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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:03:24 AM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Mike327: I DIY because my work is higher quality. Myself as well. I'm also experienced enough and smart enough to consult building codes when necessary. Wife doesn't like it: "You won't let anybody else work on our stuff because you can do it better"  |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:07:37 AM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Scott_S: I believe Red Addair was quoted, “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, wait till you hire an amateur.” That's a good one...and he turned me down for a job once but took the time to write me a letter back explaining why. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:07:42 AM EDT
[#3]
Originally Posted By Eagle_19er: TL/DR: Quit being a cheap bastard and recognize that quality work is important on your bigger projects around the house. No. There's never been a home improvement project that I couldn't DIY and save a ton of money. Sally will just have to have crooked teeth. My previous house was bought with no sheet rock. You could look in one window and see clear across the house out the other. I installed and floated it all, bought a compound miter saw and did baseboards and crown molding. Ran my own 240V line out to the 12x16 shed I build myself, installed the kitchen cabinets and counter myself, including the sink, dishwasher and garbage disposal. I bought a new car with all the money I didn't spend on Sally's braces.  Last year I wanted a pole concreted in to support an antenna. I called a few places asking for quotes because I just didn't feel like digging a hole. The lowest quote I got was like $600 to put in a 3 foot long pole in a 2 foot deep hole with a couple of 80 pound bags of concrete. Lol fuck those guys, I hope they die young. I dug the hole myself and mixed the concrete myself and made sure the pole was plumb myself. Seriously FUCK anyone who charges that much for literally "ditch digger" work that you could teach an illiterate moron to do. I have a desk job that I do for a living. Construction/repairs/handyman stuff is only hard if you're stupid. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:08:40 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By tsg68: “Pro” builders jerk trades around more than any homeowner, lol. Be glad you’re mostly dealing with homeowners OP. just learned about this past few weeks from a great guy remodeling our place. |
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NV, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:21:43 AM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PatriotAr15: I have a project I'm planning. I have a 300 square foot slab back porch that has a roof over it. I want to turn it into a four season room. Only need two walls put up, and a wood framing over the concrete slab for the floor. Two doors to the outside would also be desired. What do you think the ballpark cost would be? Room would need a minisplit put in as well. We want to go with professional rather than just a handyman because we're worries a out how to keep water from intruding into the home as the slab is quite level with ground level. We have a bonus room that was actually previously built on a part of that same porch. But it's a room you have to go through the master bedroom to get to...making it an undesirable use case for another bed room. The addition would provide additional living space in the form of a family room/dining room...while also providing opportunity to create a separate entrance for that back bedroom/bonus room. I hope I'm not stepping on your toes asking you this. I’m guessing $7-8k. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:28:46 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Missilegeek: Nothing wrong with DIY. Nothing wrong with failing at it, and calling a pro (just ask my gunsmith  )It's a punk bitch move to call a pro to get an "estimate" when really all you are doing is trying to get free advice. Fucking read a book or watch a video. Those guys are trying to run a business and feed a family. I fucking hate selfish people who have no respect for others time. Agreed on all points. Everything I do I did for the first time at one point. I have completed many things for less than paying someone else because I read a book or a website about it and thought "why not?" and gave it a try. When I bought my first house, I couldn't patch a drywall hole. Now, that's routine. I can also repair cars, install electrical wires and fixtures, build an AR15, cook a meal, and many other things that I once didn't know how to. I've saved countless dollars doing things myself. I have also paid a pro to finish a few things I changed my mind about once I got started, but not very many. |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:29:27 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By macman37: As a homeowner I know my limitations and I appreciate the pros; what I don’t appreciate is when I call out a contractor, he sees the house and property, and the zip code, and my $500 job becomes a $1500+ job because reasons.  Among the reasons: it’s a nice house, they must have money. This is 100 percent accurate. There's only a couple guys in my area who do what I do, so I know who I'm bidding against. And I can tell you their bids fluctuate between $300 and $1000 a day labor depending on your zip code. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:32:27 AM EDT
[#8]
I remodeled my kitchen and bathrooms. I did most of the work myself but called in the experts to handle the things I couldn't do myself like granite countertops, glass shower.
