Are contractors still charging absurd prices? (house, unemployment, neighborhood)

[matrix5k]

Last year the economy is booming and contractors charged whatever they wanted because people would pay it. Has anyone seen prices come back to reality yet?

We just had trees removed from our backyard which I felt was a reasonable cost - $5000 for 6 big trees and a bunch of little ones. We're shopping for landscapers to level the yard, put in grass, remove an old wood deck and replace with stone pavers and stone retaining wall.

The first estimate we got was around $40,000. I nearly had a heart attack even though I kind of expected it. I guess prices have not changed yet?

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by matrix5k

Last year the economy is booming and contractors charged whatever they wanted because people would pay it. Has anyone seen prices come back to reality yet?

We just had trees removed from our backyard which I felt was a reasonable cost - $5000 for 6 big trees and a bunch of little ones. We're shopping for landscapers to level the yard, put in grass, remove an old wood deck and replace with stone pavers and stone retaining wall.

The first estimate we got was around $40,000. I nearly had a heart attack even though I kind of expected it. I guess prices have not changed yet?

The good ones in my network were more or less booked out through fall. Unless a number of clients reconsider, I don't see demand dropping until (if) there is a sustained Q3/Q4 recession. Not sure that's a trade I'm looking to make, but it might be a reality for both contractors and clients.

Even during the "great recession", top tier contractors absorbed a significant amount of the remaining work. The middling contractors were the ones who got a bit desperate, as were the residential developers and architects.

[GeoffD]

It’s probably worse now because so many low paid workers are collecting their extra $600/week. I had a tree come down three weeks ago in the 65 mph wind storm. It took the local tree guy 2 weeks to get enough crew to do a few jobs and I suspect he probably had to pay them cash.

[matrix5k]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

It’s probably worse now because so many low paid workers are collecting their extra $600/week. I had a tree come down three weeks ago in the 65 mph wind storm. It took the local tree guy 2 weeks to get enough crew to do a few jobs and I suspect he probably had to pay them cash.

Are you saying contractors are probably charging more now cause their usual employees would rather collect unemployment?

Homeowners must still have a lot of money if they can afford these 5 figure expenses.

[Bamaman1]

The prices quoted are products of living in a high COL area.

I paid $6 a square foot for poured concrete last week, and I considered that expensive. But nothing like pavers.

[bugelrex]

Once the number of cases are reduced i wonder if prices could spike due to people rushing to complete projects which were delayed... or everyone wanting to renovate a home office (attic, basement)

[BostonMike7]

I haven't noticed any price drop with contractors. My neighbor has been trying to get someone to take down some bushes and do a kitchen and pricing has been consistent with what was there before. Everyone is booked. I'm trying to find someone to do new deck stairs for my parents and running into schedules pushed out to July/Aug.

I'm finding difficulty completing my own projects because I can't get materials, or they are 4-5 weeks out. No price cuts noticed and going to my local home improvement store is a **** show. I needed welding gas for another project, and was told local shops were only dealing with commercial accounts right now. Had to order a bottle in from AZ.

Even things like getting mulch and loom delivered have been a hassle due to scheduling and supply shortages. I wanted to level my yard this spring, but looks like I missed the window. I'll have to do it this fall before grass growing season.

All around my neighborhood, contractors and landscapers are still busy at work. Other than everyone being home, it's been a typical busy spring for getting yard and house work done.

[mdovell]

Covid-19 is lowering the amount of people that can work in close proximity to each other which means that there are many businesses that are not running efficiently. Meat prices are going up and up because slaughterhouse is not produce as much.

https://www.masslive.com/coronavirus...ronavirus.html

“What cost me $2 last week cost me $4 this week and $5 next week,” Vallides said. “A bottom round flat we use for stew beef and cube steak? Before it cost me $2.25 a pound. Now on Monday, it’s $5.49 a pound and it’ll be $6.05 on the 18th.”

That's a huge increase. Some of this is going to be a surge. I've been reading about fair amount of people that really have not gone out and have not use their cars and as a result after 2 months of letting them sit there they aren't starting. I can easily see mechanics charging more due to time alone because as things open up we're going to see a higher demand to fix cars.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by mdovell

I've been reading about fair amount of people that really have not gone out and have not use their cars and as a result after 2 months of letting them sit there they aren't starting. I can easily see mechanics charging more due to time alone because as things open up we're going to see a higher demand to fix cars.

I've jumpstarted and replaced batteries in a few of my relative's cars for that exact reason.

[sawyer2]

i don't see any reduction in price or availability at least short term (through end of year). There was a huge backlog of work across all trades that is even more backed up now.