Is it worth getting a project manager? Minor house refurb

[themummyway]

Hoping to extend my house to allow for:

• A larger kitchen/dining area
• A larger downstairs loo (currently just a loo, but I want a shower in there too)

I'm not particularly renovation savvy and wondered if it was worth hiring a project manager to see the process through from start to end.
Anyone got experience or tips?

Just get a decent builder! Get recommendations!

I should add

1. The house already has an extension on it and I want to extend further so need to chat to neighbours/go through the council etc.

2. It's an old house and having gone through paperwork from the sale (which was a while back), there wasn't much about structures - I think a survey may be needed....

You are going to need someone who can draw plans for the Council application. Architect maybe or a structural engineer.

Not sure you can use her drawings for extending, but OnePlan on Houzz is great at regiging and planning spaces and fitted elements etc

Go find an architect. They'll draw up plans, recommend a builder and then they'll sort all the project management for you.

How flexible is your job? For making calls and meeting the builder you will need a bit of flexibility. So if you work an a shop or a hospital and are not able to access your phone for example. You will struggle a bit more. As often things come up which need immediate decision or go wrong. So a pm would come in useful for this. Often deliveries areade incomplete or wrong and you want to be there to check it off before they install the wrong kitchen or something! A pm could do this too. So just think about whether you have this time and flexibility.

In my experience it can take up a lot of time to project manage. But if you get a good builder this will reduce the time and effort needed either by you or your pm.

@Oknobutok Any decent builder will do all the pm work. They resent another layer of interference to the client so a separate pm role is a needless cost

@Loofah01

OK but I'm not op so not particularly invested in whether they have a pm or not so a bit odd to @ me your different opinion?!

In my experience they resent being held to account and kept to their word by a pm. Rwhich they see as interference.

My builder did the project managing for me op. He runs a 'design and build' service, which we found very easy to use and a large build (which obviously required drawings, planning permission etc) was completed without hassle.

@longearedbat

My builder did the project managing for me op. He runs a 'design and build' service, which we found very easy to use and a large build (which obviously required drawings, planning permission etc) was completed without hassle.

Did you find that that was a cheaper way to do the deal?

I'm looking at Design & Build companies but don't want to get ripped off...

We used a design and build firm - they did a really good job. Project managers are useful if you hire each trade independently e.g. Builders, plumber, electrician etc. If you are going to an all in one company you won't need a project manager.