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Posted on 10/17/23 at 2:34 pm to i am dan
quote:Hard to compete with Uncle Sam santy clause handout machine.
The GC doing our kitchen and lower level remodel has said this numerous times... He has three people working for him. All very good/master level at most things.. electrical, carpentry, plumbing... Said they cannot find any new employees. Said they can't find anyone who wants to work and nobody can do the work.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 2:36 pm to The Third Leg
quote:
The good ones will be kept busy by real GCs who build new construction,
As a builder of residential new construction, I would work a deep fryer at Popeyes before doing remodel work.
For every story about bad contractors, I can tell you three about an owner needing a remodel who flipped the frick out because they cant believe "it cost so much to widen a simple interior doorway" when they failed to account for it being in a room with a grid tile floor, a load bearing wall two inches out of square over 6 feet containing a vent pipe, a drywall covered junction box with 3 runs of different sized romex, and triple stacked crown molding from the 1990's. And it shouldn't be too hard to match that paint, they got it at Home Depot a few years ago. Or maybe it was wal-mart?
Posted on 10/17/23 at 2:39 pm to White Bear
I'm redoing a 1920's bungalow which is mostly original and have called every GC in the area and none answer the phone.
How do you even find one?
How do you even find one?
Posted on 10/17/23 at 2:42 pm to tadman
Our reno started 4/15 and was supposed to take 3 months. Dude just finished last month. I wouldn't do it again. The guy did great work at a good price, but he would have a stopping point in his mind whenever he got started. If it took 2 hours he would just leave for the rest of the day. They will not ever work a full 8 hour day. Ever
Posted on 10/17/23 at 2:46 pm to WinnaSez
Currently waiting on cabinets to move forward with a kitchen redesign and remodel. I rerouted all the plumbing, electrical, did all the framing, drywall, painting, trim and flooring. The custom cabinets that were supposed to be installed before the 4th of July are hopefully showing up next week. Hopefully new countertops won't take forever. After that I can plumb the new vent hood and put in the new tile backsplash.
I'm so sick of waiting on a single contractor while I have appliance boxes taking up so much spare room.
I'm so sick of waiting on a single contractor while I have appliance boxes taking up so much spare room.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 2:53 pm to tadman
This thread is depressing. Apartment life sounding better and better
Posted on 10/17/23 at 3:13 pm to tadman
My wife inherited the family farm where her mother grew up. The house you see from the road was built in 1921 with bones of the original house was started in 1809.
We started renovating it 2 years ago. All new electrical, new plumbing, new septic and new hvac.
We agreed to sell the house we lived in to family and it needed new roof, siding and gutters.
We completed the work at the house we lived in and moved in the farm without a working shower or kitchen back in August.
In the middle of the move I find out I need neck fusion surgery.
Four weeks later I'm back at work and getting back to renovations this next weekend.
We had our well pump looked at last week and ended up getting iron filter, water softener and UV light purification added.
This weekend the pump house roof needs to be replaced. This includes wood frame, joists, plywood and shingles.
I will look forward to attic insulation, drywall, tile, painting, remodeling an apartment, modern kitchen and bathroom.
We started renovating it 2 years ago. All new electrical, new plumbing, new septic and new hvac.
We agreed to sell the house we lived in to family and it needed new roof, siding and gutters.
We completed the work at the house we lived in and moved in the farm without a working shower or kitchen back in August.
In the middle of the move I find out I need neck fusion surgery.
Four weeks later I'm back at work and getting back to renovations this next weekend.
We had our well pump looked at last week and ended up getting iron filter, water softener and UV light purification added.
This weekend the pump house roof needs to be replaced. This includes wood frame, joists, plywood and shingles.
I will look forward to attic insulation, drywall, tile, painting, remodeling an apartment, modern kitchen and bathroom.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 3:17 pm to smoked hog
quote:
The custom cabinets
Talk about a scam. The language in some of these is pretty fishy
Posted on 10/17/23 at 3:40 pm to tadman
If you hire subs, your job will only be as good as the subs work.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 4:13 pm to Tyga Woods
Posted on 10/17/23 at 4:17 pm to Damone
quote:quote:
renovating a house
literal torture
Damone, this might be the only time I've upvoted you. Wow.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 4:18 pm to LSUDad
We have done a lot of the work ourselves both in NOLA and here in TN.
In NOLA the key to finding subcontractors was to talk to the realtor for the neighborhood (and she knew we would use her when we sold.) She shared her dependables names and numbers with us.
