re: Why is the Home remodeling industry saturated with shady people?

As I discussed on here some time back, there are definitely those GC who are just out to screw folks. I know there are good people in the industry but they are damn hard to find. A big part of the problem with remodeling right now (at least in the Baton Rouge area) is that they are punching out spec houses as fast as they can build them and making bank. Why would a decent builder take on a remodel (with all the uncertainty of what they will find once they start and the PITA of dealing with a client) when they can build a house from the ground up just the way they want and then sell it in the first week?

I just wish they would be honest about it. I got a bid on my project and the guy sent me a quote for $550k. I responded that I could buy a four bedroom house on a nice lot for what he quoted and that was when he admitted he high-balled me because he didn't really want the work. frick that. Be honest and tell me from the start. I will never use that guy because he tried to screw me. FWIW, this was a quote on a car port, kitchen remodel and enclosing an existing underroof carport to make a new bedroom. It's no where near a $500k job. Not even in the same ball park. He didn't just overbid it. He basically doubled what it will cost.

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This would be my choice if I had to pick a trade.

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Mine too. The worst part about it is the rough in but a mini excavator and a few hourly hands can make it quick work. Topping out and setting fixtures isn't that bad at all. Even easier if it's PEX instead of copper.

My parents were remodeling a bathroom to make it ADA accessible and the contractor quoted them $25k without doing the plumbing. He then got pissy when asked for a breakdown of that amount.

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relax bro/baw/brah
it's friday

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He then got pissy when asked for a breakdown of that amount.

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That there is a sign to throw them out.

this is why good, reputable contractors make a killing

my Dad had to keep going up on his prices constantly because of all the business he kept getting and he just assumed he would eventually price some people out, but nope, people are willing to pay for quality work that they can trust

We do not do general contracting but we perform industrial maintenance. We charge what we charge, and some plants pay it, others have used our bid to give the information to another contractor and have them under bid us thinking it will save money, but when we have to come fix it, they end up paying twice as much as if they would have used my company the first time. We have times where the job is not something that we want take on, and tell the plant that, but they want us to bid it anyways. We bid ridiculously high and sometimes they still want us to do the work because they know we can get it done.

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I've got a real good guy I could recommend who's affordable, a good guy and does stellar work.

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<--- at gmail

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Don't get me wrong there are some excellent contractors and subs out there- but for the most part many of these people are money hungry idiots. Hence why they are self employed "contractors" and don't work for a reliable company.

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Mom found an exception to the rule, a polish or czech family, and did fantastic work

Mom got the place re-done, wiring, plumbing, central air, insulation, new windows...for 80k back in 2002

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Construction people are like 3rd world garbage vendors who base their price on how much they think they can get out of you.

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You sound exteremly naive and already had your judgemental mind made up before you started this thread. Hopefully you're just a young dude that is at that point in his life where he thinks he's smarter than everyone else.

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Albertson's do they look at you and charge you $1 more per pound for produce? When you go to buy a shirt, do they bump it up a notch because it seems that you don't like to shop so you'll pay whatever just to get out of there?

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Horrible comparisons. You can't leave either place without paying them and they aren't putting out thousands of dollars worth of labor and expenses to only find out you are a PITA that refuses to pay which will lead to Albertsons having to file a lien against you in hopes you pay for that produce you are already enjoying that was completed to your satisfaction.

Like I said, it's not all as cut and dry as you are trying to make it out to be.

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vs the actual +-20%,

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Why do you think this is standard? I would starve if I did every job for cost +20% and had to cover my other operating expenses out of that. Some I do for less but others I hit homeruns on. It just depends on a variety of factors.