In my experience with my own work and with major remodeling projects done across the street from me, most contractors do a lot of "juggling" with their sub crews. If they tell a potential client they can't start for 9 months, they will lose the job, so they just do a bit here and there on multiple jobs at the same time.

My neighbors across the street are adding a 2 story addition on the back of there house that is the same size as the house itself. This has been going on for months and somedays there are a lot of trucks there, and others days none. This morning, there was a plumber's truck there till noon; he left and I'm sure is on another job. I'm sick of all the trucks on the street and I'm sure the owners (who are living in the house during this major job) are as sick of it all as I am.

I can't imagine any contractor taking one job at a time and doing in full before moving to the next. If he was willing to do so, he'd probably charge a fortune to compensate for lost jobs. I agree it's very frustrating.

That does make sense. I am no contractor, so I wasn't exactly sure. It is frustrating, especially with all the delays we have already had. One thing for certain is I am not afraid to contact him and verify what he has done/will do. I just need to be on top of things. Thank you for the feedback.

I found and used a contractor that does one job at a time. People wait months to get on his schedule. He is a good contractor and businessman. He sets timelines and sticks to them. He plans what needs to be done each day and stays till all those items are finished. Arrived at the site at 7:30 each day and on some days didn't leave till 6 pm to finish all the items on his daily list. He isn't cheap, but his attention to details and the tight schedule are worth his rates.

He used to run a bigger setup with several crews, but said that he spent most of his time driving to the different work sites, fixing what the crews did wrong and managing people, so he want back to doing it on his own with his partner and bringing in some subs when necessary. Also a really nice person. A rare find indeed!

with new construction, predictable permit issuance can a problem. 90-270 days.

I have builder friends in FL who take large deposits to hold a schedule spot, but CA only allows $1k, so we reserve the right to cancel.

No permits where I am building. A contractors dream. Shouldn’t have any delays with that.

Exactly. Only option I have is paying for a framing, electrical, and plumbing inspection. Which I have a person lined up.

' I can't imagine any contractor taking one job at a time and doing in full before moving to the next. '

I can't image the opposite. They DON'T do in FULL waiting for weeks to be able to finish!!!! Contractors in this area, Charlotte, go in and do all the ruff work at one time before moving on to the next job. Of course the plumbers/electricians have to come back to install fixtures.

Good builders typically try to use the staggered start method for doing jobs. Ideally, they will identify a choke point and will attempt to keep that crew working full time on their jobs. Suppose that framing takes longer than any other part of the job and framers are the most in demand, the contractor should attempt to start the next house as soon as the framers have substantially finished with the last house. This is the most efficient way to run the business, which will lead to more profit even from reduced pricing.

I suspect that most contractors learn this lesson but some may choose to ignore it as jobs get scarce for them.

This is what we're seeing in our build. Just yesterday we popped by, and the insulation had been blown into the attic space and the strapping for the ceiling drywall had been done. Except in the garage (which we're having insulated too). I thought it was a problem, but the foreman told me there's a potential glitch with the electric stack location on the outside of the garage, so while awaiting a meeting with the electric company dude, he shipped his insulation team to the next job. The drywallers can start inside the house, and eventually the insulators will circle back once the electric is done.

So yeah, I'm definitely seeing what looks like a lot of half-done jobs and "missing" contractors, but it appears the GC has everything under control to maximize up-time for the subs.

I'm learning to find the line between "being informed" and getting all stressed out and "being a pest". :-)

A contract to construct a custom home should include a start date and an anticipated completion date. Your contractor should also give you a schedule that shows the various activities required to get you from permit to certificate of occupancy by the anticipated completion date. This should enable you to assess progress at regular intervals without needing to manage day-to-day activities or lack thereof.

In my experience - normal. Frustrating, but normal. We were about 6 months late in starting to dig - variety of factors but mostly I think the builder just slow walked us because they were busy. I think he said we were #13 in line for digging- and it took forever to get to us.

Throughout our build - it was rare to have workers there from 7-3 straight. I remember after our foundation, we waited another month for framing - because that crew was finishing another job first. It’s all a huge juggle- keeping various subs moving various projects along at the same time.

You could ask to see the project plan, so you at least know what’s next. But- you have to be prepared for delays. Just the nature of the work. Especially on things that are weather dependent, one day gets missed and then it pushes all the crews back at least a day- and so on.

Super frustrating with so much waiting, but it’s the nature of the beast. Somehow, it really DOES all come together! I remember various phases went faster than others. All the framing/insulation/plumbing, electrical, HVAC, all the stuff that goes in the walls- that phase seemed to last forever. Drywall was done in two days! Hang in there :)

I'm managing my own two story renovation, so I have a good idea of what the GC is going through to keep a crew always working. For example, my plumbing and electrical rough-in will finish by Tuesday this week, which means I can call for inspection of framing/electrical/plumbing (Wed/Thu?) and then move on to insulation after it passes. However, if the inspection fails and requires any rework, we can't start the insulation. I cannot give the insulation company a firm schedule request until late this week, which means I may not be able to get them here exactly when I need them next week. Someone unfamiliar with the schedule limitations might ask "why didn't you have the insulation crew ready to go to work," but I know I can't schedule it that tight.

Some stages of construction, like drywall, go really fast because you have only one crew working and the GC is usually ready for them to blow through the entire house and keep up speed. However, other stages of interior work have multiple dependencies. Its hard to plan the right sequence and then get the contractors to actually show up in that sequence.

Bruce

In my experience the delays are normal!! You know the joke, “Whatever the contractor says- add 6 months” - it’s real! But seriously- Subs juggling multiple jobs at a time is totally normal.

It's a common issue. It took over a year and a half for my house to be built far enough for me to be able to move in. Even if your GC wants to work all the time only on your place, he has to wait on subs and professional electricians, plumbers etc. On supplies to arrive. For inspections to happen. In my locale, permitters and inspectors only appear to work one day a week or pretty close to that. And yes, my GC had his slow moments I still can't account for on top of that.

I took over the painting of the basement and a few other minor things after I was legal and living here. (Pro work in the way of aesthetics in an unfinished basement was not necessary, since I never plan to "finish" it anyway. I like seeing where pipes run so I can spot leaks before they get out of hand.)

If they are not done by now. you may be right.

My wife has threatened me with a potential suiting for a number of years. Problem is I'm a sports jacket kind of guy.

Is this comment leapfrog??

"From my point of view, it's frustrating. The contractor has no right to postpone your house and neglect the rules written in the contract. I think you have to consider making some fuss and threatening with suiting them."

@Mark Bischak, Architect, nah, he will be back to change that post with a link to a law firm........................

Heck, it makes my "suiting" comment seem prescient. Time to play the lotto....

I posted on this thread 2 years ago too! Times have changed ... OP would hate to be remodeling or building now. A homeowner in my neighborhood bought a house and tore it down back in November 2021 anticipating that the builder would start soon after. As of today, mid July 2022 there has been no work at all done on the site. He should have used my builder, a small custom builder, and not the production builder he hired! Hey, but I'm sure he got a better price from the production builder ... any savings will quickly disappear with inflation and having to rent for all those extra months, possibly years!

Yikes, another 2-year old thread...!

Maybe they should post a "best before date" on threads. Then again, internet SPAM may have an indefinite shelf life just like the stuff in a can.