When it comes to making something out of nothing, the road is often strewn with numerous trials, attempts and failures, as well as numerous unpredictable hurdles along the way.
So, it’s mostly suffering and hard work until eventually you get to success. And it’s at the end that you realize that every of your efforts was worth it.
It’s not a walk in the park – organizing your own project and making it work! This is why it’s interesting and rewarding. For example, if you’re building a treehouse, you’ll catch yourself saying:
‘Well, I did spend twenty percent more over my budget than I hoped for, two of my team members have broken legs due to nasty falls, and birds may have defecated on us profusely, but goddamn it – it’s alive!’ – (Meaning the treehouse is alive. It’s, ehm … erect, it’s standing.)
In this article, we’re going to give you some tips you can follow to ensure your self-build project runs and completes a success. As you will see, it’s mostly about fixing your perspective and doing a bit of ‘homework’ here and there.
Right then, here’s the lot, folks.
4 Tips for Self-Build Project Success
1) Come up With a Budget
The desperate and very much unfruitful practice of throwing money at a problem might be a tempting prospect for a young and well-off project manager, but you must resist the urges!
Spending more money to quickly buy new materials because the original shipment is late, or making last minute changes to your plans represent matters that can easily chip away at your budget, while not getting you any closer to the completion of your goal.
To prevent this disastrous turn of events, establish a budget and stick to it no matter what. Only allow yourself to change some aspects of it in case there’s been a flood in the meantime or something.
2) Make Sure You’ve Got a Tough Team
Nothing can dampen the prospects of finishing a project successfully as having a clueless bunch of people as your team members.
Remember, inviting some friends to help you out with whatever it is you’re doing can be great idea, but what you do have to take into consideration is that your friends aren’t, well – mental.
It’s better to hire a team of professionals who will do a job well than having to deal with dawdlers and other lazy folk!
3) Check the Prices of Everything (Haggle if Needed)
Say you’ve hired a team of builders to help you remodel your backyard.
Their boss may come up with a list of entries all of which standing at a certain price. So, imagine garden gnomes, a new shack, new blades of grass, a new swimming pool – all amounting to a certain amount of money you’ll have to foot!
Now, no matter how trustworthy your team is, it’s always better to check the prices of everything yourself. Perhaps your team leader has missed a better deal on that garden gnome set!
4) Visit the Building Site As Soon As You Can
Once you’ve gathered around you a mighty team and everything’s going according to the plan, you may start playing around with the idea of leaving the workers to get the rest of the project completed on their own.
This is a mistake.
Always be present at your project, even if you’re just watching. Consider yourself a general in the battlefield – the troops’ morale will soar with you present!
Also, the fact that you’re present means you can check if your team is doing their job at a desirable pace, if they’re having any problems with your pets, have they preserved your furniture, the appliances, and the fire duct (like these), and if they’re satisfied with their earnings.
All in all, organizing and executing your own project can be tough and frustrating, but incredibly rewarding if your soldier through some of its less enjoyable parts! As long as you’re willing to learn and roll up your sleeves, success is guaranteed.
