So in this post today, I will be comparing the advantages of construction when done by you personally and when it’s done by a professional construction company with years of experience under their belt. There are many times in our lives during which we think we can handle certain tasks. The older group in our audience (older with respect) were a very “do it yourself” generation. In fact, I remember my father who used to always walk around with a screw driver and a hammer. The good thing is, that was the correct way of doing things – and not the spoiled way of today “just call the guy.”
Having said that, there were many limitations to those generation in terms of the things they could get done. And obviously it depends on the construction you do or the type of work you need to get done. So for example, it makes sense that if you are planning to replace a roof with brand new shingles, you can do it by yourself but it would be wiser that you get a professional to assist you, and definitely a team of other workers with you.
So I just want to focus on some major advantages and disadvantages of doing construction work on your own, versus letting a professional and experienced company do the work for you. It will all be compared on the same level playing field (so I won’t get into demolition and expect a “do it yourself” demolition process.)
I guess one of the greatest advantages of taking care of construction around your home on your own, is the fact that you can get things done as soon or as late as you want. I mean, you are working on your own schedule, without being dependent on others and it gives you more liberty. Also, when you call all the shots, everything that is being accomplished on your construction site, is based on what you want personally. So you are the boss of the construction and you don’t need to mess with people that think they know it all. Financially speaking, you can go as big or as small as you possibly like. So aside of the fact that you don’t have a middle man getting in the way of your expenses, you can control the speed of the work. So if you are running a little short on cash, you can wait until next month when you get that paycheck, to continue the construction. Also when you manage this all on your own, you avoid any cheating and people spending extra without being able to justify the expense. So it is pretty obvious that when you control things, you pretty much have control of everything.
Now lets get into some major disadvantages of the “do it yourself” approach. The most important disadvantage is the fact that you do not know it all. If your 9 to 5 isn’t in construction, no matter how many books you read or how many fancy Youtube videos you watch, you will never get to the level of the construction company. Also, a good and reputable company should be able to apply new approaches and methods that will improve the quality of the project and job that is completed plus maybe save you some money in the long run. Speaking about financials, the overhead that both you and the company would have for the project, may be cheaper for the construction company. I mean they handle these projects (let’s say roofing) on a mass level and have suppliers that cut them very good deals and bargains. You on the other hand are going to be the consumer that is getting the shingles one by one etc. I am not saying that hiring a company is going to be cheaper than you doing it on your own, but keep in mind that the costs you have as an individual, are way way lower for the company. Another con of doing the construction project on your own, is the fact that you don’t have skilled workers to work with you on this. Assuming that you are the greatest construction guy: how will you get other people equally qualified as you to get the job done? I mean if you are going to go on a hunt for workers, why not simply use the ones the company would be offering you? A big problem with trying to do your construction on your own, is that you believe you are saving money, but in fact the time you put in, is really money also. I mean if you were not working on your roof or the concrete wall you are trying to build, you could be working on your business and increasing the annual profits. It’s not just the time you spend on your construction project that is the problem but even the energy you will need to put into this. When you go to bed at night, all you will think about is that roof that needs that extra repair etc. So not only are you cutting time from your business and 9 to 5, but you are also losing focus on your day job.
The greatest advantage of using a professional and reputable construction company, is that they have been doing this forever. I mean this is what they specialize in. Minimal mistakes, shorter completion periods and a much better end result. Now of course, you need to be careful who you are hiring. Because if you get the el cheapo company that doesn’t even know how to hammer a nail into a piece of wood, then you are setting yourself up for disaster. The above statement obviously is valid only if you have the best company in the market place. Also, as it was mentioned before, a reputable construction company that handles multiple projects, will have access to much lower costs of goods. So your overall expenses will be smaller. Not only that, but because of the fact that they know every new method in their industry, they can save you from going back to the same part of your home, and needing to re-do it because it was falsely done the first time around. So long term, they should be able to add a lot more value to you. Another great pro of using a company, is that you basically don’t need to do anything. I know that we all tend to become control freaks, but you need to put your trust in the professional. As I said before: no one knows it all. So instead of you getting dusty and frustrated with the toughness of the job, you can kick back and work your day job having a peaceful mind.
What’s the main problem in using a construction company? Well, you have zero control of what’s happening. I know they will try and convince you that you can always manage the situation and get access to the inside of the job. But truth be told, you are blinder than a blind man. If they really don’t have any moral values they respect, they can rip you off and you won’t know how they did it. Unjustified expenses, longer working hours, not doing a good job the first time so they can come back a second time, you name it! There are so many ways you can get scr**d and you will think they did you a favor. That’s why, what I always say is: make sure you get the best in your market. Shop around. And don’t only shop for prices. An overpriced company is overpriced for a reason: may be because of arrogance or may be because they are so damn good. It’s up to you to find the sweet spot and understand who they really are behind those masks.
I wish you the best of luck, and since my goal is to consult you all, forward me your questions. If you currently have a project and aren’t sure about the way you want it to go down, simply reach out to good ol’ Joe and I should be able to help you or at least guide you to a good mentor.
That’s all for now. Take care and I appreciate you sticking to the end of this long blog post. Tune in later for more.
Joe