Plumbing is always a PITA but but I did it myself and the money I saved allowed me to buy the higher end fixtures and sinks I wanted. The cheap ones don't last. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:49:48 AM EDT
[#9]
I get your point OP, but a deck is not rocket science. I’ve built several that are still standing 30 years later.
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IL, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 8:57:42 AM EDT
[Last Edit: makintrax73]
[#10]
My neighbor rebuilt his deck and added a wood fence on weekends while he was off work. It looks incredible.
The problem you have is called selection bias. You never see the people who are smart and handy enough to do the job right. I don't do decks so I'd be happy to hire you. OTOH I've done 2 major electric projects (sub panel in a garage including trenching in the main feed, and completely rewiring a 2 bedroom cabin) Both came off working 100% and have been working for years. Add in dozens of small plumbing projects. It's about objectively knowing what you are and are not capable of, and more importantly whether you have the tenacity to learn to do a job and complete it. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:01:19 AM EDT
[#11]
I bet most “professionals” DIY outside the scope of their expertise……all while cracking on others who DIY.
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MO, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:09:35 AM EDT
[#12]
The word "contractor" is most often proceeded by the word "shitty" or "shady". I could write a book.
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HI, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:11:57 AM EDT
[#13]
Skilled labor isn't cheap.
Cheap labor isn't skilled. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:15:46 AM EDT
[#14]
Lol, that"life hack" thread really hurt some feelings. Just had to start a thread to shore up your job security.
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:27:22 AM EDT
[#15]
I wish I had a link to the pro built garage photos a year or so back.
Hacked together isn't the right description when the framing isn't together, it's hanging out in the air uncinnected soon to be covered up. The best were the comments defending the work and the proud owners schedule to get the job finished. Much of the framing should have been torn out. After YouTube I'll never buy another used vehicle or a house without going through it with a close look, and I'm not crazy about buying a house from the age of OSB and foam. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:27:53 AM EDT
[#16]
I wish I had a link to the pro built garage photos a year or so back.
Hacked together isn't the right description when the framing isn't together, it's hanging out in the air uncinnected soon to be covered up. The best were the comments defending the work and the proud owners schedule to get the job finished. Much of the framing should have been torn out. After YouTube I'll never buy another used vehicle or a house without going through it with a close look, and I'm not crazy about buying a house from the age of OSB and foam. |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:38:43 AM EDT
[#17]
Contractor for 30 years. I recommend against sharing job costs, like labor breakdowns. I recommend that you raise your prices. Conduct yourself as a professional company, provide detailed proposals with proper licenses and COI. If Johnny homeowner doesn't want to pay, move onto the next opportunity.
Generally speaking, homeowners are at fault for most bad experiences, because they choose contractors based on price, instead of selecting a professional company. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:39:28 AM EDT
[#18]
I'm good, thanks.
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:41:13 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NoFnNamesLeft: I bet most “professionals” DIY outside the scope of their expertise……all while cracking on others who DIY. I was waiting for somebody to point this out. Do you think professionals know everything? Do you think they aren't looking up videos themselves on things they don't know how to do? Do you think they aren't often doing things very wrong? Speaking of decks, my neighbors (well, the previous neighbors) spent something like $40K to do a patio and a deck a long time ago (almost ten years). The patio is poured concrete, and the deck above covers most of it. This contractor - "top of the line" as it were - was starting from scratch. The deck posts would obviously be within the patio boundaries. Their solution, which they swore up and down was right, was to dig footers where the posts would go, then excavate for the patio, and pour everything at once. Then they simply anchored the post bases into the concrete. I explained that this made no sense, as part of the pad would be above the frost line while the footers would be below and a single hard freeze would cause them to crack because there were (are) no expansion joints around the footers and posts. Obviously, those aren't supposed to move, while the pad is supposed to float. This is just one of many examples of contractors (probably very self-righteous and all-knowing) doing things incorrectly. I mean I've seen how they built my house. The guys hired to do new construction decks, for example, and basically retarded and do complete shit work. They don't deal with homeowners because their work is awful, but it's good enough for most builders as it gets lost in the sea of new work to inspect. I will do damn near everything myself because as many in this thread has pointed out my work is better. That's all there is to it. |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:41:24 AM EDT
[#20]
Lol.
