Can some contractors build decks without licenses?
Tony
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago
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Seabornman
10 months agokudzu9
10 months agoRelated Discussions
I need help with my back deck and pool house roof! Do I start with an architect or contractor?
Comments (5)Either way you go, your contractor will need drawings to build and have an accurate bid. You can interview and talk to a contractor first. We recommend our clients get drawings. Some firms are design build and can do both for you. A good place to start is for you to understand and determine what you want, what your budget is (or what you are willing to spend on a project of this nature) and what your needs are. This will allow both architect and contractor to tune your scope to your budget and to tell you what is and what is not possible based on that budget. If talking to an architect alone, they have an idea of construction costs but might not be able to get you an accurate number. You'll need to speak to a GC for that. We provide a ROM or rough order of magnitude as a first step for our clients to see if what they want and their budget is on par with the cost of the project. If this is a green light, we detail the pricing with all specific materials and subcontractors required. One thing to keep in mind, if you have a rough idea of what you want, you'll get a rough idea of price. The more info you can get to your contractor on what you want, the more specific pricing he/she can get to you. Also, if you pick a good GC, you can bet he has strong relationships with Subcontractors and architects. If you start with your architect, see if he recommends a GC and vice versa. In the industry when you find a good company, you provide repeat business. We use the same subs and architects that align with our customer service and quality of work specifications over and over again. I hope this helps! Good luck!...See MoreBuilding Ipe Privacy Screens out of Ipe Deck Tiles
Comments (5)Yeah you could look at using tiles though it is probably going to be heavier than it needs to be because the tiles are designed with sub structure and to be walked on. I would look at Ipe wood per sqr foot compared to tiles to see if you are really saving money. Here is calculator to do that http://edeck.com/all-references/calculators/. I would think building a fence using 1x4's would be cheaper. You could also look at cumaru as a less expensive hardwood option....See MoreNeed help designing a beautiful deck for this majestic building!
Comments (35)helloj, this is a Romanesque Revival style that we see in some of our government buildings across Canada. Whoever you get to design the additions might get inspiration from some of those. I immediately thought of a raised patio done in matching stonework - essentially extending the basement out towards the water (beneath this could become your landscape/gardening storage). It could also incorporate stone steps down to the rear yard. I keep thinking of the riverside patio at the Bessborough Hotel in Saskatoon as an example (but university was 30 years ago, so I may not be remembering it clearly)....See MoreHas anyone built a house without a lead general contractor?
Comments (11)Many people have become their own GC. I remember one Houzzer who said she had done it three times and was comfortable with it. But she went on to say it is a FULL TIME position. She was able to work 2-3 hours per day and then spend the REST OF THE DAY chasing down materials and subcontractors. She did that for 16 months for each and every build she went through. By the last house she was semi-retired (only needed to work 5-6 hours per week at her regular job) and found it to be MUCH EASIER if she didn't have to go to work on a daily basis. So the argument becomes: Can you take an UNPAID LEAVE OF ABSENCE from your job to take over full control of a work site...for 12-18 months (or longer...so be prepared to need 20 - 24 months)? Does leaving your job = CHEAPER than paying a GC for the job? If you have a LOW INCOME job to sacrifice (your job being worth MUCH LESS than your partner's job) you might find this worth while. If you have a middle range job (not bad but not great) you might break even. If you have any sort of "nicer" job (with benefits etc) than it is not financially worth it. And do you KNOW the LEGAL implications of being your own GC? Did you know that a homeowner takes on the LEGAL definition of a GC every time they hire a subcontractor to do work on their home (like a tile job in the bathroom = Homeowner GC) and that EVERYTHING you tell a sub to do is taken as a GC telling a sub to do it? Do you know that a sub only has to offer a verbal suggestion like, "I'm not sure that's a good idea," to get themselves off the legal hook? All the trades person has to do is say "yes sir" and do what they are told. They are off the hook legally. If a trades person makes an objection and the GC OVERRIDES THEM then the GC is responsible from that point on wards. And a homeowner GC is the same as a real GC. You need to know MORE than your trades people...so that when you make a decision you can make it with an understanding of CODE and of 'Best Practices' for that trade. If you feel you can do it all and take full legal responsibility and you can leave your job for 12-24 months...you can probably handle being a GC. As a flooring professional, I know I wouldn't want to try it. As a modest income maker, it would not benefit me to quit my job either....See MoreJim Mat
10 months agodianeski
10 months agoBruce in Northern Virginia
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agobry911
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agoCharles Ross Homes
10 months agobry911
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agobry911
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agoTony
9 months agokudzu9
9 months ago
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