Anyone else getting quoted insane prices for work around your place?

[Steppenwolfe]

Good price.
American labor?

We have a guy named Pedro doing work for some homes in our neighborhood. Hes an expert at everything :laughing: from tree work to concrete. Hes a foreign national and he works for 1/2 the cost of American owned businesses because he has little to no overhead. He’s a very hard worker. Has no problem working on Sundays, July 4th, after dark, whenever we are all hoping for a little peace and quiet-maybe a graduation party. I’m wondering when he will be buying a snowplow for his truck and taking my snow plowing customer list from me. :thumbsup:
The most disappointing thing is my wealthy neighbors see no problem in hiring him :thumbdown:

Not saying thats what your quote was from or making any accusation whatsoever. Just curious because I couldnt match that bid.

And therein lies the problem. It becomes a race to the bottom. I had one national client we did a few projects for, the one's where it was hard to get licensed, or Union projects. B*tched and moaned always on the costs and why we couldn't do it as cheap as others. I flat out told him I am in business to make a profit, we don't do jobs to break even or for practice. He still calls me at least twice a year, but I tell him we are too busy. Which we are...

 

[fried1765]

And therein lies the problem. It becomes a race to the bottom. I had one national client we did a few projects for, the one's where it was hard to get licensed, or Union projects. B*tched and moaned always on the costs and why we couldn't do it as cheap as others. I flat out told him I am in business to make a profit, we don't do jobs to break even or for practice. He still calls me at least twice a year, but I tell him we are too busy. Which we are...

People with the work ethic of "Pedro" are those who built this country!
My dad emigrated from Germany at 20 years old (1923), lived through the USA depression, and died a millionaire in 1984.

 

[tallyho8]

Might put an ad in the Craigslist for concrete guys to do a side job on a Saturday for some extra cash. You buy the concreate, 2'x6's they provide labor and tools.
4" you need 15 yards. or about $2,000 or less. pay the 5 guys $200.00 ea. for a day's work. 3K and you can get er done.

I did that once. I had to run an errand about the time they were starting to finish it. When I got back they were gone and the concrete was rough and wavy and hard. Also it drained to the middle so it was full of water when it rained. They came back the next day for their pay and I ran them off with them yelling threats as they left. I then had to hire another contractor to build the slab an additional 3 inches high and smooth and level it off. It wound up costing me about $1000 more than if I had hired a reliable contractor in the first place who paid for everything. If their job is bad I lose nothing because I don't pay.

Here, all the contractors want $10 a sq. ft. for up to 4 inches deep, broom finish, more with extras such as footings.

 

[BoylermanCT]

4 may not be enough for a barn floor in your climate.

4" is standard for a garage floor. It should be fine for animals. 25% of the new barn will be my shop, and we will do 5" there.

Contractor is a neighbor of my father-in-law. Cost of the concrete is $2400. The rest is rebar and labor. I was happy with the quote. Was expecting it to be higher.

 

[BoylermanCT]

Might put an ad in the Craigslist for concrete guys to do a side job on a Saturday for some extra cash. You buy the concreate, 2'x6's they provide labor and tools.
4" you need 15 yards. or about $2,000 or less. pay the 5 guys $200.00 ea. for a day's work. 3K and you can get er done.

$200 a day cash might get you a highschooler. $25 an hour in CT doesn't get you someone who knows that they are doing. Labor in CT is high. The company I bought my pole barn from quoted $5K to build it, but they did not send crews to CT so I was out of luck. I got 3 bids from pole barn builders in CT, and they came in at $20-25K. So I am doing all the building myself except the concrete. At least I know that part of the barn will be done right!

 

[Hay Dude]

People with the work ethic of "Pedro" are those who built this country!
My dad emigrated from Germany at 20 years old (1923), lived through the USA depression, and died a millionaire in 1984.

