When you are thinking about building a new home, you want to ensure you select a trusted home builder or general contractor. Building a log home is a large investment and the process takes months, so you definitely want a builder and/or contractor who is on your side. How do you choose the right people to build your dream home? Gastineau Log Homes has comprehensive resources to assist you in this process. Would you be better off with a builder or a general contractor? Here are some things to consider to make sure you have the best people for the job.
Builder vs General Contractor
A log home builder usually handles the construction of a home including setting the foundation, framing, roofing, and erecting log home walls. Builders usually are not responsible for mechanical work such as heating and cooling units, electrical work or plumbing.
A general contractor oversees a team of subcontractors and is viewed as the “big picture” guy. In some cases, A general contractor is also the builder on your project and will use his own team and subcontractors for both construction and the mechanical work. This is useful especially in rural areas, where almost all builders are also general contractors to keep up their business. In metropolitan areas, this work is more commonly divided out between a general contractor who oversees the whole project and keeps a builder on task.
What criteria should I consider when choosing a general contractor?
A general contractor should have strong management skills to oversee the entire project and should have a good working relationship with talented subcontractors who are reliable. It is important to avoid delays and a revolving door of subcontractors to get the building of your log home done in a timely and cost-effective manner.
What are the key responsibilities of a general contractor?
You will want a turn-key contract from your general contractor clearly outlining the costs of the construction of your home. This contract should include details such as how often the contractor will be on site (daily or several times a week), the subcontractors to be hired, permits that need to be obtained, a construction schedule and timetable, how quality control will be managed on the construction site, and how everyone is paid.
As a log home manufacturer, GLH assists our customers in their search for a log home builder in two important ways:
- Providing them with the names and contact information of log home builders.
- Providing training and support for all log home builders, including those on our builder list and builders that our customers have found independently.
Make sure to check out our GLH builders list when it comes time to choose a builder for your new log home. Gastineau Log Homes has over 40 years of experience helping people realize their dream of building a log home. Contact us today and let’s explore your affordable log home dream together.
