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It is very simple to figure out why you are not finding contractors to work with.
Your post says it all. You are trying to find low ball contractors, that will work at a price you want to pay, and talking to you those that would do the job soon realize that is what you want, and are not interested in working for you. They don't want to lose money on the job, doing it for the price you want to pay. The earlier mentioned roof was done by a less than ethical contractor, and the home owner ran him so close even he will not come out and repair the roof.
I spent from 1972 till I finally retied in the investment real estate brokerage business. I had many houses and other properties fixed up over the years, and never found problems getting the work done for what I know was a fair price. I saw a lot of people like you that want the work done so cheap there is no money for the contractor to make enough to do the work. They don't like to lose money.
I can tell you from many years of experience and working with hundreds of contractors over the years, if you want the work done and are willing to pay the going rate in the area you have no trouble finding a first class contractor that will do the job for a fair price.
But if you want the work on the cheap, you are only going to attract someone that will do sub par work, as that is what you are willing to pay for, and no good ones will even consider working for you.
As you are not getting call backs, and after making an appointment many do not show up to make a bid says one thing: They are spreading the word around about you, and no one wants to even talk to you. You have been red tagged as they used to say, with a reputation for being so cheap a good contractor would be just wasting their time to talk to you.
Any decent contractor can get all the jobs they can handle, at a fair price for both the owners and the contractor. They simply do not need a cheapskate that wants them to do the work for nothing or lose money in the process. That is why in four months, you cannot find anyone that wants the job. Do as I do, and pay the going rate, or forget about doing it.
Well I am on a budget but I am not looking for low ball offers. I am not paying the huge nationwide companies rates, but really looking for the local small, couple man outfit, to do the job.
I can't even get estimates from people. They come out see the project, measure, then nothing. I have not discussed my budget or anything with them. I know the project should be around $25k-$30k. One guy was $96k. He was not even in the ball park.
I am not an investor, nor am I doing the work for fun. I need a roof because the current one is leaking, and the siding is falling off the house. I am a low income single mom. That is my reality. Funds are limited.
For one of my jobs...I bid out to one of the "we do it all"...."no job is too small" big construction firms. They sent out an estimator. I quickly learned that this resulted in far too much back and forth about some very simple details. I would rather have the actual person who is going actually be doing the work come out and quote the job.
Same here. The estimator even said his measurements are generally off and he makes errors all the time. He came in at $96k.
34 sq would be about $10 - 11K. But so many factors could increase the cost. Chimney flashing? Tear off? Roof pitch?
You may have already gotten your answer. I came in late.
One insight into contractors, the big companies have cheap labor. The small guys have a hard time competing. They can't do it for free. Also many small guys work alone or with one guy and they're booked up. Have you tried one of the services like Thumbtack?
I have had one roof estimate at $11.5k, another at $36k. I was trying to get the house flipper I know to quote it. He promises me tomorrow. Off the top of his head he gave me a ball park last year and if he can do it for that... He is my man. And I have seen his work, it is meticulous. So praying that is going to be my solution. If not, I am not sure how I am going to find the money.
Well I am on a budget but I am not looking for low ball offers. I am not paying the huge nationwide companies rates, but really looking for the local small, couple man outfit, to do the job.
I can't even get estimates from people. They come out see the project, measure, then nothing. I have not discussed my budget or anything with them. I know the project should be around $25k-$30k. One guy was $96k. He was not even in the ball park.
I am not an investor, nor am I doing the work for fun. I need a roof because the current one is leaking, and the siding is falling off the house. I am a low income single mom. That is my reality. Funds are limited.
Many times contractors will not want repair work because of the true extent of repair simply cannot be measured. And if they get into the job and find out there is a lot more to the repair than meets the eye, you will still expect them to do the job for the original estimate.
You describe leaking roof and loose siding. No one can tell exactly what work needs to be done until they get up there and tear it apart. What looks like a 30K job may take him longer than he thought, it may use a lot more material, and he will lose money simply by finishing.
I solved that problem by agreeing to pay the contractor his hourly rate. I paid him every Friday.
One reason for the big differences in bids on a serous roof repair as you apparently have, is one is bidding to just replace shingles, and when they get the shingles up and find they need to replace all the sheathing the shingles lay on and are nailed to also needs replaced as it has been damaged by the old worn out shingles that do not keep the water away from it. Then he tells you that you have to have this done by him or someone else and it will cost a lot more.
A good honest roofer will have checked enough to realize this is the situation, and bids for doing the job right, and replacing the sheathing. When one bid is extra low, then figure there is a problem, and he will come back at you and say it is going to cost way more than the bid. His bid will only be for the shingles, and nailing them down. The other bid will be for doing the job right, as it has to be done that way to properly do the job. When you get a huge difference and a low ball bid, there is always something wrong with it. That is the rule of thumb, that people used to hiring people to do the type of job you have to do, follow. I have never found it to be wrong.