But Pedro needs to become a citizen and pay the taxes my business and I pay, or he won’t be a legal millionaire.
My grandparents emigrated here, too. LEGALLY

 

[dlctcg]

$200 a day cash might get you a highschooler. $25 an hour in CT doesn't get you someone who knows that they are doing. Labor in CT is high. The company I bought my pole barn from quoted $5K to build it, but they did not send crews to CT so I was out of luck. I got 3 bids from pole barn builders in CT, and they came in at $20-25K. So I am doing all the building myself except the concrete. At least I know that part of the barn will be done right!

I could not agree more... In CT $200 a day as BoylermanCT stated might get you a high-schooler that spends half of their time on their phone & doesn't actually know the trades..... $400 - $600 + a day for skilled labor is not uncommon... the issue is knowing if the guy you hired is really worth what they are asking... I'm in the trades & live in CT (not inexpensive to do.... not self-employed friendly) we charge the same for flip project that we do for higher end work (materials differ... ) @ $200 a day in CT I would need food stamps & a government stipend to keep people employed... just goes to show location matters....

On a different note... I know this is just not a pandemic issue as we have not raise our rates due to the pandemic but we have had to add additional time to every project.... due to social distancing, time to gather / pick-up materials, extra safety measures & PPE requirements our production rates take longer & our cost our higher. Our Technology division spends on average of 3 -18 hours per project (on a small project / depending on the scope) due to the Pandemic... Again we have not changed our rates just how we have to bill a project.... It is absolutely taking is toll on us.... I personally have had to let half our staff go... not only because of the cost of projects... but also due to the fact that 50%+ of our commercial clients & residential projects are not opening back up.... I help found our company back in 2003 & I am personally helping.... as is the rest of the company... the employees & families we had to let go... they are our family....

I know this tread is about Insane pricing for work... & as I will never deny you should do what you are capable of (i do, to the extreme).. please realize the trades are a dying art... those of you on this forum that can do... should do... but unfortunately we are all the dying breed.... (try hiring a young tradesman that doesn't thing they are worth WAY more the they are) & please understand, not all of use in the trades are price gouging like I have seen in the posts here.... trust me... just like everyone else that's honest.... we are just making a living... (insurance, licensing, & qualified employees have a cost... I mean a value.) You have to justify that for yourselves...

 

[Hay Dude]

^^^^ A very well written post that describes today’s situation very well. Construction trades ARE dying rapidly. Some clown building a new house down the street and I haven’t heard a lick of English spoken on his construction site. Work being done into the night, Sunday’s and holidays. No respect for our peace & quiet or customs.
I am in PA and basically downsized my construction business by 75% due to the “race to the bottom” mentality that foreign national construction companies have done to our area. In other words, I can’t compete with folks from other countries who are perfectly willing to work for $12/hour and pay little/nothing in taxes. I had cousins and friends working for me as employees and subcontractors and was proud to be a support system for them. Not anymore.
I was also always a farmer, but in the last 10 years, I decided to put the pedal to the metal into farming and see where that goes. I still have a foot in construction and do work for loyal customers who understand the benefits of hiring your neighbor who pays taxes and sends children to the same schools and coaches your kids over a foreign national who technically should not be allowed to be here not to mention running a business. Now with the virus, it adds another layer of complexity.
It’s a frustrating situation and I wish the situation was different, but laws are not being enforced and there’s little hope that’s going to change. I have plenty of neighbors who only care about price and are perfectly willing to hire some whoever from wherever to work on their home. I only wish Americans would support their own American family a little more and that includes any American, no matter what color, race, religion.

 

[Peter 315]

Its all about the benjamins sad but true .............

 

[Hay Dude]

Its all about the benjamins sad but true .............

Indeed it is.
I notice now some of my neighbors and contacts will reach out to me just to be courteous and ask for a bid, knowing they will be hiring someone cheaper. Drive by a few weeks later and there is a different company I do not recognize doing their work. It’s a vicious cycle. Nobody wins, but the customer saves enough money to upgrade to a BMW

Always wondered how my “corporate America” customers feel about losing their jobs and company downsizing from less expensive foreign corporations?
That’s how I feel.

The USA is destroying itself from within.