As a "handy" guy with a job in another line of work, even I know that $2000 of lumber and fasteners builds a sturdy stoop with a few steps and a good handrail. |
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MT, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:45:33 AM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Mike327: I DIY because my work is higher quality. This |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:47:12 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Mike327: I DIY because my work is higher quality. No shit, 9 of 10 "pros" are just high school dropouts who bought a tool belt one day and called themselves contractors. There are real craftsmen out there, but they are harder and harder to find. Shit materials, armature workmanship, and ridiculous prices. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:48:22 AM EDT
[Last Edit: cj3waker]
[#23]
@eagle_19er
Seeing as you picked a deck to be your example - and in my experience more bad decks are built by remodel contactors than homeowners, and also considering that you are throwing around code which probably applies less to a deck than almost any other job. I have a few questions: How do you attach the deck to the house? What steps do you take to prolong the life of the important components of the deck? How do you attach handrail posts? How do you assemble handrails? Since I don't know a single contractor these days that will put down wood decking (and rightfully so) - When you build a deck to "code" with composite it feel far less sturdy under foot, how do you remedy that? Lets say I have a 12x32 deck I want built, and you have 16ft material. Can you describe the pattern you will use with the decking? How will you prevent butt joints from being out of plane? I'm not a super remodel contractor. I am just a homeowner that has terrible experience with contractors on things a lot more complicated than decks. But I do know the answers to the questions And modern pressure treated softwoods are not some magical cure-all to moisture. If your non treated fir or pine rots out, pressure treated would probably not have lasted a whole lot longer. You'd be better off building a deck with good practices and untreated woods than PT everything and not knowing how to prevent moisture issues |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:50:21 AM EDT
[#24]
Originally Posted By Eagle_19er: I’m a remodel contractor. One man show. I choose my projects and do them well. I set my prices based on established local trends. I don’t gouge my customers, even though I could. I do a good job (I’ve never had a liability claim filed against my insurance). The couple of minor issues that have come up have been fixed to my customer’s satisfaction on my dime. I don’t “need a nickel for every time XYZ happens”. I make thousands fixing mistakes that homeowners tried and failed on their own. Bathrooms and decks seem to be the trickiest ones people attempt and get in over their heads on. If I come out and bid your project and I think you’re going to use my estimate to do it yourself, I’ll purposely keep the bid vague. EX: Instead of listing (14) 2x8x10 treated boards and (26) 2x6x12 treated boards on your estimate I’ll list “Lumber $XXX” and write the quantities needed to achieve the desired result in my private notes. I’m actually helping you by doing this about 75% of the time. You see, you can’t actually just screw together a bunch of boards, slap some decking on top and build a rail out of the leftovers and call it good. You’ll fail more often than not and that failure could hurt your family when the deck collapses and cause you to lose money. When you hire a contractor to build your deck you’re paying for their experience, their reputation with the code compliance folks, the proper tools to get the job done efficiently and well, and yes, even for little Sally’s braces. I just bid a deck project last night after doing a site visit. This project is a partial deck demo and rebuild. It’s an old section of the deck built using untreated lumber and not enough hardware to be safe. It’s falling apart after ~10 years. The customers have it in their mind that the project should cost around $2000. The guy told me that that’s what his “handy” future son in law said it would cost. I told him that $2000 might come close to covering the lumber and hardware and that’s about it, as I was under his deck and inspecting the existing structure. He scoffed a little at that. Lo and behold, the materials estimate using proper (and enough) hardware and fasteners, proper