Owner-build it. Keep more of your equity.

Save $100K+* Building a Custom Home.

Q: Can I choose my own contractors?

Yes. The homeowner selects, hires, directs, and pays properly licensed, bonded, and insured contractors. CMGWA may administratively send owner-approved bid requests and organize responses.

Q: Do you help with permits?

Yes. At the homeowner’s request, CMGWA can prepare permit paperwork using homeowner-provided information and organize related documents and status records. The homeowner reviews, signs, and submits the paperwork and remains responsible for applications, approvals, compliance, and required professionals.

You may not need to pay a traditional general contractor to manage your build. But without the right organization, a few wrong decisions, missed deadlines, or incorrect material orders can quickly erase the money you planned to save.

Discuss Your Custom Build See how CMGWA helps

40+ projects supported since 2022Typical 6–7 month build$100K+ average savings per home

Your home does not have to fit a template

We take on any residential custom home build.

Bring the plans you already love. CMGWA can provide administrative organization for an owner-directed custom home of nearly any residential style, layout, or size.

Tell Us About Your Build

Why owner-builders need CMGWA

Saving the markup is only the beginning.

20+ years

Our process and program are built on the knowledge base of a general contractor and project manager with more than 20 years of management experience.

CMGWA provides administrative and project-organization services and does not act as the homeowner’s general contractor.

One wrong order can cost thousands.

Incorrect quantities, missed lead times, and materials arriving out of sequence can stall multiple trades at once.

One delayed decision can cost months.

Selections, bids, documents, and owner decisions must be ready before the next phase—not after the crew is waiting.

Organization protects your savings.

You remain the owner-builder and make every construction decision. CMGWA organizes the budget information, bid documents, schedules, selections, and project records that help you keep the build moving.

A smarter owner-builder path

You do not need traditional builder markup. You do need a system.

A traditional general contractor may charge substantial overhead and markup to manage your custom home. As an owner-builder, you can keep control of those dollars and choose the licensed, bonded, and insured contractors you want to hire.

CMGWA provides the administrative structure that a complex build demands. We organize owner-provided information and records while you direct the project, select contractors, approve purchases, and make every construction decision.

Talk Through Your Build

Do the math

That 15–30% markup can easily become more than $100K.

Traditional general contractors commonly add 15–30% to subcontractor, supplier, and material bids. On a custom-home build, that percentage compounds across the entire project—and the total can climb quickly.

That is why our clients save, on average, $100K. When owner-builder rules and lender requirements allow, you do not need to pay traditional general-contractor markup. You do need a proven system built from the knowledge base of a general contractor and project manager with more than 20 years of management experience.

Example cost to build$500K

Example GC markup20%

Potential markup$100K

Simple illustration only. Contractor pricing structures and actual savings vary by project, location, home size, finishes, bids, market conditions, and other factors.

Southwest Washington owner-builders

Building in Cowlitz, Lewis, or Clark County?

Explore local owner-builder information, custom-home build organization, and cost-to-build resources for your county.

Owner-builder projects we’ve supported

Real Washington projects. Individual visions.

Every home starts with a different property, plan, and set of owner decisions. CMGWA provided administrative and project-organization support for these owner-directed projects.

Custom home project in Clark County, Washington — Clark County, WA

Custom home project in Toutle, Washington — Toutle, WA

Custom home project in Castle Rock, Washington — Castle Rock, WA

Custom home project in Lewis County, Washington — Lewis County, WA

Completed custom home with attached garage in Castle Rock, Washington — Castle Rock, WA

Custom home project in Cathlamet, Washington — Cathlamet, WA

Custom home project in Kelso, Washington — Kelso, WA

Custom home project in Longview, Washington — Longview, WA

Custom home project in Woodland, Washington — Woodland, WA

Custom home project in Onalaska, Washington — Onalaska, WA

Custom home project in Vancouver, Washington — Vancouver, WA

40+Projects supported

3 yearsProven program

6–7 monthsTypical build time

$100K+Average savings per home

Yes—we have testimonials and past clients who love singing our praises. Ask us to connect you with references during your free consultation.

