Pitfalls of Owner Supplied Materials

Many owners believe that they are saving money by supplying materials to a design or construction firm, and then only paying for the installation labor and materials. However, this is a very myopic and narrow view of the entire "what can go wrong" scenario.

Material Warranty
First of all let's get something straight right now... there ISN'T ONE! Nada, bumpkiss, zero, ziltch, squat...

Since the installer was was not the specifier, they are not responsible for any of the myriad of failures that occur with materials. When there are material failures, the homeowner is not going to say, "golly gee, the deal on that cheap material wasn't such a great deal afterall." I have consulted in many of these situations, and the homeowner response is very predictable. IT ALWAYS IS "they must have done something wrong during the installation to cause this..."

Because the homeowner is not an expert in construction materials or the particular application where they are to be used, they do not know the particular questions to ask when sourcing materials. Just because the vendor says "it's fine for that use," does not mean that it is! Just because you saw the same (or a similar looking material) used for a particular purpose, does not mean that it is! Just because you saw a material that looks just like it (used this way), does not mean that it is (the same material)!

Sourcing materials is a science in and of itself. Below is a short list of things to consider (and not even close to being inclusive of all of my selection criteria):
Freeze/Thaw Climate
Material composition (chemical make-up)
Reactivity of the material with the environment (snow, rain, swimming pool chemicals, wind, sun, heat)
Material Offcast (will the material bleed minerals or decay when subject to the environmental influences - above)
Hardness (is the material hard enough & durable enough for the purpose)
Porosity & Stain Resistance (will it resist staining from common materials)
Heat Retention (important in the dessert/tropical areas)
Slip Resistance (polished materials are not always the slipperiest!)
Available Finishes
Component Sizes & Thicknesses
Workability (how hard is it to fabricate & install)
Installation Specifications (does the supplier provide them?)
Who's going to create the mock-ups?

So, do you really still want to source your own materials to save some money on the specifier/installer mark-up?

Installation Warranty
The only warranty provided for the installation of any owner's supplied materials, is that they won't come loose or fall off (unless the material falls apart). PERIOD.

So, do you really still want to source your own materials to save some money on the specifier/installer mark-up?

Repairing Material Failures
Guess what - any cost associated with any of these repairs is the homeowners responsibility also! Most homeowners are so embarrassed that they were "penny wise & pound foolish," they will argue to the death about reimbursing the installer for these related repairs. Most installers will require payment in advance for these type of repairs (to the maximum allowable legal limits).

No one wants to perform any repairs to someone else's substandard materials, to get shafted for the payment after making corrections - and it happens all the time. It's one of the oldest homeowners scams in the book...

This is the largest cause of litigation in the area of construction warranties and workmanship. So put it all in writing- any repair or modifications to ANY owner supplied materials will be performed on a predefined "time and materials" basis - and don't forget the contractor is entitled to include profit in these rates too [because they're there - they're not working somewhere else making a profit (it's called "opportunity cost")]. Pay the contractor at the end of EVERY day, for the repair work that they performed.... it limits everyone's exposure!

So, do you really still want to source your own materials to save some money on the specifier/installer mark-up?

Installation Specifications
Does the vendor of the materials provide DETAILED installation instructions and specifications for any setting/finish materials? If they do not provide such details, then who is going to research & specify the methods and materials to be used? If those methods fail, then who is going to be responsible? Will the manufacturer or vendor approve the use of the material for the intended purpose (e.g. submerged underwater, subject to the high temperature steam in a steam bath, exposed to temperature variables or direct sunlight, etc.)?

There are standards for establishing the proper substrate (backing surface) and rigidity for the installation of almost every type of stone or tile imaginable. There are specifications that cover masonry walls, wooden floors, concrete floors, building facades, sheetrock walls, counter tops, and so on.

What about crack control, uncoupling, and waterproofing membranes? What about movement joints & their placement?

So, do you really still want to source your own materials to save some money on the specifier/installer mark-up?

Installation & Setting Materials
Not all setting materials and methods are the same. In the days of old, masons & tile setters used to "site mix" various home brews of setting materials. A little of this, a little of that, etc....

With the high cost of labor & finish materials, there is just too much liability involved to install things that way. If the concrete cracks or the walls settles, what will prevent those cracks from migrating through the finish veneer?

Yet the available "homeowners grade" setting materials at most warehouse home improvement stores are not the best available. They might be from the same vendor or manufacturer the pros use, but almost every manufacturers reserves a few higher end product lines exclusively for the professional's use. This is usually due to the idiosyncrasies of these products and the additional skills required to install them: reading instructions, working quickly & effectively, installing them properly, and using them for the correct application.

The density of a material is very important when selecting an attachment method on a vertical or overhead area. A slab of granite or veneered wall of stone falling onto someone will ruin their day.

Are expensive specialized stone epoxies or mechanical clip systems to be utilized? Who shall perform the sheer testing or provide the standards?

Does the manufacturer of the setting materials offer a warranty on their products? Some offer a warranty if you stay with a "single source" vendor throughout the project. This is a great idea, as it also ensures product compatibility - that the setting material from one vendor does not degrade a component from another. Add to the confusion multiple vendors pointing their "blame fingers" at each other if there are any issues.

So, do you really still want to source your own materials to save some money on the specifier/installer mark-up?

If the designer or contractor specifies and provides ALL of the finish materials, setting materials, and labor - then guess what?

They assume the responsibility for any failures with the material and or the installation (unless there are manufacturing defects - like those that occur in the manufacturing of glass mosaic tiles that contain recycled materials).

So, do you really still want to source your own materials to save some money on the specifier/installer mark-up?


Paolo Benedetti - Aquatic Artist"Creating water as art."™Aquatic Technology Pool & Spa©www.aquatictechnology.com