Owner wants to do install...
So, I'm towards the end of a Custom Home build, and the homeowner wants to save money now by installing his own tile, painting the interior, etc. I want him to sign off on something stating that my company is not responsible for...
- delays to project due to his performance/schedule
- his quality of work
- warranty on his work
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!!!
- delays to project due to his performance/schedule
- his quality of work
- warranty on his work
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!!!
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Your on the the right track .
JaneHH said:
What do you do if they mess up your schedule?
Well its your dime, but: I'd never let anybody work on a job I've permitted that I couldn't:
1. chew their azz out when they fvck up (and they will)
2. fire
3. replace
I have closed with primered walls, bare floors, and minimal cabinetry with a sign-off on drywall warranty, etc.
They can do what they want after I'm out of the picture - but NOT before.
And, before I forget: I made damned sure everything is jake with the BI and the mortgage/title company too.
1. chew their azz out when they fvck up (and they will)
2. fire
3. replace
I have closed with primered walls, bare floors, and minimal cabinetry with a sign-off on drywall warranty, etc.
They can do what they want after I'm out of the picture - but NOT before.
And, before I forget: I made damned sure everything is jake with the BI and the mortgage/title company too.
We get it all the time, no big deal. Most customers understand you'll keep going...it shouldn't hold you up at all, if you need to hang the cabinets, hang the cabinets...they can paint around them...I've worked this stuff all the time, being in small town America we can do it fairly easily, though if you've gotta wait for him to get done to get the last bank draw? Different story.
I would have him sign a change order with pretty lengthy verbiage excluding you from any delays caused by him, and NO warranty on related issues. (Will your trim carpenter wait until he get around to tiling floors, and when uneven, make sure he knows it's on him, for example)
If you've got him on contract, I'd refuse this whole idea.
If you've got him on contract, I'd refuse this whole idea.
Honestly, I would say that if this guy is not a contractor and if this is his first custom built home, he is NOT allowed to do ANY of the work himself.
If you let him do the work, neither of you will be happy. The best thing that you can offer him is to lay the cheap self-stick tile and to paint the entire house with Kilz primer. Then once everything is done, he signs off and gives you your final payment, he's free to do whatever upgrades he wants to.
But I believe that if you let him work on your jobsite, he will start strong but you'll end up finishing the work for him for free just to get him out of your way.
If you let him do the work, neither of you will be happy. The best thing that you can offer him is to lay the cheap self-stick tile and to paint the entire house with Kilz primer. Then once everything is done, he signs off and gives you your final payment, he's free to do whatever upgrades he wants to.
But I believe that if you let him work on your jobsite, he will start strong but you'll end up finishing the work for him for free just to get him out of your way.
I don't think we can go wrong when we do all we can to help people with what they want. This customer needs you to educate him on the ins and outs of what he wants but explained in a way he gets that you are on his side. Coming from a place of compassion is where to start.
Once he understands how his request will impact you and that you are on his side, a reasonable solution will appear.
Just remember we are all in this journey together and we can all get what we want or need when you are direct and understanding.
Group hugs all round kinda thing
Once he understands how his request will impact you and that you are on his side, a reasonable solution will appear.
Just remember we are all in this journey together and we can all get what we want or need when you are direct and understanding.
Group hugs all round kinda thing
for some reason "Custom Home Build" and "Owner wants to save money by doing some of the work" just doesn't sound right.
Figure on him getting cheap subs or hacks. Will that bother you?
I foresee them asking to borrow tools and harass you with thousands of questions. Just a hunch.
If he wants to do the finish work then I'd try to get all the other things to completion, finish up the permit and then write a change order and close out the contract. You can do a separate contract for just the trim work, etc. after he does his thing. You probably won't want to as he's going to make a mess of it. HO tile work is a nightmare.
Prime the walls and install all the cabinets, lighting, switch plates and moldings that you can, everything else is on him.
Prime the walls and install all the cabinets, lighting, switch plates and moldings that you can, everything else is on him.
Next time I go to a restaurant I'm going to ask to cook my own steak to save some money. Tell the chef to go take a break:laughing:
Or bring a steak from Costco and ask them to cook it for you.
When don't they do that?:jester:
They will just go out and buy brand new tools at HD so they can "save some money" doing it themselves then return the tools:laughing:
we did this once.. 4 years ago and never again.. the guy had us held up on things several times.. we walked in one day and he had removed the point load that was carrying the main roof ridge beam that had other ridges hanging off it.. he took it out in order to have a pocker door going into the room.. we had to get our engineer come in and design something to transfrer the loads
if he does a poor job on the tile work does it reflect back to you?
when he shows his family and friends his new house and tells them YOU built it, then his family/friends see the poor quality tile work will they think its YOU?
its your name on the house.....my builders run into this once in a while....some allow the homeowner to do some work, some don't......everytime the homeowner does his own work its always horrible/disgraceful..........you build a beautiful house and the homeowner wrecks it with his poor quality in an attempt to save $$
this issue should have been brought up before the house was built....either you allow it or you don't.
will you be giving him the actual $$ back or will you still be keeping your profit on that work?
what if he hires side jobbers that steal tools or damage things
when he shows his family and friends his new house and tells them YOU built it, then his family/friends see the poor quality tile work will they think its YOU?
its your name on the house.....my builders run into this once in a while....some allow the homeowner to do some work, some don't......everytime the homeowner does his own work its always horrible/disgraceful..........you build a beautiful house and the homeowner wrecks it with his poor quality in an attempt to save $$
this issue should have been brought up before the house was built....either you allow it or you don't.
will you be giving him the actual $$ back or will you still be keeping your profit on that work?
what if he hires side jobbers that steal tools or damage things
I gave this some more thought.. If I was having my house custom built there are some things that I would want to do while the walls were still open.. but it would be a matter of personal preference and not a matter of saving money.
Secondly I would be more inclined to tell the GC what I wanted rather than trying to do it all myself. From an economic standpoint, if I am financing my custom house on a construction loan, every $10K spent/saved is only a few dollars difference in my monthly payment.
Third, if the work gets screwed it up, it gets fixed on GC's time and his dime. Not mine.
Secondly I would be more inclined to tell the GC what I wanted rather than trying to do it all myself. From an economic standpoint, if I am financing my custom house on a construction loan, every $10K spent/saved is only a few dollars difference in my monthly payment.
Third, if the work gets screwed it up, it gets fixed on GC's time and his dime. Not mine.
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