$100K+

Potential savings

Put that money into your home—not unnecessary markup.

Your actual savings depend on the home, location, finishes, bids, market conditions, and work you choose to complete yourself.

Administrative services

Organized information for your owner-directed custom build.

Budget document preparation

We organize owner-provided plans, selections, and cost information into a budget document for lender review.

Lender contact information

We may provide contact information for lenders familiar with owner-builder loans. The homeowner and lender make all financing decisions.

Bid-document administration

At your request, we can send owner-approved bid requests and organize responses for your review. You select and contract with every trade.

Project recordkeeping

We maintain owner-directed schedules, decision logs, documents, and milestone records. We do not direct or supervise construction.

Owner Build Manager

Your owner-directed budget records, schedule, bids, takeoffs, selections, and files stay organized in one app.

Your project, your decisions

You select, hire, direct, and pay properly licensed, bonded, and insured contractors and remain responsible for the work.

Actual Owner Build Manager app dashboard showing the project schedule, budget, tasks, documents, and build timeline — Actual Owner Build Manager app

Your entire build, finally in one place.

No scattered spreadsheets. No wondering what comes next. See your budget, schedule, bids, takeoffs, selections, and documents in one organized workspace.

Transparent from day one

One flat $25,000 administrative-services fee.

No percentage-based contractor markup. One straightforward fee for CMGWA’s owner-builder administrative and project-organization services.

What the fee covers

Budget and cost-to-build organization

We organize owner-provided plans, selections, pricing, and project information into detailed cost-to-build and budget documents.

Permit administration

At your request, we can fill out permit paperwork using the information you provide and organize related documents, submission information, and status records. You review, sign, and submit the paperwork and remain responsible for applications, approvals, compliance, and required professionals.

Contractor bid organization

We gather owner-approved bid requests and organize contractor responses so the proposals are easy for you to review.

Apples-to-apples bid comparisons

Our custom-built software places bids side by side, identifies missing or differently scoped items, and helps you confirm that each proposal covers the work you requested. You make every contractor and purchasing decision.

Build schedule and budget documents

We prepare and maintain owner-directed schedule and budget records based on your project information, decisions, and milestones.

Your project task timeline

We create an organized task timeline so you know when owner decisions and orders are due—helping prevent windows, materials, supplies, and finishes from arriving before the jobsite is ready or after labor contractors need them.

Introductions to experienced lenders

We can introduce you to lenders familiar with our process who have provided construction loans to qualified owner-builders using it. The lender makes every eligibility and approval decision.

Common questions

What Washington owner-builders want to know.

Is CMGWA my general contractor?

No. CMGWA does not act as the general contractor, direct or supervise construction, select contractors, approve work, or make construction decisions.

Can I choose my own contractors?

Yes. You select, hire, direct, and pay properly licensed, bonded, and insured contractors. At your request, CMGWA may administratively send owner-approved bid requests and organize responses for your review.

Do you help with financing?

CMGWA may provide lender contact information and organize owner-provided information into a budget document. The homeowner and lender make all financing decisions.

Do you help with permits?

Yes. If you want us to, CMGWA can fill out permit paperwork using the information you provide and organize related documents and status records. You review, sign, and submit the paperwork and remain responsible for applications, approvals, compliance, and required professionals.

How much can I save as an owner-builder?

Our clients save, on average, $100K. Actual savings depend on the location, size of the home, finishes, bids, market conditions, and other project-specific factors.

Where does CMGWA provide owner-builder administrative services?

CMGWA is based in Castle Rock and serves qualified owner-builders throughout Washington, with a focus on Cowlitz County, Lewis County, and Clark County. Services are subject to local requirements.

How do I get started?

Schedule a free, no-pressure Zoom or in-person consultation to share your plans, location, and financing goals and learn what administrative services are available.

It starts with a conversation

Tell us about the home you want to build.

We’ll talk through your idea, your location, your financing goals, and whether our owner-builder program is the right fit—at no cost and with no pressure.

Schedule a Free Consultation Free • No pressure • Approximately 60 minutes