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Post by franklinridgefarms on Oct 29, 2019 12:26:46 GMT -6
So months ago we contacted a well established local roof contractor a month later and several calls later he finally sent some workers out to measure and he would get back with us with an estimate. He played off not getting back soon as he thought we just wanted an estimate. Still waiting for his estimate but the job has already been done by another equally frustrating situation. We got tired of waiting and contacted a couple other contractors who were both anxious to get the job and one made us nervous as he was so intent on undercutting the other, I wish now we had gone with him instead. The one that put the roof on talked his self up good too and we agreed to get some other things done too. A month ago he had a crew put the roof on. They wanted me to use the tractor loader to help them get the shingles up to the roof. I reluctantly agreed, as I’m sure they don’t have a fel available at every job site. They were supposed to do some work on a barn roof as well but they haven’t been back yet. Slick contractor keeps saying he will get them back out here. Another crew has been peace mealing some interior repairs that were part of the deal and he has back pedaled from his original word on some garage repairs. They show up random times to work an hour or so with four men. I realize they probably have multiple jobs going at once, but I would just like to get it done as we have renters coming in a few days. It seems like they want to do the main part and get paid then put off the little finish jobs,
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Post by greybeard on Oct 29, 2019 13:36:45 GMT -6
I feel for you but your experience echos what mine has been an what a lot of people are seeing around here for the last 10-12 years.
Lack of skilled labor to fill all the job projects available is part of the problem...the jobs not being really big projects is another.
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Post by M-5 on Oct 29, 2019 14:46:27 GMT -6
Reputable companies come at a price that most people do not want to pay. I see what you're dealing with every day when for a little more money you would be bragging to everyone about them.
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Post by franklinridgefarms on Oct 29, 2019 15:12:33 GMT -6
Reputable companies come at a price that most people do not want to pay. I see what you're dealing with every day when for a little more money you would be bragging to everyone about them. I understand the concept of what you are saying. We were not looking for the cut rate folks we were looking for reputation contractors and still this is the result. We never could get a quote from one and the one we went with was $3000 higher than the other for a roof on a ranch style house. |
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Post by M-5 on Oct 29, 2019 15:20:15 GMT -6
I know it's too late now but for future reference or anyone else reading. When looking to get a home improvement roof remodel or any other work done find a supplier that handles that specific trade. Ask the supplier to give you three names of three people that you would allow to do work on your own home. There are guys out there that most people do not know exist because they survive without any advertising or publicity other than word-of-mouth, quality of work. Sorry you had an issue do not let up on what else you want done, stay on top of them.
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Post by the illustrious potentate on Oct 29, 2019 15:28:44 GMT -6
Might try something like this in the future. A friend that used to do contract work told me about. We've had some success with it. Might be that contractors using it to advertise care about their reputation, I don't know? But at least you can see some reviews and write one if you wanted to. www.homeadvisor.com/We just had our house water lines replumbed. Guy that did it is a younger plumber and works for a plumbing company in the day, and does moonlighting on weekends. He bid it $2,000 cheaper than the other bids we had. He got it done in 1/2 the time they said it would take, with less overall damage to the house as well. I was impressed with how little sheetrock he had to tear up. And our house sucks as far as design, it's a split attic due to room upstairs and vaulted ceiling in the middle. It's a slab foundation, so no crawl space. When he came to bid it, my wife said he was the one. She has feelings when she meets people...I've learned to just go with them. Anyway, he mentioned the kitchen was tougher than planned because he hadn't anticipated a way the house was shaped where he was going to run it. Took a few hours longer to get the pipes ran. When he got done, we paid him a couple hundred more because I thought it fair. We needed a drain pipe fixed, so he said you already paid me and came back a few days later and did it at no charge. He charged significantly less, but I think he made more $ per hour than the other contractors because he only spent 1 1/2 days, with him and one helper. The others were planning 3 days with more help. But he was a worker and got stuff done. Those people exist, but they just aren't easy to find. |
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Post by the illustrious potentate on Oct 29, 2019 15:34:52 GMT -6
By the way, never by a house with polybutylene pipes. The company that manufactured them no longer exists for a reason. I bet damages are in the hundreds of billions.
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Post by M-5 on Oct 29, 2019 16:20:33 GMT -6
Might try something like this in the future. A friend that used to do contract work told me about. We've had some success with it. Might be that contractors using it to advertise care about their reputation, I don't know? But at least you can see some reviews and write one if you wanted to. www.homeadvisor.com/We just had our house water lines replumbed. Guy that did it is a younger plumber and works for a plumbing company in the day, and does moonlighting on weekends. He bid it $2,000 cheaper than the other bids we had. He got it done in 1/2 the time they said it would take, with less overall damage to the house as well. I was impressed with how little sheetrock he had to tear up. And our house sucks as far as design, it's a split attic due to room upstairs and vaulted ceiling in the middle. It's a slab foundation, so no crawl space. When he came to bid it, my wife said he was the one. She has feelings when she meets people...I've learned to just go with them. Anyway, he mentioned the kitchen was tougher than planned because he hadn't anticipated a way the house was shaped where he was going to run it. Took a few hours longer to get the pipes ran. When he got done, we paid him a couple hundred more because I thought it fair. We needed a drain pipe fixed, so he said you already paid me and came back a few days later and did it at no charge. He charged significantly less, but I think he made more $ per hour than the other contractors because he only spent 1 1/2 days, with him and one helper. The others were planning 3 days with more help. But he was a worker and got stuff done. Those people exist, but they just aren't easy to find. These websites are beneficial to an extent but real world reputation is more reliable. I get calls every week wanting to know who I would use. I refer to my best contractors and tell the home owner to interview them all and trust your gut. even the best will have issues some times but guys in the Supply business will usually do their best to steer you in the right direction. |
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Post by tcranch on Oct 29, 2019 16:37:24 GMT -6
I feel for you but your experience echos what mine has been an what a lot of people are seeing around here for the last 10-12 years. Lack of skilled labor to fill all the job projects available is part of the problem.. .the jobs not being really big projects is another. This! Local, small time contractor came out & fixed our barn after it was hit by a tornado. Segued into numerous projects. But over the last 8 years he's become very well known and getting a lot of big contracts. Well, congrats to him but evidently he's now out of our league because we don't have the big jobs. And yet he doesn't tell us up front - saying he'll be out for a bid but never showing, always has an excuse. Plan B is getting people that truly need the money and are somewhat qualified, sometimes doing the work as their 2nd job which means after hours and weekends. |
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Post by the illustrious potentate on Oct 30, 2019 0:37:22 GMT -6
Supply house referral is good suggestion... If I only knew anyone in that business, I might of thought of it.  |
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Post by M-5 on Oct 30, 2019 5:28:31 GMT -6
Supply house referral is good suggestion... If I only knew anyone in that business, I might of thought of it. Always remember there is only 7 degrees of separation so someone you know will know someone to call. |
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Post by greybeard on Oct 30, 2019 7:47:20 GMT -6
Franklinridgefarms problem isn't a shortage of people to call, (there's a ton of contractor business cards stuck on the board at the local builder's supply) and neither is the problem around here.
It's a shortage of people that will do what they promise to do.
If ya don't want the job or are too busy, fine, tell me that. DON'T tell me you want it, submit a quote, and I accept it then never show up to do the job because a bigger more lucrative job came up.....
KEEP YOUR FRIGGIN WORD![/b]
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