Owner Builders: Any regrets?

[kevinskii]

We're planning on starting construction on an in-ground SWG pool in southern CA within the next month or two. I'll start a construction thread once details are finalized. TPF has been an invaluable resource, and after doing a lot of research on here we're thinking of going the "owner builder" route. I have no construction background but I'm a fairly competent DIY-er, and my wife and I have a pretty flexible schedule. At least one of us will be able to be onsite for every major part of the job.

The threads on the topic are almost universally positive, with folks saying it was a lot easier than they thought it would be. I haven't been able to find any stories of owner builds gone wrong. This makes me wonder:

1. If anyone regrets doing an owner build, and
2. If it really saves enough money to be worth the hassle. I know pool builders take a big cut, but I'd think they can also get lower subcontractor bids than a one-job joe schmoe homeowner.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Newdude]

Like anything else there are plusses and minuses. I did PB, but in the last 7 years the internet has exploded and there is so much more information available. I had google and youtube still, but mere fractions of today. I would be completely confident taking it on now. Typically even if you pay a higher rate as a one job schmo, you'll still be paying less than the PB markup. Which will either save your bank account or allow you to do much more for the same amount. Most of us stopped upgrading when we reached our financial limit, not because we were out of ideas. It was nice to sip lemonade and watch all the crews work on my pool, but it definitely cost me for that ability. And then some people have such a bad PB experience that they end up being a defacto GC for the job anyway, with no savings. Good luck either way and keep us posted.

 

[kevinskii]

Just in case someone stumbles across this old thread while looking for answers to the same question, I wanted to give a quick update. We decided NOT to go the owner-builder route. Currently we're in the shotcrete phase of our new build, and along the way there have been lots of routine but unanticipated obstacles that have made us grateful to have the guidance of a professional. I think we could have pulled it off ourselves, but it would have been an all-consuming job and it probably would have taken months longer.

Is this to say that going the OB route is a bad idea? No! If you have a general contracting background, or if you have been through a build already, or even if you have a lot of free time, then I think it makes sense.

 

[Newdude]

With much less instant info out there 7 years ago i wouldn’t have dreamt of trying myself. When I watched it all being built I was half mad at myself for how much I could have handled it..... but boy oh boy was that lemonade I was drinking while *watching* them delicious.

 

[Yev]

Here is one fear with DIY. If you start and get to a point where you are stuck. What do you do? Most contractors dont want to touch someone elses work for liability/warranty reasons.

 

[Newdude]

Here is one fear with DIY. If you start and get to a point where you are stuck. What do you do? Most contractors dont want to touch someone elses work for liability/warranty reasons.

Timing would be a big issue in that case also. While it would be harder and probably costlier to find someone to take over, they certainly wouldn’t be available anytime soon.

 

[js80]

1. If it really saves enough money to be worth the hassle. I know pool builders take a big cut, but I'd think they can also get lower subcontractor bids than a one-job joe schmoe homeowner.

Thanks everyone!

Owner Builder here We saved about 60-70k. That being said we did everything ourselves though, from plumbing the pool, putting the shell in the ground (with the help of a few friends) to concreting and tiling. Apart from needing a plumber to connect the gas for the heater the rest was me giving it a go.
Was it worth the hassle?? Absolutely! but I think that answer is subjective to ones experience.
The hardest part (by far) was getting the building permit; if there's ever a stage you ask yourself what was i thinking? it's this one!
The end result was definitely rewarding.