The Pros and Cons of Being Your Own General Contractor

About this episode

This episode discusses the pros and cons of being your own general contractor for home renovations.

This Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) Podcast episode focuses on the pros and cons of serving as your own general contractor when embarking on home renovations or other residential projects. David Burch, DPS residential inspections manager, and DPS Division Chief Gail Lucas, who hosts the podcast, discuss the risks and rewards of doing it yourself. Their conversation covers what homeowners should know before taking on the responsibility of managing a project, and why ...

People in this episode

Host: Gail Lucas

Guest: David Burch

Topics covered

• general contractor
• home renovations
• residential projects
• risks and rewards
• project management

Keywords

• general contractor
• home renovations
• residential projects
• DPS
• project management

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services

More episodes of Permitting Services Podcast

• Building the Future: Construction Trades and the Next Generation · May 22, 2026 · 27 min
• Permitting 101: Understanding the Basics · May 6, 2026 · 13 min
• Decks, Patios, and Outdoor Projects · April 15, 2026 · 16 min
• Fire Code Compliance Permits: What's Changed and Why It Matters · January 14, 2026 · 23 min
• DPS Drone Modernizes Inspections · December 4, 2025 · 14 min
• Residential Demolition Permits · October 31, 2025 · 17 min