Yes, of course it will cost you more – or will it? It is often the case that the overall project costs are reduced usually well in
excess of their fees. If you were to manage the project firstly ask yourself these questions:
Can you handle it?
Do you have the knowledge to instruct tradesmen and schedule the works so that no man hours are lost?
Are you able to spend time on site almost every day?
Things move quickly and coordinating everything is very important. If you miss days and something is installed that isn’t right, then the only options are to live with it or pay more to change it.
Do you feel confident at the thought of hiring, firing and negotiating deals?
This knowledge comes from experience.
Are you expert at organising?
That is the operative word – expert. The organisation has to run like a well oiled machine or the costs will spiral.
If you can’t answer yes to ALL of the above then don’t do it! Hire a professional.
Your project manager or coordinator will:
- Find and hire subcontractors
- Schedule the work
- Troubleshoot problems on site
- Help with cost estimating
- Negotiating material discounts
- Ordering materials and inspecting deliveries
- General advice to make things run smoothly
- Assist with staying on budget
- Keep the project on track
Construction managers or Project managers have always been used on commercial projects because it has always been accepted that you can build your own home or renovate it without many problems.
New CDM Regulations (Construction Design Management) came into force in April 2015,which means that all of the rules and regulations now apply to both residential and commercial projects. Hiring someone who understands the CDM responsibilities and to help you manage the project is very important. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and the Health and Safety element is not something that can be ignored.
A large project could have several professionals on board depending on the size and the complexity of the build. These would be referred to as the project team, a project team could comprise of:
- Client
- Architect
- Interior Architect or Interior Designer
- Builder
- Tradesmen
If you were doing a refurbishment of a bathroom or a small extension, then you may only have a couple of the above working on the project. On building a house you would likely have all of the above and probably a Quantity Surveyor, Mechanical and Electrical Consultants, Lighting Designer and Audio Visual Designer as well.
The point is really that however many trades or professionals are involved the project will only be a success if you employ an overall manager – it can be your Architect, Interior Architect or Designer and the importance of hiring cannot be underestimated.