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

[Doofy]

That makes perfect sense.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

As a contractor, my goal is to make as much money as I can, but to also have work lined up so I'm actually making money and not waiting for the phone to ring. I've been fortunate in my pricing to never have a day that I didn't have work, and usually 2 months worth of work booked up. Right now I'm booked out to November and when I get to that point, clients sometimes disappear on me, or life gets in the way and they have to postpone the job.

A lot of the jobs I get are from other guys that where way overpriced and never finished. I think a lot of them are trying to make up for not having a lot of work lined up. One house had been going on for a year and all he had done was the sheetrock was in and textured. He moved some walls around, but got the measurements wrong, and that's when he disappeared. It took me 2 months to finish the house so they could sell it. At first, they expected to get $200,000 for it, but when the realtor came back to see the finished house, he listed it for $315,000

Most of my clients are repeats and most of them never ask for a bid, or what it will cost.

The high dollar homes in the fancy neighborhoods are the hardest to deal with, and the slowest to pay. At first, I got a lot work in those areas, but now I don't even bother because they are all so broke and either want to renegotiate pricing, or they give me checks that wont be good for a week.

I also don't do commercial jobs anymore. It takes forever to get paid once the job is done. I learned to pad the bid quite a bit because of this, and it still wasn't worth it

I've thought about raising my rates, but I also think that their is a lot of unknown in the future, and it would be better to have jobs that pay quickly, then to try and max out what I can get today and risk not having work tomorrow.

Yes... there is that reputation out there. And, that is where we differ from most. We pay usually, 15 days after invoice; rarely go 30. I have subs that come running to work for me after 25 years. My clients know this as well, and I will not do a job that goes past 30 days with them.

 

[BoylermanCT]

Most of my clients are repeats and most of them never ask for a bid, or what it will cost.

Wish I had enough money to be one of those clients!

As I have gotten older, I have realized the value of supporting local companies. I try to visit mom and pop restaurants more than national chains. When I needed a new roof after a hail storm, I went with a local contractor rather than one of the over a dozen out of state roofing companies trying to cash in on quick business. I had to wait 2 months to get into his schedule, but I know if I have a roofing issue down the road, I know he will be there where as the out of state companies will be long gone.

 

[PILOON]

Heck! be happy if the did not quote, recently most have quoted 2-3 X what it was last year if they even bothered!
Gotta get rich FAST!

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Heck! be happy if the did not quote, recently most have quoted 2-3 X what it was last year if they even bothered!
Gotta get rich FAST!

Back in my residential building days, my price was contingent upon the amount of time I thought I would have to spend hand holding ...

 

[Hay Dude]

I havent built a home since 2017. Its a dying business for small timers. In the last 10-20 years I have found the wife side of the couple likes the big corporate size construction companies. Sometimes the husband likes the smaller builder, but it seems like the wife is the decision maker more and more as each year goes by, so I am pretty much more of an addition/garage/barn builder now.
I look at TV ads and news programs about small time contractors ripping people off and its no wonder.

 

[downsizingnow48]

When I was doing remodelling in southern california, I used to use a "jerk surcharge" if either the husband or wife was a nuisance during the estimate. After a while I got to where I just did not submit those bids. The only jobs I bid were in high end residential areas, with straightforward designs.

 

[ultrarunner]

As a contractor, my goal is to make as much money as I can, but to also have work lined up so I'm actually making money and not waiting for the phone to ring. I've been fortunate in my pricing to never have a day that I didn't have work, and usually 2 months worth of work booked up. Right now I'm booked out to November and when I get to that point, clients sometimes disappear on me, or life gets in the way and they have to postpone the job.

A lot of the jobs I get are from other guys that where way overpriced and never finished. I think a lot of them are trying to make up for not having a lot of work lined up. One house had been going on for a year and all he had done was the sheetrock was in and textured. He moved some walls around, but got the measurements wrong, and that's when he disappeared. It took me 2 months to finish the house so they could sell it. At first, they expected to get $200,000 for it, but when the realtor came back to see the finished house, he listed it for $315,000

Most of my clients are repeats and most of them never ask for a bid, or what it will cost.

The high dollar homes in the fancy neighborhoods are the hardest to deal with, and the slowest to pay. At first, I got a lot work in those areas, but now I don't even bother because they are all so broke and either want to renegotiate pricing, or they give me checks that wont be good for a week.

I also don't do commercial jobs anymore. It takes forever to get paid once the job is done. I learned to pad the bid quite a bit because of this, and it still wasn't worth it

I've thought about raising my rates, but I also think that their is a lot of unknown in the future, and it would be better to have jobs that pay quickly, then to try and max out what I can get today and risk not having work tomorrow.

I believe very much in Time and Material jobs with proven contractors and it's a win/win... often half the price.

Once my little community hospital was acquired by a huge Hospital concern everything is multiple bids, reviewed ad-nausium, delayed schedules and payment only when properly submitted electronically...

Some of my superstar mom and pops say it is not worth it.

I had a Doctor Office TI and corp got involved... corp bids inflated sometimes triple... I got better carpet, paint and laminate for 3k less than just corp carpet bid...

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

:drink: Couldn't agree more.

This is an excellent post if I say so myself. We have skin in the game, some do not. Read this article, this money is earned here and invested in Mexico, not in the local economy where it originated. How much money is sent to Mexico from the US? | finder.com

I could give a political reason, but I will just say the laws need to be enforced throughout the country.


One of my friends is a contractor in Austin. He did some work for a high end home, owned by a lawyer. The lawyer stiffed him, because he knew what it would take to get the money out of him. My friend was asking me if I knew any "Guidos" who could go get his money. I did know some friends of friends, but I did not want to be involved, so I told him no.


Another buddy built a huge barn, 50x150 with 20' high walls. He hired a crew to come and put on the insulation and the tin. The crew showed up with about 7 or so workers, did all the work in about 2.5 days, and the charge was $7000. just for labor. They had very little equipment. Ladders, ropes, and a few had safety harnesses. I believe they all came in 2 trucks. I considered it a fair deal, but the boss pocketed the lion's share and probably paid his guys $10/hour (back in 2001).

 

[Cat_Driver]

And then if your like me you end up with a lot of tools and equipment. I almost bought a mini-ex to replace a waterline. But then I found a highly qualified contractor that did the whole job for a very reasonable rate.

That one got me laughing because I DID GO BUY a Mini Excavator. I was getting insane quotes for some clean up around the place funny they were all nearly 8K each for different projects. The way I look at it this Mini already paid for herself. The strangest thing ever is that the wife finally agreed with me on this purchase AFTER she saw the work it did and she and I didn't have to do.

By the time I rent one it's nearly $1,000 with delivery and pick up for a day's use. I have too many days to work to get them all done at once. Also getting too old to even dig the smallest holes to fix irrigation lines plus the 121-degree temps around here don't help