Up here our next door neighbor was a well respected electrician. We asked him for recommendations and everyone he recommended came from this part of the county and were excellent. (One guy who my husband found and was bsing with ...my neighbor saw them talking and called me over and warned me about him. My husband kept talking and talking and talking. I finally got his attention and said we had some other guys we needed to talk to. The neighbors who work construction do know who's good and who isn't. They will give priority to prime contractors for whom they do big jobs, but they can work you in on off days.
Neighbors don't screw neighbors. It's that simple.
In NOLA the key to finding subcontractors was to talk to the realtor for the neighborhood (and she knew we would use her when we sold.) She shared her dependables names and numbers with us.
Up here our next door neighbor was a well respected electrician. We asked him for recommendations and everyone he recommended came from this part of the county and were excellent. (One guy who my husband found and was bsing with ...my neighbor saw them talking and called me over and warned me about him. My husband kept talking and talking and talking. I finally got his attention and said we had some other guys we needed to talk to. The neighbors who work construction do know who's good and who isn't. They will give priority to prime contractors for whom they do big jobs, but they can work you in on off days.
Neighbors don't screw neighbors. It's that simple.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 4:21 pm to Basura Blanco
quote:
flipped the frick out because they cant believe "it cost so much to widen a simple interior doorway" when they failed to account for it being in a room with a grid tile floor, a load bearing wall two inches out of square over 6 feet containing a vent pipe, a drywall covered junction box with 3 runs of different sized romex, and triple stacked crown molding from the 1990's. And it shouldn't be too hard to match that paint, they got it at Home Depot a few years ago. Or maybe it was wal-mart?
I got tinge on anxiety just reading that.
Nevertheless I'm still going to give you negative feedback for giving ridiculously high free estimate for such a simple job as widening a doorway. My son-in-law said he could do it in a afternoon and be done by supper but he lives in Kansas.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 5:00 pm to Turnblad85
quote:
Nevertheless I'm still going to give you negative feedback for giving ridiculously high free estimate for such a simple job as widening a doorway.
The last remodel I did was pretty much that scenario verbatim. I should have known better when I gave them a hard quote for a very specific scope (basically opening the wall and expanding the doorway only) and a shite ton of language explaining the contingency's we may encounter upon opening the wall and their eyes glazed over at the contingency part.
Two months later I closed the books on the job after losing money, and left them with an open wall, an invoice for extra work I foolishly did to try to make them happy (unpaid of course), and quotes for a plumber and electrician to come out and do the contingency work. And of course them pissed at me because "I didn't finish for the original price". I could've done the whole mechanics lien thing but frick that, I would rather build houses than go down a lien rabbit hole. Wrote it up as a mistake I swore never to repeat. Which I probably will at some point.
quote:
My son-in-law said he could do it in a afternoon and be done by supper but he lives in Kansas.
I think we have the same customer base.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 5:17 pm to tadman
I swear it’s easier to diy and hell your work is probably better
Posted on 10/17/23 at 5:41 pm to tadman
You hired the wrong contractor.
Posted on 10/17/23 at 7:38 pm to tadman
Most contractors are on drugs what do you expect? Lol
Posted on 10/17/23 at 7:45 pm to tigerbutt
quote:
Perfect dear facebook story.
yeah I told it to your mom last night, she liked it
Posted on 10/17/23 at 7:56 pm to Basura Blanco
quote:
As a builder of residential new construction, I would work a deep fryer at Popeyes before doing remodel work.
I understand your thoughts, but there are new build guys and remodel guys. We have that same philosophy in our industry. You don't cross the teams over, it's two different skill sets.
quote:
For every story about bad contractors, I can tell you three about an owner needing a remodel who flipped the frick out because they cant believe "it cost so much to widen a simple interior doorway"
So I get that owners are a tough lot to handle, especially office guys that don't know what a trade even is. But these are things you get figured out first and put them in the contract. And writing a good proposal is about communicating value.
"widen doorway.................40 hours ............$6000"
Is much different than
"widen doorway...............
............remove trim and frame....4 hours
............relocate wiring .........8 hours
............run new conduit..........8 hours
.................total...............40 hours.........$6000"
When the customer brings me in to write a spec or scope for bidders to bid to, I usually write a proposal for my consulting which includes 8-12 line items (or 20+ some days) showing how I will understand their needs and translate it to written requirements that fit applicable OSHA, ANSI, state regs, etc... It sells project becuase (a) it justifies my hours and (b) it shows that I have a roadmap in mind and am not shooting from the hip.
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