treated lumber and a safe handrail (but not fancy like his wife wants) came in right around $2500. With the fancy handrail materials only is around $4700. That’s before I get paid a cent. While inspecting his deck, I rattled off several of the elements of the building code that I know through experience and stated that I’d build to those standards. I broke out the labor on the estimate into several categories including demo, structure, decking, stairs and rail so the customer could get an appreciation of how much this actually costs and what they’re paying for. Labor, using my established pricing costs about $4500, which is cheaper than a lot of guys around. They’ll find this out if they can get another contractor interested enough to come take a look at their project. It’s too small for a lot of guys around here. My bidding software tells me when my customers view an estimate and they both looked at it this morning. No word back yet. I give this one a 30% shot at coming through now and a 75% shot at coming through by the end of summer if their “handy” SIL tries and doesn’t get it done. At that point I’ll do the project for the same price but it’ll be when I get to it and not asap like they want. By all means, use your “life hacks” to DIY a project but understand that if you can’t get it done you’ll lose time and likely materials and whatever you paid your “other guy” on the side to fail. TL/DR: Quit being a cheap bastard and recognize that quality work is important on your bigger projects around the house. Thanks for your service. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:55:21 AM EDT
[Last Edit: miseses]
[#25]
Lol I DIY'd a house and I could build 5 more of them for the price it would cost to have a house built professionally. If the house falls apart in 6 years I'll be at break even vs contractor ones that turn into a pile of broken mush by 30 years.
It is nice contractors exist but due to the labor shortage most of them are now just hacks and the ones that aren't hacks are chasing luxury stuff for millionares, why on earth would they bother with what some working class schlep can pay. Even if you fail miserably the first time why would you waste that investment spent learning by not using your experience to redo it a second time, but better. If I must rebuild my house 5 times I think by 5th time I will be quite good at it. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:57:32 AM EDT
[Last Edit: veritas8985]
[#26]
They you have the contractor who shows up for the estimate, clean cut with a metal clipboard. Nice guy, knows his stuff, price is competitive, promises everything will be done to code. You hire him based on all of that and the "Veteran Owned Business" sticker on his brand new shiny bro-dozer.
4 El Salvadorians show up at 7:30AM and start cowboy nailing everything in sight while blasting mariachi music and reggaeton. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 9:59:40 AM EDT
[Last Edit: wildearp]
[#27]
When you see how many guys they bring to a job like this, you see why you don't want to DIY:
 But then again, by saving my back on the flat work, I could then DIY the rest of the project. This was my third patio cover, and I ain't professional enough as OP would describe:  Yes, it is the wrong roofing material, but I went with it because it was an addition and every patio cover in the HOA had that type roofing. 20 years later, it now has roll roofing on the patio cover, and I went with a pro.
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MI, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:00:33 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Firearmsenthusiast: No shit, 9 of 10 "pros" are just high school dropouts who bought a tool belt one day and called themselves contractors. There are real craftsmen out there, but they are harder and harder to find. Shit materials, armature workmanship, and ridiculous prices. This simply isn't accurate. Yes, a large % of contractors are unprofessional turds but there's a plethora of professional companies out there. Those companies are expensive because it's extremely costly to operate a professional business. Good workmanship is extremely hard to find and will cost you, quality materials are higher than ever, insurance rates are insane, the tax man, vehicles, fuel, tools, an office/ warehouse, computers, marketing, advertising, health benefits, payroll taxes, etc, etc. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:01:21 AM EDT
[#29]
Most people should hire contractors. Owning the right tools is half the battle.
