Splitting Of Entire Reno Project Into Different Phases/Sub-Contractors

[arowana 2]

Hi all,

Not factoring time issue, how practical/realistic is it to split an entire reno project into different sub-contractors?

For e.g. doing the following projects in stages:

1) Hacking and all tiling together

2) Kitchen cabinet with piping work

3) All other carpentry

4) Electricity work

5) False ceiling, cornices, lightings

6) Painting

I'm wondering for Electricity work, can it be done by itself or must it be done with some other project?

Waiting for the pros thoughts here...

Cheers!

[jaskel 2]

Hi all,

Not factoring time issue, how practical/realistic is it to split an entire reno project into different sub-contractors?

For e.g. doing the following projects in stages:

1) Hacking and all tiling together

2) Kitchen cabinet with piping work

3) All other carpentry

4) Electricity work

5) False ceiling, cornices, lightings

6) Painting

I'm wondering for Electricity work, can it be done by itself or must it be done with some other project?

Waiting for the pros thoughts here...

Cheers!

Renovation is already split into different sub-cons. It was the coordinating of who come first, do what, how to go bout it and who need to come back again after the others had completed, etc...that are the issues and why most house owners prefer to engage an ID/contractor to oversee everything. If mishaps happen(touch wood), who is responsible for it also.

[archenemy 0]

unless you have a lot of time on your hands to do co-ordination work and quite good at it...i advise you not to..

you are only inviting more work...

[arowana 2]

I agree... come to think of it. And also must let one contractor do one thing at a time so that got any screw-up, easier to pintpoint the source of problem/error.

[billi 0]

why suffer when you can pay to do it ,

if you have so much time , must well use you time to earn more money .

[Tiler Seng 57]

Hi all,

Not factoring time issue, how practical/realistic is it to split an entire reno project into different sub-contractors?

For e.g. doing the following projects in stages:

1) Hacking and all tiling together

2) Kitchen cabinet with piping work

3) All other carpentry

4) Electricity work

5) False ceiling, cornices, lightings

6) Painting

I'm wondering for Electricity work, can it be done by itself or must it be done with some other project?

Waiting for the pros thoughts here...

Cheers!

Base on the fact: My client asked me to coordinate for her Plumbing work (No extra charge from my side), because her plumber is cheaper, but that plumber came back to me asking me move away sand materials so that it will not obstruct his plumbing work....

i told him like a contractor to contractor: may he move the sands that were disturbing his work, i told him i'm not earning anything by coordination for his work so please don't ask me to spend in workers for his work, just help up lah.... this plumber turned my back and complained to my owner insist me to do that

i told my owner, never in my reno life had anyone worker dare to ask me to move away sands, this is the 1st time, so ask that guy to fly kite, otherwise owner may consider change a new coordinator.

In the end that guy asking for $500 just to move sand, so this was the situation, if that plumber was kind enough to ask for an $100, i think he's a fair person, but when he dare to ask for $500.... means he is a useless one, i told my owner not to answer his call anymore, i'll get in plumber to do the same price he quoted.

Story like this, what do you think if owner did not fired that plumber?

[garywu 0]

Hi all,

Not factoring time issue, how practical/realistic is it to split an entire reno project into different sub-contractors?

For e.g. doing the following projects in stages:

1) Hacking and all tiling together

2) Kitchen cabinet with piping work

3) All other carpentry

4) Electricity work

5) False ceiling, cornices, lightings

6) Painting

I'm wondering for Electricity work, can it be done by itself or must it be done with some other project?

Waiting for the pros thoughts here...

Cheers!

For me not because i rich. but if i compare the pricing between main con job scope and the subcon job, if the different is 100-200 is ok.Let the main con do coz we cant be on site all the time and also in case got area of conflict.

1) Hacking and all tiling together >

MY own prefer:Main con: Hatcking the biggest/ messy job.

Area of interest : Floor /wall tiles/ bath room kerb.

After hacking, piping con, electrical con and main con should be on site to recognise and mark out all needed water/gas/electrical outlet

2) Kitchen cabinet with piping work >

MY own prefer: Subcon for piping .

