General contractor vs. own management in Budapest: which is better?

Many people think: if they manage the renovation themselves — hiring electrician, tiler, and painter separately — they'll save the general contractor's fee. This is true and not true at the same time. Let's calculate what each approach actually costs.

Hidden costs of self-management

A general contractor's fee is typically 15–25% above materials cost. Sounds like a lot upfront. But consider what you don't account for when managing yourself:

Coordination time: An average renovation involves at least 40–60 phone calls, 20–30 site visits, and constant decision-making. If you have a full-time job, this is a serious burden.

Delays and cascading problems: If the plumber is late, the tiler can't start — and your days off are wasted. A general contractor handles this.

Higher material costs: Contractors buy in volume and get discounts. Individual buyers always pay list price.

Liability: When something goes wrong in self-managed projects, every subcontractor points at the others. A general contractor is your single point of responsibility.

When to choose self-management

If you have industry experience, time to coordinate, and it's a simple project (e.g. just painting and flooring). In this case you can genuinely save.

When to choose a general contractor

Full apartment renovations, commercial projects, Airbnb renovations where time is money, or if you're managing from abroad. At ConSol we have clients who don't see the apartment until they receive the keys — impossible without a general contractor.