When to seek General Contractor or Sub Contract out yourself

Question

So when do you guys seek out a general contractor to do all the work on a property you are rehabbing and when do you prefer to contract out each job individually? I'm sure MAJOR rehabs will benefit from having a GC who can go in and complete the demo and sub contract out all the work to be done. But let's say you need flooring ripped up and replaced, cabinets and countertops refinished, new paint throughout, new paint on exterior, new doors and windows, and tile; do many of you go about hiring painter, window/door install, floor install, etc. individually? It seems much easier to find talented laborers to do each task at a decent price than to find that one GC that can get it all done.

Shawn Ward · Answer

@Shawn DiMartile your best bet is to post on Craigslist. That's where I find all of my sub contractors. Get referrals and images of their work.

Shawn DiMartile · Answer

@Nicole Pettis that makes total sense. Any work where I'm going to need permits pulled (busting down walls to add bedrooms/bathrooms) I'll go seeking a GC.

Michael Noto · Answer

In our area typically the margins are not there to hire a GC to manage a flip so we have taught ourselves over the years to GC our own projects. At this point with the experience we have there are very few GCs I would trust with managing a project for us.

Nicole Pettis · Answer

@Shawn DiMartile usually a general contractor is licensed, which means they can pull permits for the job. Most municipalities want permits pulled if taking out walls or doing any kind of major renovations. However if its a small job that you can manage yourself, then, yes it makes more sense to hire out individuals for each project.