A lot of people just don’t value their time and are willing to remodel a bathroom for a whole year as they learn. Some were raised by a dad with every tool who shamed them for not working on their own shit. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:02:09 AM EDT
[Last Edit: miseses]
[#30]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By wildearp: When you see how many guys they bring to a job like this, you see why you don't want to DIY: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41996/concrete_061-3196945.jpg But then again, by saving my back on the flat work, I could then DIY the rest of the project. This was my third patio cover, and I ain't professional enough as OP would describe: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41996/Patio_Cover_041-3196942.jpg Any concrete job can be DIY'd by splitting into sections tied together with rebar and pouring in sections. My foundation required 300 bags of quikrete which I mixed and poured by myself one at a time over multiple days . I had a structural engineer friend double check the way I was tying sections and he said it was no problem and they did the same thing on massive commercial builds where even massive crew cannot pour at once. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:04:21 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By veritas8985: They you have the contractor who shows up for the estimate, clean cut with a metal clipboard. Nice guy, knows his stuff, price is competitive, promises everything will be done to code. You hire him based on all of that and the "Veteran Owned Business" sticker on his brand new shiny bro-dozer. 4 El Salvadorians show up at 7:30AM and start cowboy nailing everything in sight while blasting mariachi music and reggaeton.  Last all Mexican crew doing flatwork for me played American oldies. 
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:05:12 AM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DetroitSounds: This simply isn't accurate. Yes, a large % of contractors are unprofessional turds but there's a plethora of professional companies out there. Those companies are expensive because it's extremely costly to operate a professional business. Good workmanship is extremely hard to find and will cost you, quality materials are higher than ever, insurance rates are insane, the tax man, vehicles, fuel, tools, an office/ warehouse, computers, marketing, advertising, health benefits, payroll taxes, etc, etc. Exactly why it so expensive to hire good people, and why there is soo much incentive to learn an do it yourself. You don't need liability insurance, workers comp, marketing or advertising, and you can decide what your time is worth to you, they can't. |
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MS, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:14:59 AM EDT
[#33]
The car mechanic I used to go to had a sign up that said.
Hourly repair rate: $20 an hour $30 an hour if you tried to fix it yourself, then brought it in. $40 an hour if you stand by me and tell me how to fix it. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:16:44 AM EDT
[Last Edit: towerofpower94]
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By wildearp: When you see how many guys they bring to a job like this, you see why you don't want to DIY: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41996/concrete_061-3196945.jpg But then again, by saving my back on the flat work, I could then DIY the rest of the project. This was my third patio cover, and I ain't professional enough as OP would describe: https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/41996/Patio_Cover_041-3196942.jpg Yes, it is the wrong roofing material, but I went with it because it was an addition and every patio cover in the HOA had that type roofing. 20 years later, it now has roll roofing on the patio cover, and I went with a pro. No joke on the first pic. When we had the old deck and brick patio removed and replaced with a screened in porch and literally tons of hardscape work, I watched the dudes hauling bricks and concrete a bucket or wheelbarrow at a time and thought "this is worth the money I'm paying" ETA: I'll handle smaller stuff myself. New dishwasher or faucet installed, rebuild a toilet tank, etc. But when it comes to water or electricity in the walls, I bow out 
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:17:50 AM EDT
[Last Edit: MadMonkey]
[#35]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Mike327: I DIY because my work is higher quality. ^ That. Plus I can't even get a lawn guy to show up, much less a contractor. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:18:51 AM EDT
[#36]
I hire out what I know I can't do well. Otherwise, I do everything else.
