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His bill:Laminate: $663.16 (Lowes estimate print out: $330)Shoe molding: $150Thresholds: $1003 rolls of padding: $75Labor: 511.84.I had two contractors come in and they both gave me a $1500 estimate. So we finally decided to let this guy do it since he had a few references and he's going through a divorce and straight up told us he needed the money.So far he has $900 of my money and I still owe him $600. I should only owe him $300.Did I agree with the $1500? Yes. Did I agree to pay double for the laminate flooring? Hell no.
Lol you're funny. Two other contractors gave you 1500 dollar bids and you're whining ? You're nickel and diming the guy because you found flooring cheaper. Here is how it works in real life. Someone gives a bid. It includes x material, x labor equals x total. IF you agreed to the price that's what you owe the guy. It doesn't matter what you found the material for. He has costs built into that extra charge. Gas to and from site, wear and tear on his tools truck saw blades overhead. He has to load his tools at night roll out the tools in the morning. That takes time. He gave you a inclusive bid.Yeah I know its things you don't see and like everyone else you feel that its his problem and you shouldn't pay for that. It doesn't work like that. Overhead is part of any business otherwise the guy has to close his doors.
When I give a cost its either a complete all inclusive I do x amount of work including x materials to do the work you want done as you describe your needs. Its on paper explaining EVERY thing I am including in the bid. And ONLY what I am including in the bid.
My other bid method is T&m time and materials. In which I charge for every hour I am there rounding off to nearest hour. I have to set up, get tools, materials load up etc. That's all part of doing the job in which my first inclusive bid covers that. Where as T&M doesn't.
So when you want me to install the fans that you just bought because I'm there and I'm already working on your house I can't do that. My money is made when I do the work that I bid on. Any additional work is extra charge known as change order. Unless its T&M then you're paying for it.
You want cheap? Then go buy all the material, take your time to research the glues, nails, underlayment, trim etc to get a good quality job, go buy the saw, the stand, the knee pads, the blades, tape measure carpenters square, level, flooring nail gun don't forget the compressor hose and air fittings. Set everything up where I am just installing. And then I'll come in and provide the labor to install it,
There is more to his bid than simply slapping down wood slats. You're just seeing the material cost.
As a contractor I agree overhead is a legitimate part of any bid, but as such it is clearly shown on the bid and bill, not "hidden" as 100% mark up of one material item.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Electrician4you
Lol you're funny. Two other contractors gave you 1500 dollar bids and you're whining ? You're nickel and diming the guy because you found flooring cheaper. Here is how it works in real life. Someone gives a bid. It includes x material, x labor equals x total. IF you agreed to the price that's what you owe the guy. It doesn't matter what you found the material for. He has costs built into that extra charge. Gas to and from site, wear and tear on his tools truck saw blades overhead. He has to load his tools at night roll out the tools in the morning. That takes time. He gave you a inclusive bid.Yeah I know its things you don't see and like everyone else you feel that its his problem and you shouldn't pay for that. It doesn't work like that. Overhead is part of any business otherwise the guy has to close his doors.
When I give a cost its either a complete all inclusive I do x amount of work including x materials to do the work you want done as you describe your needs. Its on paper explaining EVERY thing I am including in the bid. And ONLY what I am including in the bid.
My other bid method is T&m time and materials. In which I charge for every hour I am there rounding off to nearest hour. I have to set up, get tools, materials load up etc. That's all part of doing the job in which my first inclusive bid covers that. Where as T&M doesn't.
So when you want me to install the fans that you just bought because I'm there and I'm already working on your house I can't do that. My money is made when I do the work that I bid on. Any additional work is extra charge known as change order. Unless its T&M then you're paying for it.
You want cheap? Then go buy all the material, take your time to research the glues, nails, underlayment, trim etc to get a good quality job, go buy the saw, the stand, the knee pads, the blades, tape measure carpenters square, level, flooring nail gun don't forget the compressor hose and air fittings. Set everything up where I am just installing. And then I'll come in and provide the labor to install it,
There is more to his bid than simply slapping down wood slats. You're just seeing the material cost.
As a contractor I agree overhead is a legitimate part of any bid, but as such it is clearly shown on the bid and bill, not "hidden" as 100% mark up of one material item.
Some guys build the overhead in material mark up. Others do a actual overhead but I guarantee you that they mark up the material anyway. No contractor is gonna sell the material to a customer at cost. You have resale tax at a minimum. Anyway we can get crazy intricate in the nuances of bidding. Point is there are costs that the OP is simply not seeing. And for all we know the guy looked at the stuff when he did his bid at x price and the. OP went to see it and it went in the clearance isle. Either way the bid was given for x price, he agreed but now wants it cheaper cause he found the wood flooring for less. The additional stuff could be glue nails whatever.
Some of the stuff we bid has 100% mark up. We have to warranty it send techs out to diagnose it and if its covered under warranty then e have to fix it no charge. Some of that additional up front cost covers the service call for the warranty period. And if you have a few service calls on that install? There goes your profit.
Some guys build the overhead in material mark up. Others do a actual overhead but I guarantee you that they mark up the material anyway. No contractor is gonna sell the material to a customer at cost. You have resale tax at a minimum. Anyway we can get crazy intricate in the nuances of bidding. Point is there are costs that the OP is simply not seeing. And for all we know the guy looked at the stuff when he did his bid at x price and the. OP went to see it and it went in the clearance isle. Either way the bid was given for x price, he agreed but now wants it cheaper cause he found the wood flooring for less. The additional stuff could be glue nails whatever.
Some of the stuff we bid has 100% mark up. We have to warranty it send techs out to diagnose it and if its covered under warranty then e have to fix it no charge. Some of that additional up front cost covers the service call for the warranty period. And if you have a few service calls on that install? There goes your profit.
Lots of guys go material cost x3 your job price.
Like I said, I total understand overhead and markup, I just thing marking one item 100% and billing the other items at cost is shady, my billing is always 100% transparent, no questions and no confusion.
My guess is they both thought the wood was $600 and either the contractor found it cheaper or he substituted a cheap product.
Like I said, I total understand overhead and markup, I just thing marking one item 100% and billing the other items at cost is shady, my billing is always 100% transparent, no questions and no confusion.
My guess is they both thought the wood was $600 and either the contractor found it cheaper or he substituted a cheap product.
Yeah I agree. I usually do a more itemized breakdown. Simply because I deal with commercial accounts and I have to list all materials and MSDS sheets, installation details bla bla. The contractor may be a simple guy who throws all his materials in one column and labor in the other column and Bobs your uncle.
I would question the minimum wage worker who said the material was a dollar a foot?
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Two questions
