General contractors are more than just pros who turn up their nose at DIY. Many will explain what they're doing to any customer who wants to ask and learn. Unfortunately, many quickly turn to find a way out of it because of their steep cost.

Whether you’re considering flipping real estate for sale in Whistler, or you're building a treehouse in the backyard for your kids: sometimes it's a good idea to hire a general contractor. Here are the top times they can use and why you should consider hiring one when these situations come up.

You’ve Never Done Construction Before

No matter how many YouTube videos you watch or how much you try to convince yourself you can handle when watching HGTV: if you've never done construction before, you should let a pro show you how it's done.

Doing things yourself is empowering and can leave you feeling like you put your fingerprints on a property and made it your own, but it's not worth it if you don't know what you're doing.

Construction mistakes can be expensive, ruining copper piping, or possibly causing a poorly made roof to collapse. It can also put peoples' lives at risk.

Some day you may be able to complete a project on your own, but it's a good idea to hire a pro when you're starting.

The Project Is Extremely Time Intensive


As much as some property developers try to convince buyers how simple it is to put up a house in a month or less: if you're doing it yourself, it can take six months to a year at the very least. This is a lot of time that most people can't afford to take off work, or that would suck away what little time off work they have.

A general contractor working for you would be able to make headway and quickly work through whatever projects you need. You can still do some things on-site, as long as you tell your contractor ahead of time that you want to complete them: but this will take a lot of work off your hands.

You Have None of The Tools or Supplies Needed

If you're considering avoiding hiring a general contractor because of the cost but don't have any of the tools or supplies necessary for your project: you're going to be paying an arm and a leg for them. Even if you rent them, or you pay to use a shared woodworking space that's available in most cities, the cost will add up, and you'll get sick of having to pay to use these tools.

A general contractor will, of course, own everything necessary to get your project going, and all you’ll have to do is pay the regular fees.

You Don't Know Where To Start With Licensing and Permits.

Building on any property has needs. Whether you have to convince your HOA it's a good idea, or you have to fight off zoning licensing and permits, it's an overwhelming amount of information to take on. A general contractor has been looking at this type of paperwork every day of this job and uses their expertise to understand the process better.