DIY Network

Be Your Own Contractor: Looking Back From "Be Your Own Contractor" episode DBYC-113

Brad Staggs introduces the final chapter in this series of DIY's Be Your Own Contractor -- wherein our fearless do-it-yourselfers look back on their experiences with home building and answer that underlying question: "Would you do it again?"

Over the previous 12 episodes, our group of do-it-yourself contractors have taken viewers through their home-building projects, from initial planning and land-clearing through framing, roofing, plumbing, electrical wiring, interior finishing, landscaping and more.

In this episode of DIY's Be Your Own Contractor, the do-it-yourselfers look back over their experiences of acting as their own contractor as they built or renovated a home. They offer advice for those considering this ambitious undertaking, and speculate as to whether -- all things considered -- they would take on this kind of project again. They talk about the challenges they faced, the personal stress they sometimes endured and the things they would do differently if they were to take on a similar project in the future.

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A Look Back

• Betty King and John Spracklen of Olmstead, Kentucky advise potential do-it-yourselfers to have a clear vision for what they want to get out of their home before the construction ever begins. Their research included books and internet searches as well as talking extensively with builders, contractors and their architect. They also researched materials by visiting supplier showrooms to look at samples.

  Figure A

  Figure B

  
  Betty points out that an undertaking as large-scale as building a house is bound to produce some stressful circumstances. Their sizeable home in Kentucky was no exception (figures A, B, C and D). In fact, Betty cautions first-time do-it-yourselfers that the process will likely be more stressful than they anticipate. There are typically more decisions to make than anticipated, and costs can run higher than expected. For a couple involved in a building project, effective and frequent communication between partners is essential as a tool for dealing with the inevitable stress.

  Figure D

  Figure C

  
  

  Betty King and John Spracklen

  When asked if they would ever be willing to take on another project like this one, Betty pauses before answering "We would do this project again if the situation were different. For instance, if we were ten year younger we would definitely do it again."
  

  Figure E

• Stanton and Terry Saucier- undertook a complete renovation on their home Tarzana, California home -- a renovation that included replacing the roof and raising the roofline (figure E). Stanton advises those with no building experience to consider carefully before taking on a project as ambitious as this. His wife Terry pointed out how the building or renovation of a house may complicate your life considerably.
  The Sauciers lived on the site of their home renovation, and even had to fashion a temporary outdoor kitchen for meal preparation. This came at a time when the Sauciers had a two-year-old and a new baby on the way. For this couple, communicating and working together toward mutually agreed-upon goals, and having clearly defined objectives and timeframes, were essential for working their way through a challenging time.

  Terry Saucier

  Stanton Saucier

  
  

  Figure F

• Michael Buchtel, who either performed or supervised nearly all of the work on his Williamsburg, Virginia home (figure F), says that his strongest advice for those considering being their own contractors is to recognize the importance of planning. People whom Michael knows who are professional builders echo this thought.

  Michael also emphasizes that the process of being your own contractor will demand a great investment of your own personal time. The processes of developing a plan and actual construction are both time-consuming projects. For Michael, the building of his house took a total of 13 months. The process also meant sacrificing a lot of the time that he would otherwise have been spending with his family.
  Alan not only states that he would be willing to take on another project like his original one, but actually purchased a second lot and broke ground on a second house not long after finishing the first one. For Al, the process of creating and building a home is the real reward -- less so than the finished product.
  

  Michael Buchtel

  After acting as his own contractor to build his house from the ground up, and having dealt with numerous challenges and setbacks, Michael says he would still be willing to be his own contractor in a similar undertaking.
  

  Linda and Doug Kerr

• Doug Kerr, whose home in Los Angeles, California was built with metal framing rather than wood, advises would-be contractors to know and consider whether they are going to enjoy process of building a home before the process begins.
  

  Figure G

  Doug himself enjoys the direct involvement in manual labor, and even did some of the excavation work for his home (figure G). During the building process, Doug kept a notebook that contained all of the vital paperwork and contact information for his construction project. Keeping your materials organized in this way is time well-spent and may save you frustration and headaches.
  
