🚧 Post 3: The Traps of Being Your Own General Contractor

/ Choosing a Custom Builder / By

Why Trying to “Save Money” Often Costs You More

It sounds appealing: skip the builder, take control of your own project, and save a ton of money. After all, how hard can it be to hire a few trades and manage a schedule?

But being your own general contractor is a decision that often starts with optimism—and ends with stress, blown budgets, and unfinished work.

Let’s walk through why.

 

💡 The Appeal: “I’ll Save Thousands!”

Here’s what many homeowners believe:

  • “I can shop around and get cheaper subs.”

  • “I’ll manage the job site in my free time.”

  • “I’ve watched enough YouTube to figure this out.”

  • “Builders just mark things up—I’ll skip the middleman.”

But what you don’t see is the value a seasoned builder actually brings: relationships, sequencing, permits, inspections, contingency plans, and decades of hard-won knowledge.

 

⚠️ The Reality: Hidden Risks Add Up Fast

1. Poor Scheduling = Costly Delays
Subs don’t show. Inspections fail. Materials aren’t ordered in time. Every delay costs you money—either in rent, loan interest, or labor waiting around.

2. No Leverage With Trades
Contractors prioritize builders they’ve worked with for years—not one-time homeowners. You’ll be last in line and first to be ghosted.

3. Change Orders and Miscommunication
Without professional drawings and clear scopes of work, misunderstandings happen. And they always cost more to fix than to prevent.

4. Insurance and Liability
As an owner-builder, you carry the risk. If someone gets hurt or work is defective, you’re on the hook—and most homeowners don’t have the right coverage.

5. Budget Blind Spots
Without experience in estimating or trade pricing, most owner-builders severely underbudget—especially for framing, foundations, and site work.

 

🧮 A Harsh Truth: Builders Earn Their Margin

Yes, builders charge for their service—but they also:

  • Get better trade pricing than you can

  • Prevent expensive rework

  • Manage problems before they cost you

  • Have a proven system for estimating and execution

In many cases, trying to cut them out leads to more stress and more expense.

 

Final Thought: Know What You’re Taking On

If you’re thinking about being your own GC, ask yourself:

  • Do I have 20+ hours a week to manage this?

  • Do I know how to read and follow construction drawings?

  • Can I realistically coordinate trades, permits, and inspections?

If not, your dream build could become a full-time headache.

 

👉 In the next post, we’ll flip the script—what a good builder actually wants from you, and how to be a client they’re excited to work with.

Related Posts