Do I need a project manager?
Rebecca Canna
3 years ago
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Comments (7)
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Landscape Design + project management?
Comments (30)In my humble opinion, the homeowner assumes the role of GC by hiring the designer separately from the installer, and is ultimately responsible for the results. He/She assumed responsibility for the landscape plan compliance. The designer should point out the pitfalls of taking on this role and should attempt to sell the owner on paying him/her to supervise. If successful in selling this additional service (perhaps for a percentage of the bulk), then if the contractor insists on installing a plant that is not on the plan, it IS the designer's fault for allowing it to happen, and he/she is financially responsible for the remedy--in my humble opinion. I am not a lawyer; I am an MBA with 22 years experience dealing with engineers, contracts/specs and crews, as well as a garden design hobbyist....See More% savings for being own project manager vs. hiring a one-stop shop??
Comments (25)Love that diagram, Sophie! I went halfway. I used a small "home services" firm that did the tear out, plumbing, electrical, wall repair, window, and other installations. I planned (with GW help), sourced and bought the cabinets, granite (with installation), hardware, sink, faucet, and light fixtures; decided on (at the last minute) to refinish the floor so found floor people; and did the painting myself. This approach saved me nearly $10k over the quotes from both full service companies that would include plans and contractors who would execute my plan but source and perform all. Note that my remodel was not extensive, was in a smaller space, no change in footprint, just repositioning some appliances which did require moving the gas line and adding a window, lights, outlets and switches. There were delays due to me, about the floor decision and getting that scheduled, and changes in the planned counter material which the home service company was able to work around (thankfully). My only complaint in the end was with the counter granite installer -- who came highly recommended, but didn't do the quality of work that I'd seen here on GW, but who did fix what could be fixed. Still, saving $10K was worth the mild disappointment IMO....See MoreDo I need a GC? Project advice needed!
Comments (3)All of the major components are sound as far as I know. The house was renovated in 2003 by the previous owner, who brought all of the electrical up to speed, modern plumbing, etc. HVAC is in pretty good shape. We had a roofer out last fall to make some repairs to the gutters and he confirmed that the roof looks good with the exception of a few small things (a couple of loose shingles, flashing, etc.), which he will be coming back to fix. Foundation is fine as far as we know. There were definitely some areas where they cheaped out, though, and those are the areas we need to address now (exterior maintenance, chimneys, porch, upstairs baths). The chimneys are something of an ongoing maintenance concern from my perspective. The central chimney, which is a double stack (one used for the oil furnace venting, one for a non-functional fireplace), is in poor shape - the stack in the basement needs to be repaired and repointed (which will be part of this overall project). The one we are considering removing seems to be intact, but we can't see the entire stack so we don't really know. There are parts of the stack visible in the attic, and they look like they may be in need of repointing as well. Since we have no intention of ever using this chimney, we'd rather remove it (if structurally possible) and eliminate any future repair and maintenance costs....See MoreIs there value in hiring a project manager for residential project?
Comments (15)Based on the OP's description of the scope "...remodeling my home + adding a 2k addition" it sounds like a job for an experienced, licensed, and insured remodeling contractor with a proven track record executing similar projects. If it adds value for them, hiring an owner's representative to perform periodic inspections makes sense. However, I don't think inspection of the details of the vast majority of this project falls within the scope of interior design nor the training and competencies of an interior designer. I submit the OP will be best served by hiring a licensed professional engineer or architect for that purpose. At the risk of hijacking this thread, a word of caution for interior designers, draftspersons, handymen, and the like. Review the contractor laws in your state before hiring an unlicensed contractor to "PM" a project you're not capable of or licensed to execute on your own. While homeowners can do that here in Virginia, it would be illegal for an interior designer to hire an unlicensed contractor and pass those costs on to the owner since that's essentially contracting without a license....See More
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