Thank you to everyone for your well-thought out and helpful comments.
I am exploring both paths -- contacting more GC's and contacting licensed subs if I take the Owner-Builder path.
Owner-Builder:
I am retired and have the time to manage the various trades if I can get them on board for the job. My current electrician would prefer to work under a GC than for me as Owner-Builder; he gave me the names of two GC's to contact. An electrician whom I have used previously offered to schedule an appointment to bid on the electrical work, but they charge $75 for the assessment, and the quote would be good for only 30 days. Both of my plumbers gave me names of GC's to call.
GC's:
I have already met with over a dozen GC's in the past 10 months, but I feel like I am back to Square 1. I plan to meet with the two GC's whom my electrician recommended. Both have employees who work for them and both carry worker's compensation insurance for their employees.
Proposal #4: I called the GC who had dropped out 4 months ago to take on a bigger project. He gave me a quote of $25K for labor and rough materials (not counting the cost of the vanity). He offered to use his employees for some of the work (demolition, framing, finish carpentry). He is offering me a Project Management Contract, not a Home Improvement Contract. He says that he carries worker's comp ins but he has not provided the certificates to the CSLB.
The total cost for my bathroom remodel will be in the $75K to $100K range (depending on which GC or subs I hire); this includes my expenses for design, draftsman, City fees, finish materials, fabrication, tile-setting, and shower enclosure.
I am exploring both paths -- contacting more GC's and contacting licensed subs if I take the Owner-Builder path.
Owner-Builder:
I am retired and have the time to manage the various trades if I can get them on board for the job. My current electrician would prefer to work under a GC than for me as Owner-Builder; he gave me the names of two GC's to contact. An electrician whom I have used previously offered to schedule an appointment to bid on the electrical work, but they charge $75 for the assessment, and the quote would be good for only 30 days. Both of my plumbers gave me names of GC's to call.
GC's:
I have already met with over a dozen GC's in the past 10 months, but I feel like I am back to Square 1. I plan to meet with the two GC's whom my electrician recommended. Both have employees who work for them and both carry worker's compensation insurance for their employees.
Proposal #4: I called the GC who had dropped out 4 months ago to take on a bigger project. He gave me a quote of $25K for labor and rough materials (not counting the cost of the vanity). He offered to use his employees for some of the work (demolition, framing, finish carpentry). He is offering me a Project Management Contract, not a Home Improvement Contract. He says that he carries worker's comp ins but he has not provided the certificates to the CSLB.
The total cost for my bathroom remodel will be in the $75K to $100K range (depending on which GC or subs I hire); this includes my expenses for design, draftsman, City fees, finish materials, fabrication, tile-setting, and shower enclosure.
Statistics: Posted by RetiredCSProf — Thu Oct 30, 2025 9:57 pm — Replies 6 — Views 773