- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
re: Drywall Subs are impossible to deal with
Posted on 10/30/18 at 10:47 am to Broke
Posted on 10/30/18 at 10:47 am to Broke
My family has had a drywall business for 50+ years. We have been priced more and more out of the market the last 10ish years for much worse work. Builders all over choosing price and lower quality over good work. Not complaining as I’m firm believer in capitalism, but bad work blankets everyone.
1
Posted on 10/30/18 at 11:16 am to halleburton
quote:
Moral of the story, there are good and bad subs in EVERY trade. Treat the good ones right and they'll come back, and make your life easier.
Its impossible to hire the good ones, all 3 of them are busy for the next decade.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 11:32 am to Broke
To my knowledge, as a child no one ever said, “when I grow up I’m going to be a subcontractor.”
As far as subs go, drywall is compensated by wasting materials. They are paid by the board. When you take that into consideration, the only other vendor who can profit from waste are electricians. If you ever need lightbulbs, check a construction dumpster after final electrical is complete. You’ll never buy a lightbulb again.
As far as subs go, drywall is compensated by wasting materials. They are paid by the board. When you take that into consideration, the only other vendor who can profit from waste are electricians. If you ever need lightbulbs, check a construction dumpster after final electrical is complete. You’ll never buy a lightbulb again.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 11:55 am to Broke
This is the consequence of illegal labor.
Say you’ve got a house that needs to be hung, taped, floated, and finished. The cost of the job is $10k, including $5k of labor and $2k of profit. And this is for real life carpenters and finishers to come and do.
So one of your competitors decides to get an amigo crew to do the job and they’ll do it for $2500. So he can now bid the job at $7500 and keep the same profit. Technically he could go even lower and keep the same margin.
Architects try to build this in by requiring higher levels of finishes in the specifications. The problem is most people don’t know the difference between a level 3 and level 5 finish in drywall, including subcontractors. But the labor costs to truly do level 5 are significantly higher if you’re doing it right. (Level 3 is typical finish with hidden seams, level 5 is a virtually flat surface which basically requires skimming the entire surface with drywall mud and a big arse trowel.)
So your contractor is faced with gauging bids from subs and sorting through understanding the quality of work you’re getting from subs. And it’s why you see so many quality subs hurting as they’re having to go to tighter margins to stay competitive with the jack legs.
Say you’ve got a house that needs to be hung, taped, floated, and finished. The cost of the job is $10k, including $5k of labor and $2k of profit. And this is for real life carpenters and finishers to come and do.
So one of your competitors decides to get an amigo crew to do the job and they’ll do it for $2500. So he can now bid the job at $7500 and keep the same profit. Technically he could go even lower and keep the same margin.
Architects try to build this in by requiring higher levels of finishes in the specifications. The problem is most people don’t know the difference between a level 3 and level 5 finish in drywall, including subcontractors. But the labor costs to truly do level 5 are significantly higher if you’re doing it right. (Level 3 is typical finish with hidden seams, level 5 is a virtually flat surface which basically requires skimming the entire surface with drywall mud and a big arse trowel.)
So your contractor is faced with gauging bids from subs and sorting through understanding the quality of work you’re getting from subs. And it’s why you see so many quality subs hurting as they’re having to go to tighter margins to stay competitive with the jack legs.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 12:08 pm to halleburton
quote:
Moral of the story, there are good and bad subs in EVERY trade. Treat the good ones right and they'll come back, and make your life easier.
Experienced professionals usually bid higher than the trashy jack leg ones. Remember, you get what you pay for.
This post was edited on 10/30/18 at 12:31 pm
Posted on 10/30/18 at 12:24 pm to STB
quote:
My family has had a drywall business for 50+ years. We have been priced more and more out of the market the last 10ish years for much worse work. Builders all over choosing price and lower quality over good work. Not complaining as I’m firm believer in capitalism, but bad work blankets everyone.
With all due respect man you guys must either not be very reliable, price insanely high, or must not do very good work.
As said, there is plenty of work out there. If you show up on time and do quality of work, there are plenty of people that will pay you almost what you want.
You can't go into a thread where people are complaining about not being able to find someone to do the work and complain that you can't find any jobs. The market is there, you guys simply are not doing something right if you are having a hard time with business.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 12:26 pm to elprez00
quote:
So your contractor is faced with gauging bids from subs and sorting through understanding the quality of work you’re getting from subs. And it’s why you see so many quality subs hurting as they’re having to go to tighter margins to stay competitive with the jack legs.
I don't believe this at all. If you do quality work AND are reliable contractors know you, they keep you, and they put you to work. They will pass on the costs.
A good drywall crew will make it easier on multiple other crews including paint, electrical, flooring, carpenters, etc.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 12:27 pm to baldona
We are not having a hard time with business. We have also had some of the same builders for a very long time. It’s just there are illegals and or others that are willing to do the job for way, way cheaper. We are stupid I guess but we earn what we need with our price and we know our work is good.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 12:28 pm to jbgleason
quote:Can compare because the f'ing painter never showed up to rate his work..
Painters will give the drywall subs a run for their money all day every day.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 12:29 pm to elprez00
quote:
Say you’ve got a house that needs to be hung, taped, floated, and finished. The cost of the job is $10k, including $5k of labor and $2k of profit. And this is for real life carpenters and finishers to come and do.
You don't have "real life" carpenters hanging sheetrock in residential construction.
quote:
Architects try to build this in by requiring higher levels of finishes in the specifications. The problem is most people don’t know the difference between a level 3 and level 5 finish in drywall, including subcontractors. But the labor costs to truly do level 5 are significantly higher if you’re doing it right. (Level 3 is typical finish with hidden seams, level 5 is a virtually flat surface which basically requires skimming the entire surface with drywall mud and a big arse trowel.)
1 in 100 houses have an actual architect draw it and 0 in 100 actually put a set of specifications together- particularly a drywall spec.
And if you are a good finisher the difference in slick finish or one that would require orange peel is minimal in time, effort and money.
quote:
So your contractor is faced with gauging bids from subs and sorting through understanding the quality of work you’re getting from subs. And it’s why you see so many quality subs hurting as they’re having to go to tighter margins to stay competitive with the jack legs.
1 in 100 Contractors actually give a shite about a quality sub contractor versus a cheap contractor.
And I know as many crappy General Contractors as I do crappy sub contractors. In all fields.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 12:30 pm to STB
quote:
We are not having a hard time with business. We have also had some of the same builders for a very long time. It’s just there are illegals and or others that are willing to do the job for way, way cheaper. We are stupid I guess but we earn what we need with our price and we know our work is good.
This is every business though. There's always competition. 10/10 contractors will hire a good reliable english speaking crew for more over a spanish speaking crew that does similar quality work.
Posted on 10/30/18 at 12:33 pm to Martini
quote:
And if you are a good finisher the difference in slick finish or one that would require orange peel is minimal in time, effort and money
Absolutely agree with this.
quote:
1 in 100 Contractors actually give a shite about a quality sub contractor versus a cheap contractor
Disagree completely with this. Subs that do good work are almost always more reliable and faster. Those are absolutely important to all contractors and they will pay for that. If anything they will be used more often and get better jobs.
Page 3 of 3
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News