensive way to go. If you have some knowledge of the work involved in your project and aren't afraid of a challenge, then all you need is a little technical advice and guidance. Keep reading and I'll show you how.. Let's take a look at the basics.
- Cost Estimating-Having an understanding of the basic measurements and formulas that are involved in writing a construction estimate will enable you to plan an accurate budget for your project and negotiate better deals with suppliers and contractors. Learn to understand the units that are used for measuring different materials including: Carpet (square yards), tile and counter tops (square feet), cabinets (linear feet), and concrete (cubic yards). Just having a small amount of knowledge of this process will allow you to evaluate quotes and compare competing bids or plan a budget for your DIY project.
- Finding the Right Contractors-Whether you're managing the project yourself, using subcontractors, or hiring a GC to oversee the work for you; there is a right and a wrong way to do it. In order to avoid being the victim a scam or just poor quality work, you need to have an interview and qualification process. Starting with selecting a few good candidates, through referrals from friends, relatives, and co-workers, to interviewing and checking references until you've narrowed it down to the best choice. This step of the job will determine the final result.
- Buying Supplies and Materials-When you're doing a large job, knowing where and how to buy your materials can make a huge difference in what you pay. professional contractors use wholesale suppliers and vendor accounts to save as much as 50% and you can to.
- Scheduling-Understanding the sequence of the work will enable you to plan a construction schedule before starting the work. You can then revise it as the job progresses and use it as a tool to insure that the job is completed in a timely manner and doesn't drag on forever.
Having some insight into these basic elements of project management will make it possible to have the improvements and renovations that otherwise may have been out of reach. For more in depth information on these topics, as well many other home repair and improvement ideas visit my visit my website by clicking on the link below. Thanks for reading and good luck.
Autor: Glenn Whitehead Glenn Whitehead
Level: Basic
Glenn Whitehead is a former general contractor with over 25 years experience in the construction industry. He is currently the owner and webmaster of YourselfHomeRepair.com, ... ...
Glenn Whitehead is a former general contractor with over 25 years experience in the construction industry in Houston, TX. He is currently the webmaster of http://www.yourselfhomerepair.com, a do it yourself home repair and improvement site with how to articles, tips for finding contractors, and help preparing contract documents
Added: April 28, 2009
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
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