Best approach for complete remodel

[LiverpoolWalrus]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.

[retiredguy123]

I would hire separate contractors. If you hire a general contractor, a lot of the work will probably be performed by people who are not properly licensed for the specific task they are performing.

But, with all that work to be done, have you considered buying another house?

[dewilson58]

Are you skilled as a general contractor???............or did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express??

[LiverpoolWalrus]

I would hire separate contractors. If you hire a general contractor, a lot of the work will probably be performed by people who are not properly licensed for the specific task they are performing.

But, with all that work to be done, have you considered buying another house?

The other way around. I'm buying a fixer-upper!

Dewilson, I don't understand your post.

[dewilson58]

The other way around. I'm buying a fixer-upper!

Dewilson, I don't understand your post.


if the pool has no experience, i would not recommend he/she tries to be a general.

[retiredguy123]

It wouldn't hurt to get a few general contractor quotes, but I think you will be shocked at the prices. And, you better have a very detailed, written contract, especially for the materials which can vary wildly in quality and cost. Whatever you do, don't pay any money in advance to any contractor. If a subcontractor needs an advance payment for custom materials, use a credit card. If they won't accept a credit card, I would refuse to pay in advance. Good luck.

[dewilson58]

T&D told me they had to pay for special order items at the time they place the order.


That was an indication to me.

[jebartle]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.

Had you thought about buying another house??????

[graciegirl]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.

We used separate contractors on our home in Cincinnati. Please share with us. Many of us love to see the lovely changes people do to their homes. Our home is nine years old and I think we need some updates in light fixtures and the fact our cabinets don't go all the way to the ceiling. Also floor tile becomes dated as well. I may be old but I really enjoy seeing what is current in home trends. Please post pictures and enjoy the process sir/ma'am.

[LiverpoolWalrus]

Had you thought about buying another house??????

Thank you, JE, for your reply. Please see post 4 above.

[kkingston57]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.
For the roof and exterior paint I would do this with out using a GC. On the interior where there are multiple trades involved(for example the kitchen)would use a GC. Timing and arranging the various trades will slow down the job

[Bogie Shooter]

Bunch of videos on how to and how not to be your own general contractor.

youtube being your own general contractor on remodel - Bing (https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtube+being+your+own+general+contractor +on+remodel&cvid=af0e857015594b28b6d53a9b5326e0ef&FORM=ANAB01&PC=U531)

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Unless you have the greatest view in villages , I can not understand doing anything like this , but I’m probably bias , 14 homes , 5 here all new . I hate it just when I have new floors , plantation shutters and painting done as soon as I move in lol

[asianthree]

We have had 5 homes built, hiring a contractor for each stage of the build. Saves big money, and always knew the crews working on our homes.

[FromNY]

For the roof and exterior paint I would do this with out using a GC. On the interior where there are multiple trades involved(for example the kitchen)would use a GC. Timing and arranging the various trades will slow down the job
Make sure you get the proper permits and permissions from The Villages and county.. a legitimate contractor will know about these..

[mepoole]

Try Doc’s Restorations. They serve as GC and manage all subs and work.

[mydavid]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while. Call the Property Brothers:welcome:

[La lamy]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.

Probably not you want to hear, but if you're looking for "cheaper" options, doing some of your own work (especially painting and floors) is relatively easy, very rewarding and a great way to pass the time!

[papillon]

I can suggest an excellent general contractor for you to interview. We are in the process of doing exactly what you are talking about doing. Our project is almost complete.

[vonbork]

We are just completing a project with a new golf cart garage, a store room and an extra closet. We used a general contractor and it's a good thing we did. The pandemic greatly complicates matters with fewer people working and materials in very short supply. My contractor tells me that before the virus he would call a plumber, electrician, etc and tell them when to appear. Now they tell him because they are so backed up. AND HE HAS PRIORITY. Most all of my materials have taken longer than "normal". Window 8 weeks. A/C delayed twice at the factory. SOD? Hard to get the type I have. And on and on it goes. It depends what you are doing of course, but I had to move gas, electric, cable and sprinklers, all of which were weeks out to schedule. With all the things I had to do myself, such as a driveway extension, flooring, and other things, it would have been very difficult to try to balance subcontractors as they need to come and go often more than once. Besides, if they are behind with contractors to whom they rely on for most of their work, what priority do you think they will give you. You can always get guarantees from them, but what good is it when they say that they can't get the materials or something else and that it's not their fault. These are not normal times.

[dink1stlove]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.
Re: complete makeover. Contact Doc's Restoration. They do about everything and they are honest.

