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re: Why do home renovation contractors never follow up on providing quotes?
Posted on 1/27/21 at 4:53 pm to Papercutninja
Posted on 1/27/21 at 4:53 pm to Papercutninja
As an architect, my recommendation is never get a contractor for these type of projects. Go find a kitchen cabinet manufacturer sub, he will eventually know a counter top installer, and so on. Go get a plumber yourself. Go buy the appliances yourself and all plumbing/light fixtures. You will save a ton of money, believe me. Plus a contractor will charge you a profit/overhead cost fee of 10%, and he will not do shite other than assemble the subs. All he will do is inspect the completed job.
This post was edited on 1/27/21 at 4:55 pm
1
Posted on 1/27/21 at 4:55 pm to Ramblin Wreck
quote:
If providing a drawing with the dimensions they will need to develop a quote is intimidating
Cute, but that's not it.
How much is it (do you need to permit)?
Posted on 1/27/21 at 4:55 pm to USMEagles
quote:
Nowadays you're on your own with that little stuff, and it sucks.
Be an adult. Buy some tools, spend 30 minutes on YouTube and spend the extra money on a new bat for Coltleigh
Posted on 1/27/21 at 4:58 pm to Geauxld Finger
quote:
They don't want to take directives from a professional or someone that knows wtf they are talking about?
Yes.
Hell, these guys will try to take on commercial jobs in lean times and fight us on our designs constantly. Most contractors have a set way they've been doing things for decades and they're stubborn as mules.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:01 pm to Ramblin Wreck
quote:
My wife made AutoCad drawings of what she wanted
That alone to a contractor screams “tough customer”.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:07 pm to Ramblin Wreck
I used to do this kind of work. Jobs too small for most big contractors. For me it was like this, if you tell me you are “getting estimates”, I wouldn’t even come by. I know I won’t be the cheapest and I have better things to do than give out an estimate that you will leverage someone else with. Second, I’m plenty busy, I’ll tell you when I can come by, if you try to force me into a specific time, I ain’t coming. If you start telling me “how” to do the job when I’m there, I ain’t coming back. If your wife meets me for the estimate, but she will have YOU call me back later, I ain’t coming. But your problem is probably that moats guys are covered up with work from recurrent business and they aren’t going to pull off to do your job no matter how much they will make, it’s a one off. They will stay with the regulars.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:12 pm to junkfunky
quote:This is the issue. If less than $15k, you are better waiting for the market to make a downturn.
How much is it (do you need to permit)?
And it will.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:13 pm to Ramblin Wreck
They don’t want your business.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:16 pm to Geauxld Finger
quote:
So say his wife is an architect/interior designer. They don't want to take directives from a professional or someone that knows wtf they are talking about?
That's right...they don't.
It's a kitchen remodel, he's not building the space shuttle.
And if the wife is a professional, she would cetainly know someone who could do the work for her. You think an architect/interior designer doesn't have a list of guys who cold remodel her kitchen?
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:18 pm to Dustydubs
quote:
They come to “feel you out” first. If it seems you’re nit picking or just plain broke, they won’t bother. If they feel you’re for real with some change then you’ll get your quote.
Pretty much this....they want to "qualify" you first and see if you're real or not and how much money they can make and if it's worth their while. If they feel you are a PITA or a tire kicker they have the luxury of cherry picking their jobs.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:22 pm to Ramblin Wreck
We had a kitchen renovation during Nov and Dec. We used subs that work for a decorator friend of mine. She helped with design and colors. It was a shockingly enjoyable experience. Everybody was there when they said they would be there. They worked like dogs.
Some contractors and subs are working a lot in Lake Charles.
Some contractors and subs are working a lot in Lake Charles.