• Skip Weahunt, whose home is now in Fair Oaks, California says that the two hardest things about building your own house is managing the money and making decisions. "Those two things are the most difficult," he says, " and if you can't do those, then you should forget about [being your own contractor]. But if you can be organized, make decisions, and then live with those decisions -- and you can balance a column of figures -- then you can do it."

  Skip Weahunt

  
  
• Lynn Underwood of Vail, Arizona emphasizes the importance of knowing the applicable building codes, and incorporating those into the plan early when designing a home. Otherwise, the plans you've worked so hard on may be turned down by the building department if there are any code violations. In fact, all of our contractors agree on the importance of knowing your local building codes and inspection process thoroughly before you break ground.

  "I would build another house in a heartbeat," Lynn said after finishing his first one in Arizona (figure H). "I love construction. And if you love it, it becomes part of your soul."

  Lynn Underwood

  Figure H

  
  

• Jody Cukier Siegler, who oversaw the building of her plantation style home in Los Angeles, advises: "Have a point of view. Don't sit down in a meeting on a construction project like this as a client with a big 'I don't know.' You need to have a point of view, and to be able to give people somewhere to go -- some goal to achieve." She also advises "doing your homework" before you begin. "The same advice your parents gave you about going to college, is the advice you need on a construction job," she says, "What you put in is what you will take away." Make the most of resources like books, magazines and the internet. Research is essential not only for helping you develop your plan, but also helps you be better able to articulate your desires to subcontractors. Internet research, in particular, can be a time-saver and can easily be done from home.
  
• According to Andy Beasley, even before overall planning begins, you must first ask yourself the most fundamental of questions -- whether you are the type of person who should take on a project of this magnitude. His home in Hillside, Colorado (figures I and J) was outfitted with a large and elaborate workshop in the early stages so that Andy would have the resources on site to do much of the building and detail work himself.

  Figure I

  
  

  Peggy and Andy Beasley

  Andy confirms what others said regarding the personal stress that can be inherent in the process of building a house. For Andy, the stress arose largely from the details, and the numerous decisions -- both small and large -- that had to be made along the way. Andy and his wife Peggy both felt rewarded by the process of building and completing their own home, but doubt they would undertake another project like this. "We're not builders," Andy says, "We took this on because we wanted to live in a house of our own design, and this was a way to afford it. Faced with the situation again, I believe we'd say 'I don't think so.' This was our one home-building experience."
  
• Alan Sain echoes Michael Buchtel's sentiments about the importance of planning. "I may sound like a broken record," he says, "but it's essential to plan the process. Plan the house you want to build. Plan the sequence. Know what you're going to be up against, and take costs into consideration." Alan is a semi-retired engineer, and laid out elaborate plans and blueprints for his home in Butler, Pennsylvania (figure K). He utilized book research, but also advises speaking directly with professionals and asking lots of questions to learn as much as you can about the various aspects of your building project. He describes the decision-making process involved in a project like this as "phenomenal" and stressful.

  Figure K

  Alan and Sharon Sain

  
  
• Fred Samuels, our consummate do-it-yourselfer, began with the thought in mind of building an out-building for storage. Before his project was over, it was transformed into a rustic 1400-square-foot home (figures L and M) on which Fred did practically all of the work with his own two hands. He acknowledges that it would have been easier if his advance planning had been more thorough. However, Fred acknowledged that his undertaking was made less complicated since he was under no deadline to finish. Since he did nearly all of the work himself, he was free to work at his own pace.

  Figure L

  Figure M

  
  

  Fred Samuels

  
  Fred says he would be willing to undertake a similar project if the opportunity ever arose, but acknowledges that there would be things he would do differently the second time around. What would remain the same, he says, is the dedication to maintaining the levels of quality and type of charm that went into his original project. "It's a great way to stay young," he says. "It was probably one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences I have ever had. I think it's so important to have some participation in the creation of your home -- at whatever level you can manage. It's worth it."
  

  Though opinions varied among our do-it-yourself contractors as to whether they would ever be willing to take on a similar project, there was consensus among all of them that they felt rewarded by having done it once, and were generally happy with the results.
  

  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	Be Your Own Contractor: Looking Back