book on different home owner/ contract
popawheelie
| Posted in General Discussion on
I was asked about doing some work for someone who needs more room. Three young kids. I could do it if he was willing to take on the business end.
Our family is in the process of moving to the area. I could use the work.
I would like to recommend a book to him covering the issue of how to set up the project. Does anyone have a recommendation?
Replies
How would you define "the business end"?
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I'm not sure. I'm just looking for a book that describes a different way of "contracting" out a project. Do you know of any?
Do you mean that you want the owner to obtain permits and such? This would be the first step depending what he wants done? Do you want him to order material?
Janet
I think the owner can get the permit, get some plans drawn, stuff like that.
They might need some help with materials depending on how much experience they have. You don't want them buy to little, to cheap, or to many. Handling materials usually take some experience.
If He reads a book about it I should too. So we're on the same page.
I've gotta be honest with you - this does not sound like a god idea. It takes years of experience to be familiar with all the things that go into making an addition come out right. You don't get it by just reading a book. several books maybe, but experienced judgement is still needed on the job.It doesn't sound like you have that experience. You've probably driven a few nails and cut a few boards, right? but you don't have enough background to know what and how much to order from the lumberyard, so you want the HO to take on that responsibility, right? you both need somebody else on the job who knows what he's doing
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Hi Piffin, You just made some assumptions and that's o.k. I have driven a few more nails and cut a few more boards than that though. I'm just asking for a book.
I keep going back to that question but it seems that the answers I'm getting are either leading questions or making assumptions.
I'm a carpenter by trade but have never really made the jump to contractor. The biggest hurdle I've found in the trade is to find good people to work with.
A lot of the guys are so adversarial in nature that it's hard to work with them.
Maybe I just keep picking the wrong people?
Our family has moved every five years for the last 15 also following my wife's career.
So establishing contacts and such hasn't happened.
I am still not clear on what you are looking for.If you are looking for a book and contracts for a GC then JLC has a Contractors Legal Handbook (don't know the exact title).But if you are looking for something for the HO to help them act as there own GC and you are the --- (carpenter, consulatant, etc) then there is a bunch of information on Owner Builder.Do a google on that. I know that there are some websites adn I th ink that there might be some books on it.
Thanks, it would be owner builder. Sometimes the words are elusive that describe what I'm after.
Sorry if I seemed adversarial, all I had to go on were a few short lines you wrote that didn't tell me much, so I had to do some assuming based on that.Have you prowled around here?
http://www.taunton.com/store/index_fhbv.aspI would advise reading a book yourself before recommending it to him, or you could be giving him advise contrary to what you want him to know, like the idiotic advice to always get three 'bids' before signing a contract that you read in every sunday supplement of the newspaper this time of year
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You're right, there is some bad advice out there.
popa
I'm the last person on here to give buisness advice but for the sake of me understanding this thread could you tell me this; are you capable of doing the job?
What I mean by that, forget about the buisness aspect, can you do an additon without any help from others? All the carpentry, know where/who to get fondations work from? Electrical? Plumbing?
Not trying to insult you just trying to get a grip on what your looking for.
If you can do all the work and the guy trusts you to do so, whats the purpose of the book? Not that reading more on the subject isnt helpful but I'm not understanding the situation.
Doug
We would be entering into a relationship. It would be nice to have some guidelines laid out by a third party. That would be a book. We could go through them and decide which ones we would use. Just to prevent some misunderstandings down the line.
Some of the guidlines would be firm while others would be less so.
Depending on what they want they want i could do more or less of the actual construction. I could help with the selection of subs for parts of it.
It might just be a master bedroom. They have three small kids and want some room. I haven't seen the house but I do know it is in "old town" which has small lots with small houses. If it is just a bedroom addition how hard could it be?
Edited 5/29/2006 4:17 pm ET by popawheelie
here is a book: http://www.jlconline.com/cgi-bin/jlconline.storefront/447c1e1b001676c727177f000001059e/Export/products/LB200
I'm not a remodeler, but IMO you need to define the terms of the business agreement to protect your interests and make sure this is a profitable ventur for you. Being a tradesmen/craftsman and being a businessman are 2 totally different skills. Or, maybe you just want to work by the hour?
" it is in "old town" which has small lots with small houses. If it is just a bedroom addition how hard could it be?
'U fixing to find out. For instance - setbacks allowed by the local codes. Could be not allowed or if allowed - three months of negotiating the permit
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It seems like you would want him to take the role of general contracter and you would be the labor source ( or subcontractor). If thats the case, I think one of the 'be your own contractor' books might help. Unfortunately, I cant recommend ( havent looked at any) any books. I think Larry Haun might have just authored one though.
Thanks M2akida. I'll check it out. I really did see a large re-model use this method. From what I saw it was a good fit for both the contractor and the owner.
I'm just exploring the idea. If it's just a bedroom or bedroom and bath single story addition it shouldn't be to difficult. I'd have to look at their ideas. i haven't even met the guy.
This nowhere near any kind of start up. I'm just recommending the book to the guy. Even if he goes with a general contractor it would be a good idea for any home owner to read such a book before selecting a contractor.
All I'm asking for is a book recommendation. Really!