Area of interest: Water pipe. Resposible for the main water pipe first. Can do together with tiling works coz some area where the pipe is

protuding from wall then your tiler will have to cut hole in two tiles to join them together.Usally tiling will do the NO area conflict tile first

Those with conflict with piupe line or protuding one they will leave till your plumber finish job then they do.

3) All other carpentry >

MY own prefer: subcon . After your gas, water piping done then they come down do concealing or your kitchen top.

Usually can come last few. Coz unless you got a full height build in cabinet in any room that u need to build up to your false ceiling.

And also i will ask carpenter come last coz during the main reno construction, those workers may b careless and may damage your carpentery works.

4) Electricity work ,False ceiling, cornices, lightings >

MY own prefer:Main con

I dun wan to headache. Just let the electrical man also do the false ceiling and cornices. They know what to do.. how many point.

6) Painting:

Should be the last to come in.

After painting IF you are doing window frame or window can come in liao following by your carpenter.

Sorry for the poor english. BOH TAK CHEK

[angelbutterfly 0]

For me, juz cos my hubby has a special reason to request to use own carpenter, already some contractors/ID v unhappy.. For us, not cos we wanna save but some personal reasons..

We viewed 3 sites by contractor/ID but carpentry not up to our standard so hw to accommodate leh?

Frankly, I knw too many cook spoilt the soup so I try not to hv too many different sub con in my Reno. Hence, I become the lorsoh when I specific even my doors material...

If really need to hv subcon, hv to instruct them to take instructions fr main con since main con will b the poor guy to coordinate everything lor..

[gimz63251073 0]

whichever route u take, via Main con or via sub-con, you will also encounter problems

some main con instructions also not clear and end up also do wrongly...

things like carpentry to subcon out is common and low risk. For example, carpentry for kitchen is done after connecting of electricity and pipes, floor and wall tiles are done. So any issue with floor and wall tiles have to settle first with main con.

then lay protection on floor if you are kiasu. If carpenter drill and spoil ur wall tiles, then its obvious who should rectify it.. The draw back is the time spent onsite, as u have to be there to check and if u see that they spoil ur stuff, inform them immediately. We coordinate subcon ourselves so that we are always present on-site to give clear instructions.

I outsource kitchen carpentry as well, no issues with them damaging my stuff or what. In fact, i also outsource windows, doors, laminate flooring, spray paint toilets and electrical works. The main con handles hacking and make good, tiling, painting, plumbing. What gave me problems was really the main con with lousy paint and plumbers!

If main con is unhappy about you engaging other people, then look for another main con. There are tons of them around.

[Lovely 0]

whichever route u take, via Main con or via sub-con, you will also encounter problems

some main con instructions also not clear and end up also do wrongly...

things like carpentry to subcon out is common and low risk. For example, carpentry for kitchen is done after connecting of electricity and pipes, floor and wall tiles are done. So any issue with floor and wall tiles have to settle first with main con.

then lay protection on floor if you are kiasu. If carpenter drill and spoil ur wall tiles, then its obvious who should rectify it.. The draw back is the time spent onsite, as u have to be there to check and if u see that they spoil ur stuff, inform them immediately. We coordinate subcon ourselves so that we are always present on-site to give clear instructions.

I outsource kitchen carpentry as well, no issues with them damaging my stuff or what. In fact, i also outsource windows, doors, laminate flooring, spray paint toilets and electrical works. The main con handles hacking and make good, tiling, painting, plumbing. What gave me problems was really the main con with lousy paint and plumbers!

If main con is unhappy about you engaging other people, then look for another main con. There are tons of them around.

From what I'm reading here is u r the main-con, the rest is sub-cons or sub-sub-cons....so whatever make the wrong move is your call, such as buying a cheap wrought iron gate, it rusted after awhile, then start to complain here and there. As u want to save cost here and there which is understandable, then u must also understand that cheap doesn't mean good quality of material and workmanship. It a give and take thingy, no such thing as pay for a cherry QQ but want Merc quality.

