Amish Question

[RedNeckRacin]

Get what you want done in writing with an estimated price. Make sure you specify a payment plan that once x is complete then y is paid. Final payment is contigent on work being completed. We had the Amish build us a pole building and they tried several times to ask for more money after the price was agreed to. We also had them back twice to finish the final details before they got the final check. The work they did was just fine and I would have them back following what I have laid out.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Had Amish contractors do work at my place here in NE Ohio. Quality of work was great........mess they left behind was not. I pretty much had to clean up all of the construction debris after they left, along with the cigarette butts all over the yard. It's too bad, they did a nice job, but I would never recommend this contractor in particular due to the mess.
Not saying all Amish will leave a mess, just my experience.

Last barn I had built was by a Mennonite family/company. While there were no cigarette butts laying about, I was a bit concerned about the lack of a daily jobsite cleanup. However, at the end nothing was left behind. Not even the dunnage (6x6 cutoffs) that I was going to use for working on equipment and such.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Get what you want done in writing with an estimated price. Make sure you specify a payment plan that once x is complete then y is paid. Final payment is contigent on work being completed. We had the Amish build us a pole building and they tried several times to ask for more money after the price was agreed to. We also had them back twice to finish the final details before they got the final check. The work they did was just fine and I would have them back following what I have laid out.

The builder I mentioned in my previous post wanted x amount to start, x amount at a certain point and x amount when finished.

The building was a horse barn. I was planning to build out the stalls myself and happened to mention it one day. Having a ballpark number in my head already, the builder said he would give me a number the next day. Turned out, he could do it cheaper than I could even buy the material.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

The builder I mentioned in my previous post wanted x amount to start, x amount at a certain point and x amount when finished.

The building was a horse barn. I was planning to build out the stalls myself and happened to mention it one day. Having a ballpark number in my head already, the builder said he would give me a number the next day. Turned out, he could do it cheaper than I could even buy the material.

That's pretty typical, I would put those numbers in writing though. Things have a habit of changing when things progress . I have had Amish come and buy hay off of me and after it was loaded they tried to negotiate a lower price after I had told them what the price was up front. Talk about getting my blood boiling!! Now if you want a bunch of things changed during the process that is entirely different.

I guess I am sounding like a hard *** or paranoid but I don't like when things change after we agree upon something you know?? If you have them build the stalls let me make a suggestion. We have 12 stalls built out of 1 inch rough cut and they are not heavy enough. We built 10 more out of 2 inch rough cut and they are solid. Make sure you brace and secure them beyond the minimum so that they last.

 

[KevT]

Amish don't believe in tobacco or alcohol, are you sure they were Amish?

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Amish don't believe in tobacco or alcohol, are you sure they were Amish?

Amish don't believe in tobacco! ? I dunno what sects are what but the ones around here always have a pipe or a thin cigar on them. I will say I don't think I have ever seen them drink but my friends have ran into the younger ones on ramspringer or what ever their wild time is and they drink alot.

 

[mark02tj]

Amish don't believe in tobacco or alcohol, are you sure they were Amish?

About 5 years ago I hired a contractor that used Amish crews. They did pretty good work (I did find some things that I made them go back and re-do) but I was surprised at a couple of things. Several of them smoked and I did hear some cursing from some of them. No *-word, but there was language that made me raise an eyebrow.

The fact that they used power tools didn't surprise me. I had heard that they could use just about any modern thing available as long as they didn't actually own it.

I will say this - that Amish crew knocked out the job!! We had a big hail storm come through and every house in the neighborhood (and for a large area around us) was getting a new roof and vinyl siding. I watched other crews in the neighborhood take well over a week to do a house. This crew (6 or 7 guys - I don't think I actually counted them) stripped the old roof, re-roofed, stripped and replaced the old vinyl siding, powerwashed and stained the deck, powerwashed and clear coated a cedar fence (about 300 linear feet), powerwashed and stained a 9x12 shed, reroofed the shed, replaced about 5 or 6 cedar fenceposts and a couple of other things I'm probably forgetting in 3 or 4 days! Pretty amazing!!

Another thing that I found that was interesting was that their driver was just that - a driver! Once he had them on the job site, he basically sat around and did nothing. He would occasionally run an errand for them, but he sure didn't help out around the job site. Maybe that job description explained the physical shape he was in! :laughing:

 

[polo1665]

Amish don't believe in tobacco or alcohol, are you sure they were Amish?

No alcohol, but yes many Young Amish men smoke around here.

 

[polo1665]

Last barn I had built was by a Mennonite family/company. While there were no cigarette butts laying about, I was a bit concerned about the lack of a daily jobsite cleanup. However, at the end nothing was left behind. Not even the dunnage (6x6 cutoffs) that I was going to use for working on equipment and such.

When they were almost done the lead guy (owner) asked me if I wanted the left over lumber. I told him that I definitely did (figured if I paid for it......). Well, there was a lot of lumber left and I am wondering if I may have made them mad by making them leave it behind. The mess they left was terrible, not just construction material..........pop cans, empty cigarette packs, lunch trash, etc.

 

[polo1665]

Another thing that I found that was interesting was that their driver was just that - a driver! Once he had them on the job site, he basically sat around and did nothing. He would occasionally run an errand for them, but he sure didn't help out around the job site. Maybe that job description explained the physical shape he was in!

LOL.......Yoder Toter :laughing: