This article originally appeared on La Jolla Light.
San Diego has been referred to as “heaven on earth,” which means that owning a home in San Diego means that you own a little piece of heaven. The only thing more special than owning a piece of heaven on earth is building your dream house from scratch there. There’s something wonderfully gratifying about having a vision and playing a role in turning that vision into a reality. But as gratifying as it is to be involved in the process, unless you have a lot of time and expertise, hiring a general contractor to deal with the nuts and bolts of your project has some real advantages.
Experience: Even if you have hired talented sub-contractors, it’s important that you know how to manage and oversee the process. For example, you must know the order in which the activities must be completed. It’s also important to have a thorough understanding of the work your sub-contractors are doing to make sure the work is being done properly.
Time: If you already have a job, it will be challenging for you to find the time to oversee a complex project like building a home. Even if you meticulously schedule everything, due to unforeseen circumstances, things generally don’t always go according to schedule. There are also other time consuming things that must be done, like securing permits, making sure the house is being built according to code, and scheduling inspections. Hiring a general contractor to take care of these things can ease your stress.
Relationships: An experienced general contractor has formed relationships with quality sub-contractors, which can be a challenge to find. Also, because these sub-contractors have loyalty to the general contractor in a way they might not for a first-time client, chances are they will make your job more of a priority.
Complications: Unfortunately, there can be pitfalls when building a home, but a general contractor runs into these issues all the time and knows how to find solutions easily. Also, because experienced general contractors know which complications are likely to happen, they can likely anticipate and prevent them.
Legal issues: San Diego construction is regulated by building codes, which a general contractor deals with on a daily basis and knows how to comply with. Another legal issue to be aware of when building a home is liability. If a friend, neighbor, or someone who is working on your home gets injured while your home is under construction, proper liability insurance is essential, which can be complicated and expensive to get on your own. Professional contractors usually carry both worker’s compensation and liability insurance, which will protect you from any legal ramifications.
Warranty: If you build your home yourself, there is no warranty for your own work, and you are responsible for the quality of your project. General contractors usually provide a warranty for their work and are responsible to fix any issues that arise.
At Murfey Construction, with the expertise and legal know-how to properly manage and oversee your project, we look forward to helping you turn your vision of your San Diego dream home into a reality—log onto http://MurfeyConstruction.com.