[ah_beng 0]

I design my place from scratch i am coordinate the work myself.

The reasons for doing the work myself are as follows:-

1. With the same budget, i get better quality products - main con have to survive so i don't blame them for marking up and you pay them to coordinate for you.

2. I have plenty of time and not rushing to move in.

3. Some renovation stuff i can do myself and family can help - like plastering, painting, grouting etc.

4. I like challenges and would like to learn everything about housing renovations.

5. Travel a lot so i get to source materials from different parts of the world.

6. My cousin is a carpenter, my friend is an electrician easier to work with people i know.

If you are technically inclined, can draw and design and have the passion i encourage you to design and coordinate the renovation work yourself. If you are not and rushing to move in, it is better to leave this to the professionals.

You need to form a good team of contractors for your project to be successful.

1. The tiler and plumber - must work together.

2. The electrician, false ceiling guy and aircon guy must work together.

3. Depending on whether if you have electrical points or switches on your carpentary stuff, the electrician and carpenter may have to work together. For example lighting in the wardrobe.

If you need advice, i can share my experience with you.

[gimz63251073 0]

From what I'm reading here is u r the main-con, the rest is sub-cons or sub-sub-cons....so whatever make the wrong move is your call, such as buying a cheap wrought iron gate, it rusted after awhile, then start to complain here and there. As u want to save cost here and there which is understandable, then u must also understand that cheap doesn't mean good quality of material and workmanship. It a give and take thingy, no such thing as pay for a cherry QQ but want Merc quality.

Please get the facts correct. I am a house owner like many here. Just because i coordinate some stuff myself, it does not make me a main con.

Talking about the cheap wrought iron gate, did u read further that i found a solution to it? And anyway, the reason for signing up for the wrought iron door was because of price and the good job they did for my in-laws previously. My in-laws did the same gate, but using different colour. But sadly, their standard dropped. So i sounded the alarm online to share on how to check the gate and how to cover up the rust. So whats with the complain here and there? U meant i went to CASE? Lol!

And if you think stuff installed by main con is problem free?

I have walls that cracked, shower door that creaks, etc. These are done and coordinated by the main con.

Please do not equate what contractors give to u as of superior quality. it can well be a poor quality at high price or medium quality at high price. Expensive and good quality need not always go hand in hand.

Please don't bring in branding.

In renovation stuff, many things are not differentiated by brands. And even if so, would we know the quality of the brands? There are so many brands for laminate flooring, so many different brands of cement, brick, etc etc... Countless. How would u know if a contractor is using lousy cement or lousy laminate?

Note: im not saying that my contractor did that in case u start making inferences again.

[Faithful P 0]

Wah.. this thread is pretty interesting..

Anyway, I also think that if you have a flair in proj management and technically inclined, good eye for details, resourceful..it's probably quite fulfilling to coordinate your own reno proj.. Also, you need a good team who can work well tgt.. like what Ah_beng pointed out.. those few combo teams are really essential.

I half coordinated my own reno with a few sub-con.. it was nuts to manage my own time and the sub-con's, very very time-consuming but fun and saves me some $$ at the end of the proj...

Good luck with your reno! = )

Edited July 18, 2011 by Faithful P

[arowana 2]

Yup this thread is interesting. Because doing more things through 1 main contractor ironically doesn't equate to more savings. It actually results in more areas where the main contractor can stuff 'more gravvy' for him to jiak you. And I think certain things can be done with direct sub-con, relatively problem free. Like Carpentry is a good example. Provided one has to use time and seat around and watch the carpentry build up the wood work sui sui for you without damaging your other property.

So there's pros and cons of using main con or direct sub-con.

[peter2k 0]

I am planing to renovate my 5room unit next months. It is so lucky to learn from your precious experience.

Just want to know what is reasonable price for below items

1. simple cornice per ft

2. restore a 3.4m wall

3. hack to build a new entrance door

4. concrete workspace for sink /stove per ft

any sub-contractor recommended?

Thanks all.