[ts12755]

Hire a real contractor... not a handyman turn contractor.

[Randyj66]

Number 1, Before you think about doing anything , total up your investment for the project and add that to the amount owed on your home. Make sure the project is financially sensible. One never knows when you might have to sell. Check with your insurance agent next, a lot of home owners policies will not cover you acting as a general contractor,God forbid something happen. Unless you are a scheduling guru,, you are going to have conflicts between the trades! Don't even start until all your supplies and materials are present, Covid has reaked havoc on the supply chain. It doesn't matter how much you save if it doesn't get completed!

[Paul Nolan]

I saved about $30,000 hiring separate contractors last year when I installed a new Kitchen, two baths, and new flooring. Used Best Flooring in The Villages for the new flooring, used Cabinets To Go in Orlando to replace cabinets throughout, used Home Depot for new countertops, used Kiley Plumbing, and Pikes Electric. Hired painting contract who I would not use again.

[KRM0614]

T&D has equity stake by the villages simply put the Morse family owns a cut ! Their prices are too high and quality is iffy but there will always be new people and naïveté

[MandoMan]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.

Are you already a General Contractor? Have you spent years working with them or run a company? Do you know lots of subcontractors in the area of The Villages, including which ones do very good work and meet deadlines? Are you up to date on the latest building codes? If you can’t say yes to all of these, then hire a General Contractor. Good General Contractors DESERVE what you pay them because they have to know the codes and know when subs aren’t following them. They know which subs are good and bad. They know the building inspectors. They know how to get permits. They know how to work with their subs and schedule things.

I don’t hesitate to make repairs or do all sorts of building projects, but I wouldn’t try to do what you are talking about. I’ve done all those things in one house, but I still hired a General Contractor to take charge of a lot of it. If you try to be your own General Contractor, it will probably take twice as long and maybe cost as much in the ling run.

Also, if the house is meant to be something special instead of just being salable, consider also hiring a designer or architect to help you with the design. That can be the difference between something that is special and something that isn’t. At the lower end of the market, this may not matter very much—people may just want something cheap but in good repair. As you go up the ladder, the design adds a lot to the value and may increase your profits.

[dewilson58]

T&D has equity stake by the villages simply put the Morse family owns a cut ! Their prices are too high and quality is iffy but there will always be new people and naïveté


& Old.

[newgirl]

Sadly if you are a woman have a male friend or relative with you. I have experienced and heard from many many women how they were charged a lot more for the same service , the work was not done with pride( quality), and how it took much longer to get the crews to work.

[diva1]

Had you thought about buying another house??????

For the price of the outrageous bond associated with a new house, you can probably redo everything you want and be remain in a better location.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

T&D is owned solely by Tom Richardson , he started the company from scratch , they paid cash for much of there expansion to grow faster with no debt I’ve been here before he started as i , have moved through the villages I’ve known many people who have had work done and all were satisfied my home in Hacienda at Mission Hill had a slight depression that held a little water they replaced the whole walkway . They are good company treat there employees well

[rmd2]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.

I did mine in stages. On the first stage I hired a general contractor. On the second stage I hired individual specialists. I had much better results doing it with individual specialists. Also the job went MUCH faster when I hired the individuals.

[gabby1010]

I am just finishing a 2 ½ month remodel that sounds close to what you are doing. I got 2 quotes from contractors and decided to piece mill it out to individuals. I saved considerable and may have even got better workmanship.

[joelfmi]

When you sell the house. That what you have to find out before you do all these projects.

[greenflash245]

just build a new one

[Marshaw]

If you can manage do it.

[LianneMigiano]

We went by a recommendation for a handyman that was posted - and, yes, the guy was nice - but it ended there! He kept showing up but not getting too much done. Next thing he was gone with no explanation. Every call I placed to get him back to finish the small projects resulted in some excuse. He has some of my wood and a drill and I don't even know his last name. Point is: be careful of referrals also!

