Renovation with lots of trades — do I need a main contractor, or can I coordinate it myself?
My renovation involves several trades (demolition, plumbing, electrics, gypsum, tiling, joinery, painting) and I'm torn between hiring one main contractor to run it all vs hiring trades directly and coordinating them myself to save the markup.
- What does the coordination actually involve?
- What goes wrong when trades aren't coordinated?
- When is self-managing realistic?
Trying to decide how to run the project (beyond the trade order/sequence itself). Which way?
3 answers
Short answer: a MAIN CONTRACTOR charges a markup but EARNS it by taking on the coordination — sequencing the trades in the right order, making sure each is ready for the next, handling the handoffs and clashes, chasing/managing quality, being the single point of accountability, and handling approvals/access. Self-managing (hiring trades direct) can save that markup, but only if YOU can genuinely do the coordination — availability on site, knowing the correct sequence, chasing trades who don't turn up, resolving clashes (the tiler needs the waterproofing done and tested; the painter needs the gypsum finished), and carrying the risk when something's not ready or goes wrong. For a multi-trade renovation, most people are better with a main contractor (or at least a project manager) unless it's small, they're experienced, and they have the time; self-managing a big job to save the markup often costs more in delays, clashes and rework.
What coordination actually involves: - Sequencing the trades correctly (demolition -> first-fix plumbing/electrics -> waterproofing/tanking + test -> gypsum -> tiling -> joinery/kitchen -> painting -> second-fix -> snagging) and making sure each trade is ready for the next. - Managing handoffs and clashes — the classic failures happen at the boundaries (tiler arrives but waterproofing isn't tested; painter needs gypsum finished; sockets end up behind a cabinet). - Scheduling + chasing trades to turn up in the right order (no-shows cascade delays). - Quality control + snagging, materials/deliveries, access/approvals/NOC, and being the single point of accountability when something's wrong.
What goes wrong uncoordinated: - Trades clashing / out of sequence (rework, e.g. chasing walls after tiling), no-shows stalling everything, finger-pointing between trades, and you absorbing every delay and mistake with no one accountable.
Main contractor vs self-manage: - Main contractor: pays for itself in coordination, sequencing, accountability and fewer clashes — worth it for a multi-trade job, especially if you can't be on site daily. The markup buys you a project run properly and one throat to choke. - Self-manage (trades direct): can save the markup IF you have the time, availability, knowledge of the sequence, and appetite for the risk — realistic for a small/single-trade job or an experienced, available owner. On a big multi-trade reno it often costs more in delays and rework than the markup you saved. - Middle ground: hire a project manager to coordinate direct-hired trades.
Common mistake: self-managing a full multi-trade renovation to save the markup, then losing far more to clashes, delays, no-shows and rework — with no single party accountable. For a multi-trade job, a fit-out contractor or project manager to coordinate the trades usually pays for itself. Anyone self-managed a big reno — did the saving survive the chaos?
Self-managed a fairly big one to "save the markup" and honestly wouldn't again — the coordination is a full-time job, and the delays from a no-show plumber pushing the tiler pushing the painter ate any saving. The clashes at the handoffs are the killer: someone tiled before the waterproofing was signed off on one bit and it had to come up. A main contractor's markup buys you sequencing, chasing and one accountable party. For a single trade or a small job, direct-hire is fine. For a full multi-trade reno, unless you can be on site daily and know the order cold, get a contractor or a PM.
The accountability point is the real value — with a main contractor, when something's wrong there's ONE person responsible; self-managing, every trade blames the one before and you own the mess. I use a main contractor for anything multi-trade and reserve direct-hiring for single, simple jobs. The markup feels like a cost until you price in your time, the delays, and the rework from clashes. If you're set on saving it, at least get a project manager to run the trades. Coordinating demolition-to-snagging across six trades is not a spare-time hobby; it's a job.
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