I know I would suck at concrete finishing, but I can definitely do the demo work. It'll save me a few bucks to have it all broken out and ready for the concrete guy to come in and poor 1500sqft of concrete.  Attached File Attached FileI have no interest in roofing. Hire that out. But I have completely gutted a 1948 house and rewired, insulated, sheetrocked, and trimmed out the entire house. Including a complete kitchen and bathroom remodel. I definitely see your point though, as I tear out all this horribly laid concrete. Some people need to learn their limits. |
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TN, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:55:42 AM EDT
[#37]
Hiring a "Pro" to get some work done is all well and fine until they
have already taken your down payment and DON'T show up for work and not even call you that they won't be there on a given day even after calling the "Boss" of the outfit and explaining that we would like the common courtesy of a phone call if nobody's coming that day. Yes hiring a "Pro" is fine until you have to sue them to get your down payment back. I am not against hiring a professional to do some work. I am fed up with the charlatans that call themselves "Professionals" who even have commercials on local TV that have no actual idea of what they are doing but are more than willing to take your money. I had to hire "Professionals" to rip out and fix another companies "Professional" shoddy work that actually made the initial problem worse! Let me just say that I have very little trust in any contractor these days. Decks and basic home electrical/plumbing/drywall and mudding are Childs play and I do that myself but when I hire a company (a well established company) to do some structural or foundation work that is their "Specialty" they should KNOW what they are doing and I should NOT have to hire another well established company to fix what the first well established company did. Did I say that I have very little trust in contractors these days? |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 10:56:03 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By freeride21a: Yes.. It goes through the siding into the sill plate... well it goes into wood of some sort under the siding. I am assuming its the sill plate. I am afraid. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By freeride21a: Originally Posted By lmeadows00: Originally Posted By freeride21a: Originally Posted By norseman1: Not all "professionals" are professional Contractors who know they can scam a client - will, and laugh about it. They don't like it when I stand there and watch them work, but your in my house and I make the fucking rules if you want my money. Yeah.. dealing with this at the family cabin right now.. sometime in the last 30 years the deck was built by a local mountain town "professional" for previous owners. My parents bought it in 2012, nothing in the inspection. The untreated lumber started rotting away over the last few wet winters/monsoon. Which got me under it and looking.. and oh boy, it is a mix of some pressure treated, mostly untreated.. I was surprised it lasted this long. we dont need no stinking brackets... or proper cut length of lumber for that matter https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/21179/PXL_20221007_170604162_jpg-3213943.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/21179/PXL_20221007_170607278_jpg-3213944.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/21179/PXL_20221007_170417532_2_jpg-3213945.JPG Oops, missed! https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/21179/PXL_20221007_170319827_jpg-3213946.JPG parts of the deck got bouncy... here is why. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/21179/PXL_20221006_183351194_jpg-3213947.JPG My father and I did some temp replacement with treated stuff. You can see original treated on the right, and untreated left. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/21179/PXL_20221006_185612427_jpg-3213948.JPG The whole thing is going to get redone, by a professional contractor. Its gonna get extended a bit and redesigned too. Wait, is that just attatched to the siding with no ledger board? Yes.. It goes through the siding into the sill plate... well it goes into wood of some sort under the siding. I am assuming its the sill plate. I am afraid. After ripping the deck and all the siding off and having to replace/repair structural elements, I decided that free-standing was the way to go and completely eliminated all structural contact. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 11:22:06 AM EDT
[Last Edit: perfectsilence]
[#39]
Blah blah blah
I have seen enough so-called professionals fuck over my parents and my in-laws to not trust them Sometimes they are necessary and it is what it is, but I avoid it whenever possible. Kudos for choosing not to gouge customers out of the goodness of your heart, I guess….. I hear over and over that the primary factor in how long an HVAC system lasts and how well it performs is the quality of the install. My parents had one of the biggest and oldest names in their town replace their entire system last year. It was most certainly not lowest-bid Tio Cleeto. What did they get?  Attached FileI’m not the sharpest tool in the shed but I at least know that the condensate drain is supposed to slope away from the unit so it doesn’t flood the customer’s attic. |
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USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 11:27:46 AM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By wildearp: A friend of mine, Mexican dude, does concrete work and all of his crew is white. Yes, mind-blowing. Last all Mexican crew doing flatwork for me played American oldies. Lol. That's awesome. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 11:31:46 AM EDT
[#41]
Where are you in MT, OP? I have a project I fucked up that I need to get done by someone who knows what they are doing.
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OR, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 11:39:38 AM EDT
[#42]
I charge a lot more to fix or redo others work
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USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 12:01:28 PM EDT
[#43]
Originally Posted By Eagle_19er: If I come out and bid your project and I think you’re going to use my estimate to do it yourself, I’ll purposely keep the bid vague. . And you'll get the door. Or, if you give me a number and put it down on paper I'll hold you to it and tie you up in small claims for fun when you can't complete it for the quoted price (I have nothing better to do). Trust goes both ways. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 12:08:46 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Mike327: I DIY because my work is higher quality. This. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 12:17:47 PM EDT
[#45]
I agree with you in theory and your probably an honest, hard working, moral guy and that shapes your world view but in reality its really difficult for the average home owner to find someone like yourself.
