5 questions You need to ask Yourself before even considering acting as Your own General Contractor and or becoming an Owner/Builder.

There is a ton of information out there about how to be your own general contractor, luring you into the idea usually with a price attached. The $29.95 be your own General Contractor and save thousands electronic book.

Hey, I don't blame you in the least. Contractors have overhead and need to make a profit so they mark everything up from between 10 and 15 percent...don't they? On a $200,000 house that's $20,000 at least and that's nothing to sneeze at but, are you going to actually save that? In some cases you will but just like any other business with a world of variables, you may end up paying more than if you'd hired a contractor to build the house and hand you the keys. Plus contractors have learned how to handle all the stress of getting the job done in good time and within a set budget.

I'll close this introduction and get on with the questions by adding that planning is everything. A good plan and good planning can save you money. How to arrive at that point where everything is on the table and no stone is left un-turned takes experience and cannot be learned totally from a 30 dollar book.

Questions to ask yourself.

1. Do I have a set budget and my finances in place? Decide on a set amount that you have to spend on your project even before you get your plans drawn. Let your budget carry the project and remember that 90% of the time a project ends up being underestimated because the budget wasn't allowed to govern the project. There is one person out there that can help you determine whether your budget is high enough to get your project done and can even go over your plans to make sure nothing is left out by the architect.

2. Do I have a final plan and specifications that leave nothing to chance? This includes a site plan spelling out where your utilities are located, where they will enter your house and where they will be terminated inside the house. For example do you know exactly where you want your electrical panel located even before you put your project out for bid? Make all your decisions on fixtures and materials ahead of time. What you need is a good checklist to make sure you don't forget something.

3. Do I have the time to spend over-seeing my project? Don't get drawn into believing that running a construction project is easy. Just making sure everything is coordinated and getting all the subcontractors there to get the work done is a full time job. Can you afford to take the time away from your family?

4. Am I a natural leader that knows how to get the most out of people without rubbing them the wrong way? The best way to deal with people is from a position of respect. Make the contractor feel that you value his expertise and give him the responsibility of getting the job done. For under a hundred dollars, you can utilize the services of people that can save you thousands.

5. Am I knowledgeable enough about building systems to be able to make decisions when questions come up? Sub-trades always have questions and answers are needed on the spot not a day later. A list of the top 20 most asked questions on a building site is a must have.

So there we have the 5 questions and some answers. If you are considering a building or renovating project, look for Mark on the web.

Mark Saville is the owner of http://www.buildwithmark.com a documentation of over 30 years in the building and remodelling business. On his website he answers questions asked by most home-owners when they are considering a building project of any kind.