In this edition of “Monday’s with Matt”, we discuss whether it’s better to do a project yourself or to hire a contractor. In the end it all comes down to if you have the time as well as the expertise among your team to take on the project.
Matt advised a few tips for courses looking to take on new projects.
- If you’re planning to make a big change like adding or redoing a green, make sure that you’ve planned ahead to make sure that the job can be done on time, completed within your budget and that you have the proper tools and workers that can complete the project efficiently.
- Do good time cost studies because renting equipment gets expensive, especially if you don’t have someone proficient with the machinery. While your crew might be eager to take on the task, make sure they have the skills required to make it happen in a timely manner.
- Make sure you know the expectations of the members and be upfront about the budget and time your team needs to do the project properly.
Matt advised that if you or anyone on your maintenance crew haven’t taken on a big project like constructing a green before, hiring a contractor is likely the better option. Matt gave some great tips for clubs looking to hire a contractor.
- If you’re looking to save money, go to the contractor and say that your organization will buy all the materials, since contractors often put a markup on materials.
- Go to the contractor and offer up your maintenance crew to do as much prep and clean up work as possible, leaving just the technical skills to the contractor.
Most importantly, Matt stresses that at the end of the day, you just want to make sure that it works. Nothing is worse than wasting your time and resources and then having to redo the project a year later.
