Hiring a GC vs acting as GC for renovations

[Justin Eaton]

So far i have completed 8 flips, 5 of which are sold, 3 of which are currently listed for sale, and 1 new flip currently under renovation. For the first 8 houses, i ran the jobs as the general contractor during the renovations while working full time. I have a fair amount of freedom for my full time job so i was able to run around to the job sites to during previous renovations and manage the individual trade contractors and keep things running smooth. 

For my most recent flip which is currently being renovated, i decided to hire a GC to run the job. The renovation is only about 20% complete, so far it has been on track and i am happy with the GC that i have chosen. (I have used this GC in the past for carpentry/tile work)

My question to you guys is, which method do you prefer? Is it worth the money that you save by running the jobs yourself and not paying a GC? Or is it more worth your time to hire a GC? 

Would love to hear some experiences that you guys have had in both situations as well. 

Justin! 

[Mike Harding]

I prefer to spend a bit more and hire a GC.  I have done enough deals with current GC that I can be pretty much completely hands off.  We have discussed color schemes, fixtures,where to get appliances, how I like tile to be laid, ect...  We walk the property once at the start of the job and for small flips I don't come back till it is done.  Bigger projects I check on every other week. I figure pay roughly 20% more than if I were to manage the project.  Having several going at once this is clearly the only option for me, even I got back down to one at a time I think I would still hire my current GC.  It can be some work finding a good GC that is reliable, fast, and a fair price; but it is well worth it.