I grew up on residential and commercial job sites and I worked in a trade during highschool and college. In my experience for every 1 good builder/contractor/tradesman you have an army of illegals, felons, and addicts to filter through. If you do manage to find a good one they are booked for months in advance and charge accordingly as they should. I honestly have no idea how the average home owner would find reliable and honest help, I also wouldn't trust the average home owner reading a level or a tape measure let alone sending them to Lowes for joist hangers or to measure and cut a 2x6 or 6x6. Now I am going to go call my Dad and tell him how much I appreciate him. |
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CA, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 1:08:43 PM EDT
[#46]
I have DIY since helping my Dad back in the 70’s. Built a whole length deck on a tri-level house with an added patio door from the master bedroom with 2 sets of stairs and railings. The damn thing is still on that house! The basement was unfinished and added 3 rooms and bathroom/utility room. A fence around the acre of land and rock walls and stairs inside the property. All before internet.
I have built an attached awning in the backyard and a couple of custom gates to my recent house. I have put in glass shower doors and wired in ceiling fans throughout the house. Changed my Hot water heater and have built my own entertainment cabinets and center speaker. I over build on everything and better than what someone else that would charge for on most things. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 1:32:03 PM EDT
[#47]
Originally Posted By Eagle_19er: TL/DR: Quit being a cheap bastard and recognize that quality work is important on your bigger projects around the house. I do not disagree. A man’s got to know his limits. My only counterpoint would be that in absence of the resources to pay for a project, a person can learn and make improvements that otherwise would not exist. Also, the more they avoid spending money on easy stuff, they are able to save toward and redirect money toward more meaningful improvements, like having you do a bathroom. Yes, there are people out there who have to pay a handyman to come in and replace a doorknob. |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 1:45:36 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PatriotAr15: I have a project I'm planning. I have a 300 square foot slab back porch that has a roof over it. I want to turn it into a four season room. Only need two walls put up, and a wood framing over the concrete slab for the floor. Two doors to the outside would also be desired. What do you think the ballpark cost would be? Room would need a minisplit put in as well. We want to go with professional rather than just a handyman because we're worries a out how to keep water from intruding into the home as the slab is quite level with ground level. We have a bonus room that was actually previously built on a part of that same porch. But it's a room you have to go through the master bedroom to get to...making it an undesirable use case for another bed room. The addition would provide additional living space in the form of a family room/dining room...while also providing opportunity to create a separate entrance for that back bedroom/bonus room. I hope I'm not stepping on your toes asking you this. Was it that way when you bought the house? |
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Posted: 5/14/2024 1:46:13 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By NoStockBikes: I do not disagree. A man’s got to know his limits. My only counterpoint would be that in absence of the resources to pay for a project, a person can learn and make improvements that otherwise would not exist. Also, the more they avoid spending money on easy stuff, they are able to save toward and redirect money toward more meaningful improvements, like having you do a bathroom. Yes, there are people out there who have to pay a handyman to come in and replace a doorknob. All the bold. All the little/easy stuff adds up, and then you can invest it into the larger, more expensive projects. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 5/14/2024 1:49:59 PM EDT
[#50]
Paying more for a contractor doesnt mean better work. There are plenty out there with high prices and shitty work.
Contractors are just like realtors. Low barrier to entry. That results in tons of "non-pros" out there. Distinguishing them from the real "pros" is generally hard, until they have a decent chuck of your money and have already fucked your project. My neighbor was a GC for many years. His wife has a pretty popular design business. He finally got out of the business completely because it became pretty impossible for him to meet his own standards. He would tell me, for example, how his best tile guy would be on a job one day doing Michelangelo level work and then next job would be absolute shit. He would lose his margin on the job fucking the issues. |
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