Hey Guys!

First off, thanks for reading this. I am very inexperienced but am absorbing as much material as I can.

To begin, I am finishing my parents basement. I am essentially going to be acting as a general contractor for this job.

I wanted to get you guys suggestions and any advice concerning this process.
My plan was to:

1. contact my building department
2. Plan/Design the space
3. Start contacting the subs
4. Get the permites
5. Make sure no moisture problems
6. Frame the rooms
7. Rough-in /Insulation
8. Walls
9. Finishing touches/Electrical

Does that plan sound okay?
I wanted to add a tub and bathroom as well, so this is the list of subcontractors I was thinking i'll need.

1. Flooring sub
2. Drywall sub
3. Plumbing (for tub and bathroom hookup)
4. Electrical
5. Possible Trimwork guy?

I don't think I'll need a HVAC guy because all the ductwork and stuff is already roughed-in.

What do you guys think?

This is my first big project and I intend to start doing this as a job so I want to make sure I plan everything out to the fullest.

Thanks!

Additionally, I have no experience when it comes to scheduling for a project or anything.

Is there anything in particular I need to know?

I'm still trying to decide whether I need to build a subfloor or not, I'm going to price it out and see how economical it is.

Plan first, then contact building department, and expect a lot of comments if you don't know the building code. Some usual basement issues are (a) ceiling height (b) natural light and ventilation and (c) emergency ingress and egress openings, all those in the finished space. It might pay to get yourself a copy of the building code that applies there; it's probably between $60 and $80. When you get all that sorted out, THEN contact subcontractors.

The subfloor issue may depend on the ceiling height; it's possible you can't afford the inches.

Hey Richard,

Thanks a lot for the advice. The house is fairly new and the basement is already framed. I'm going to pick up a copy building code and familiarize myself with it.

How long can I expect this project to take?

Because you are new and unknown as a general contractor, you will find that subs may not give you priority, so it's hard to say how long it will take. It could be anywhere from two weeks to three months. Good luck!

One more question, I've read in a couple of different publications that using yellow pages type of deals is no good.

Does this apply to the Kelly Blue Book?

Also, what are you guys different methods for finding good carpenters?