This post was edited on 1/27/21 at 5:27 pm
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:38 pm to Ramblin Wreck
quote:Maybe they are reading you. I was a custom homebuilder for 15 years and learned to read which customers were gonna be tough to deal with. Once the contract is signed it is like a marriage, you choose the wrong partner and you are in for a rocky ride. It is a two way street, I got out of the business because I was too honest and let people take advantage. Towards the end I just wouldn't deal with people who gave off the wrong vibes early in the planning stages.
This has happened to me multiple times in Baton Rouge. We want to have some kitchen renovations. I have had multiple contractors come by and take measurements, explain what they recommend and never follow up. My wife made AutoCad drawings of what she wanted for one of the contractors and we still never heard back.
As a side note, prior to buying a house here we had glass replacements ordered for two windows from a local company. The closing settlement paid for them directly up front. It has been 7 months and they are still making excuses.
Are there reputable contractors in Baton Rouge?
This post was edited on 1/27/21 at 5:44 pm
Posted on 1/27/21 at 5:50 pm to Geauxld Finger
quote:
WTF is this non-sense? So say his wife is an architect/interior designer. They don't want to take directives from a professional or someone that knows wtf they are talking about? A contractor doesn't get to come in, tell me what I want, and build it how they want. That's not how it works.
Yeah Karen is a structural engineer and is paying for the work. If she wants to make an autocad drawing, so be it.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 6:03 pm to Palomitz
quote:I respectfully disagree. Many homeowners don't know what they are getting into. My degree is in building construction but all my structures classes were taken through the civil engineering dept at UF. I was a homebuilder for 15 years then a building official for 25. Over the years I saw a lot of homeowner do it yourself projects go bad. Better at least have a good understanding of codes, methods & materials before taking on a project.
As an architect, my recommendation is never get a contractor for these type of projects. Go find a kitchen cabinet manufacturer sub, he will eventually know a counter top installer, and so on. Go get a plumber yourself. Go buy the appliances yourself and all plumbing/light fixtures. You will save a ton of money, believe me. Plus a contractor will charge you a profit/overhead cost fee of 10%, and he will not do shite other than assemble the subs. All he will do is inspect the completed job.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 6:09 pm to Displaced
quote:
They don't want to take over the shoulder criticism from a Karen.
I read my wife your comment and she said if she ever saw you at Sonic, she is going to kick your arse.
At least we’ve heard that is where arse kickings take place here. However, we aren’t sure which one.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 6:14 pm to Ramblin Wreck
quote:Oh God I would never build for you then. The worst customer I ever had was an engineer. Thought he knew everything, had to throw him off the job because he brought the environmental protection folks down on me. The idiot thought he could bring in machinery and clear his own lakefront because he was the property owner.
Yeah Karen is a structural engineer and is paying for the work. If she wants to make an autocad drawing, so be it.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 6:17 pm to Ramblin Wreck
Took us almost a year to find one to do our master bath. I think we probably overpaid for it, but our shower was in bad shape and I was desperate to get it done and the wife is happy now.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 6:17 pm to AmazingSpiderDog
Yeah I wonder how many times his Karen engineer told the contractor she was an engineer.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 6:27 pm to AmazingSpiderDog
I’m in the supply end of building materials. But here’s my take. Customers have no respect for your time. I can’t tell you how many hours I have wasted doing material quotes for jobs that I knew were only a pipe dream. Strike one is when the customer starts telling you what they think the project will cost before even getting a price. It’s what I have started calling “break room prices”. They sit around in the break room at work and come up with the fictitious numbers with their coworkers for things that were built years ago.
Or worse is when a customer brings you house plans for a $500,000 house when you know that they only make enough money to buy a $150,000 house. I know it’s a waste of time from the start.
Or worse is when a customer brings you house plans for a $500,000 house when you know that they only make enough money to buy a $150,000 house. I know it’s a waste of time from the start.
Posted on 1/27/21 at 6:53 pm to Ramblin Wreck
quote:
read my wife your comment and she said if she ever saw you at Sonic, she is going to kick your arse.
Tell her I said thank you for proving my point.
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