Managing the Project Yourself

If you're thinking about managing the construction of your new home yourself, there are some very important things you should consider. This option may involve the lowest cost, but it also involves the highest risk, and the greatest committment in terms of your time and energy. Furthermore, there will not be a Main Contractor to fall back on if things go wrong.

If you are seriously considering this option, be sure to make an informed decision by properly understanding what will be required of you, and what you will need to have in place to prevent things from going wrong. Here's a brief outline of what you will need:

Knowledge About:

• The basics of carpentry, the construction process, and construction management.
• At what stages of construction problems are likely to occur, what those problems are, and what checks need to be in place to ensure they don't occur.
• What contracts should be in place between the various parties involved, and what clauses need to be in those contracts to ensure quality, pricing integrity, and protection.
• What criteria to use to appoint the right builder and subcontractors for the project.

Access To:

• A comprehensive Builders Contract and separate Service Level Agreements for subcontractors that contain detailed quality standards, procedures, and responsibilities.
• Construction management documentation that ensures the project is well managed, and that communication and quality levels are consistently high throughout the project.
• Documented quality checklists and inspections, contractually agreed to by the builder.
• A detailed pricing template to ensure nothing is left out of the initial contract price.
• Proper price variation procedures and documentation.
• A client decision time-table that structures decisions to ensure they are manageable.

Adequate Time To:

• Organise and manage the plethora of people and products involved in the project.
• Make the many decisions required to style and fit out your new home.
• Ensure all warranties and contracts are in place, with the correct legal clauses to provide certainty about quality, price integrity, and project completion.
• Resolve the many problems and conflicts that can occur when the project is poorly structured or managed due to a lack of knowledge or experience.