acting as lead contractor for shop construction Cancel The title field is required!

1. Calder Norley S

   
   12/7/2012 8:12 PM

   Has anybody acted as the head contractor when building their maintenance facility. If so would you do it again? What were the major pitfalls and positives? Or maybe those that had a contractor was it worth the money?

   
   
   
   
2. Andy Jorgensen

   

   1 posts
   
   12/7/2012 8:12 PM

   Sort of.
   
   Although we weren't the General Contractor on the job, we did most of the work and scheduling of subs. We used a member that was a General Contractor to do the leg work with design, engineering and permitting in trade for a 10 year membership. Once we had permits in place, my staff took over. Anywhere and everywhere we could help, we did. We did all site prep, foundation and slab in house. We also finished out the office and break room areas once the framers and sheetrock guys finished up. All scheduling was done by myself. The Contractor assisted as needed. We ended up moving in about three weeks behind schedule, but about $40,000 under budget.
   
   But, I can tell you this is not a project for the faint of heart. We were doing this in the middle of summer while still maintaining a 27 hole facility. The stress level of juggling both tasks eventually led me to look for another position. The timing was out of my hands, unfortunately, or else I would had started in November rather than May. In the end I finished the job to spec, and it led to a very nice shop considering what the previous one was consisted of.

   
   
   
   
3. Jeffrey Whitmire

   

   0 posts
   
   12/8/2012 5:12 AM

   We built our facility 5 years ago. I would not recommend that you act as a general contractor unless you have prior experience. I would suggest that you talk with at least 3 (preferably more) contractors.
   
   I was fortunate that I had a lot of influence on the choice of contractor. He made my life easy and gave us a wonderful building that came in on-time and well within our budget. A good contractor, like a good superintendent, will easily pay for himself.

   
   
   
   
4. Steven Huffstutler

   

   11 posts
   
   12/8/2012 4:12 PM

   I've done it on a course rebuild and I will never do it again. We are building a new maintenance facility next year and I refused to be the general contractor. Hire a GC you'll be glad you did.
   
   Regards, Steve

   
   
   
   
5. Keith Pegg

   

   0 posts
   
   12/8/2012 4:12 PM

   Over see but don't be the contractor. Build a green a tee a fairway but a building is out of our normal JD.
   
   Keith

   
   
   
   
6. James Smith

   

   113 posts
   
   12/9/2012 6:12 AM

   I agree with using a contractor. While it is our clubhouse and not a new Maintenance facility we are currently under renovations of our clubhouse due to hurricane Isaac. We are a very low budget course and have been fighting the insurance company.
   Due to our building being 50 years old it needed a lot of upgrades and issues fixed. I have been pushed into the construction side of the building in which we are removing 50 year old windows and replacing only a portion of them. we are adding new walls to make bigger storage areas as well as increasing the size of the kitchen by 80%. Our main office is also being added onto in one area and made smaller in another. There are no blue prints and no contractors at this point just a couple of board members making decisions on the fly and letting me know what needs done. We brought in a framer to help with shoring up some sagging beams and adding the walls. We brought in a friend that does sheetrock to float the new sheetrock we are installing and all of the electrical, plumbing and network has been left to me. While not a license electrician (not required in our parish) I know a lot about it and have been doing it for the club for the last 17 years. While this is not the way to do a project such as this it is the only way we can afford to get it back together. At least my experience is keeping everything up to code and being done the right way. There are no shortcuts when doing this type of work. You have to have someone that knows the business or you are in for a bad job. Contractors are great but you still need someone to make sure they do not cut corners. This last week alone I have put in 82 hours working inside the club. We have a very long way to go though and it seems that new plans are made daily on the work in other areas of the club. I take it all in stride because I know we do not have the funds to pay a complete crew to do all of the work. Since I have been the person that has to fix anything that breaks in the clubhouse I am also taking it on to get it right to cut down on repairs I may have to make it the future.
   I have to do all of this and still manage the course at the same time.
   
   Do you really want to be responsible for the project? hire a contractor and you oversee the project.
   
   Tips, the internet is loaded with information on what has to be done. do your research so you can make sure the contractors are doing it right and up to spec. Do not allow them to take short cuts. Bring your Equipment tech into the fold and get advice from his point of view on what can make his job easier. Lifts are great as well as a hoist and trolley system for lifting heavy reels to the counters. Believe me you will have plenty to do on the project without having to be the contractor on the whole job.
   Try posting questions on the shop talk forum for ideas that will make your new shop run more smoothly.

   
   
   
   
7. Calder Norley S

   
   12/11/2012 4:12 PM

   Thanks for the answers, It helps my decision.