“You build the structural shell, and I’ll handle the rest?” It’s a question I’m asked often. Both are possible — but they don’t commit you in the same way at all. Here’s how to see it clearly.
The structural shell alone
The structural shell is the skeleton of your home: foundations, columns, slabs, walls, staircases — the concrete and steel structure. It’s impressive, it’s solid, and it’s often what comes to mind when you think of “construction.”
Contracting out only the structural shell is possible. But it means that afterwards, you take back control: you’re the one finding, coordinating, and overseeing the electrician, the plumber, the drywaller, the tiler, the facade specialist…
The real trap: coordination
This is where many projects get complicated. Often, the problem doesn’t come from a single tradesperson, but from the lack of coordination between all of them. You bring in an electrician from one side, a plumber from another, a drywaller from somewhere else… and there you are, the conductor of the orchestra, without any experience of it. Trouble comes quickly: delays, rework, conflicts between trades, blurred responsibilities. When something goes wrong, everyone passes the buck — and you’re the one who pays.
Turnkey: peace of mind
Honestly? I’d recommend turnkey. If you’re looking for peace of mind, it’s the best way to go: you don’t find yourself alone facing the problems of the site, or the communication between the different trades. We take care of everything, and you keep your mind at ease.
The ideal is to have only one main point of contact — capable of monitoring, coordinating, controlling, and taking ownership. And if the company that built your structural shell carries on with the finishing works, that’s often an advantage: it already knows the site, the plans, the embedded provisions, the sensitive points.
How we do it at WALL
With us, the structural shell AND the finishing works are carried out by our own teams — our technical trades are our employees, not subcontractors (except for the final finishing, entrusted to partners but supervised and controlled by us). Why? Because we’ve had bad experiences with poor subcontractors — and we learned that it’s better to master the whole chain. The result for you: time saved and real control over quality.
In summary
- Structural shell alone: possible, but you become the coordinator of every trade. Best reserved for those who already have experience (or time, and good tradespeople on hand).
- Turnkey: a single point of contact, clear responsibility, peace of mind. This is what I recommend in the vast majority of cases.
In both cases, the right instinct: a detailed quote that prices out the entire project, and a builder who is structured, insured, and financially sound. Because if the builder is at risk, so are you.