[LizzieBorden]

For a complete makeover, I would use a reputable contractor. You said it migh cost more and you are probably right, but the old theory of “you get what you pay for” falls in there as well. I have done several upgrades over the years and gotten several quotes for it all and always fall back on my GC who uses the same people all the time for electrical, plumbing, tiling etc. The thing I like most is we have a detailed contract, which we review. There is no money up front unless its for material that is being delivered i.e., new cupboards from a company, we pay him the cost up front as the cabinets need to be paid to place the order. Each week, he submits an invoice for work completed that week, i.e, if the plumber was here and did all his work, we would meet on Monday, review the work, and pay that agreed upon amount. We follow that process through to the end of the job. Yes he charges a percentage above the work, but that is figured into his estimate. I have had a couple things over the years where it wasnt right, or something wasnt completed to his/our satisfaction and they immediately assure us it will be taken care of and it is....and no additional charge to us of course. So unless you are putting tile down in one room, or painting a room, etc. I say the GC is the way to go, less worries, less headaches, and with ours, I pay more but I am always happy. He did my outdoor kitchen and its absolutely beautiful.....He is thorough, and most times, his estimates are pretty accurate and usually a bit less.

[dewilson58]

T&D is owned solely by Tom Richardson , he started the company from scratch ,


Fact or Fiction??

[papillon]

Brent Wickham, Wickham Construction. 352 978 3556
We did a total gut and redo. Floor, kitchen, baths, moved a wall, etc. We are very close to the end of the project and couldn't be happier with Brent. We don't have the expertise to know a "good" from a "poor": plumber/electrician/tile guy/painter/mirrors/glass shower doors/trim work & carpentry, etc. Our home is turning out just beautiful.

[graciegirl]

Fact or Fiction??

There are TWO separate divisions of T&D. One is pool. The other is birdcage and construction of buildings. T&D was originally owned by Vera and Randy then sold to the owners now who are brothers(???). I don't know if they are "close" but their business is separated. It was interesting to see their different teams work. Separate but polite.

[Topspinmo]

I would hire separate contractors. If you hire a general contractor, a lot of the work will probably be performed by people who are not properly licensed for the specific task they are performing.

But, with all that work to be done, have you considered buying another house?

Agree, most likely never get the money invested back?

[LiverpoolWalrus]

For a complete makeover, I would use a reputable contractor. You said it migh cost more and you are probably right, but the old theory of “you get what you pay for” falls in there as well. I have done several upgrades over the years and gotten several quotes for it all and always fall back on my GC who uses the same people all the time for electrical, plumbing, tiling etc. The thing I like most is we have a detailed contract, which we review. There is no money up front unless its for material that is being delivered i.e., new cupboards from a company, we pay him the cost up front as the cabinets need to be paid to place the order. Each week, he submits an invoice for work completed that week, i.e, if the plumber was here and did all his work, we would meet on Monday, review the work, and pay that agreed upon amount. We follow that process through to the end of the job. Yes he charges a percentage above the work, but that is figured into his estimate. I have had a couple things over the years where it wasnt right, or something wasnt completed to his/our satisfaction and they immediately assure us it will be taken care of and it is....and no additional charge to us of course. So unless you are putting tile down in one room, or painting a room, etc. I say the GC is the way to go, less worries, less headaches, and with ours, I pay more but I am always happy. He did my outdoor kitchen and its absolutely beautiful.....He is thorough, and most times, his estimates are pretty accurate and usually a bit less.

Thanks. Feel free to tell us who you’re talking about.

[valuemkt]

I'm getting ready to hire contractors for a complete makeover. Projects include new kitchen and two baths, floors, windows, painting in and out, new roof, plumbing and electrical updates, etc. Would you hire a general contractor to do everything? Or would you hire individual specialists - a separate roofer, separate floor company, separate window company, etc.?

I'm thinking separate contractors might give you a little more control and might be cheaper because the general contractor usually subcontracts and tacks a surcharge onto their price, understandably, to make it worth his while.

One of the "fun" parts of being a real estate investor is to watch first timers overpay for a house then attempt to make it up by becoming their own general contractor. After all, the flipping shows make it look soooo easy. Those generals just hire the same people I could and I could save a gazillion dollars by eliminating them. After all, they just call the subs in and collect all that extra money .. right ? All of a sudden several months go by and the uncompleted project is well over budget.. Hmm who would have thunk it ?

If by now you haven't figured out that nearly every trade is locked up by the Villages, (as they have a phenomenal supply chain and scheduling mechanism) so multiply your complexity by the number of trades you will have to bring in to your project. COMPLETE remodel.. tear out, plumbing, carpentry, cabinetry, electrical, flooring, lighting, finish carpentry, countertops.. inspections along the way...

Oh, assuming this isnt for investment, but is your ONLY house in the Villages ?? Hope your single, as living through this multi month disaster has divorce court written all over it.. If it is an investment property, and you haven;t fixed or flipped before, you clearly dont know what you're doing.. Buy a Patio Villa and rent it out .. see how you like being a landlord before going through all this grief ..

Thanks for asking