When you can't get bids on the job, it is a sign that the contractors see there is more potential problems than you are asking them to bid to do, and they don't want to get caught up with problems and lose money doing the job.
We have a "family" we have created out of close friends who are as close as family.
Amongst them is an electrician and a contractor/finish carpenter! They not only return calls, but show up when needed/as soon as they can when they promise. Naturally.
I could be wrong but I THINK the contractors today are getting to used to "no bid contracts" or to "cost overrun concerns" so as to not run short and lose money on a job by actually bidding on it!!! SO they refrain form it. I am sorry, unless it is "family" or family recommended, they need to give me an estimate in writing. I DON'T expect it to be exactly accurate, but I expect it to be at least ball park relative.
Our "family" also does their best to actually overestimate a bit so they can get it done under budget for us, this is NOT a bad thing...for instance something we had the contractor do, he estimated $5000, and came in actually at $4200, with us cleaning up after him, it was less than the $4850 he actually thought it might cost.
I DON'T know what will happen if something goes wrong, like a leaky roof, but I imagine the contractor will "take care of us"... we are good to them and they are good to us!
I hope we never find out!
We also use whomever they suggest as we get good service on something they don't/can't/don't have time to do for us.
Our electrician gives us the "family rate" and the carpenter gives us a break on the job, and will discount services further if we do things like clean up after him. If WE buy the supplies, he won't charge us the extra contractor's markup and we get A] What we want, B] have it on hand for him, C} get a a discount on the hauling/delivery of the supplies as he doesn't have to do that either.
Its always nice to have someone in the "family". BUT sometimes, as "family", that means YOU DO get put off behind front running customers! But I don't mind, as when it is emergency, they will come running.
I wish you who lack "family" the best of luck today in getting your estimates!
Dumb, 7 ways from Sunday type dumb. But this is Georgia, I really don't expect anything other than Dumb (and yet, still find myself disappointed more often than not).
Many times contractors will not want repair work because of the true extent of repair simply cannot be measured. And if they get into the job and find out there is a lot more to the repair than meets the eye, you will still expect them to do the job for the original estimate.
You describe leaking roof and loose siding. No one can tell exactly what work needs to be done until they get up there and tear it apart. What looks like a 30K job may take him longer than he thought, it may use a lot more material, and he will lose money simply by finishing.
I solved that problem by agreeing to pay the contractor his hourly rate. I paid him every Friday.
The roof and siding is a complete tear off and replace with new. Not even trying to repair and piece meal it.
One reason for the big differences in bids on a serous roof repair as you apparently have, is one is bidding to just replace shingles, and when they get the shingles up and find they need to replace all the sheathing the shingles lay on and are nailed to also needs replaced as it has been damaged by the old worn out shingles that do not keep the water away from it. Then he tells you that you have to have this done by him or someone else and it will cost a lot more.
A good honest roofer will have checked enough to realize this is the situation, and bids for doing the job right, and replacing the sheathing. When one bid is extra low, then figure there is a problem, and he will come back at you and say it is going to cost way more than the bid. His bid will only be for the shingles, and nailing them down. The other bid will be for doing the job right, as it has to be done that way to properly do the job. When you get a huge difference and a low ball bid, there is always something wrong with it. That is the rule of thumb, that people used to hiring people to do the type of job you have to do, follow. I have never found it to be wrong.
When you can't get bids on the job, it is a sign that the contractors see there is more potential problems than you are asking them to bid to do, and they don't want to get caught up with problems and lose money doing the job.
Already have new sheathing built into the job. I also know that some plywood is getting replaced.
The current siding is coming off, house is being wrapped, new siding and all wood is being changed to maintenance free vinyl and aluminum soffits.
That is all a given in the job. Not an unknown. I know I want it done before they even remove the existing siding. The house has awful insulation and trying to cut back on heating cost.
I'm in residential hvac. Several answers have been given and it's hard tell why you are having problems. On one of my many trips out to New Mexico I asked the owner of the place I was staying how one might do in my field out there. Her answer was if I just showed up I would be ahead of most.
Many in the trades only seem to care about that day. They don't bother to look for more work till they need it. I'm curious though. Are you somehow giving the impression that you are looking for the cheapest price, or that you want to get ten quotes?
I only ask this because most of us that have been in business for years begin to learn which people are going to be dead ends. This is seldom true with existing clients. It's more the ones that call out of the blue. I'll get calls every summer from someone and the first words out of their mouth is, "How much a pound do you charge for freon?" The answer I would like to give is "More than you can afford." I already know they have gone down some list and asked this same question of a dozen others.
I do understand your frustration though. It seems to be common and I have had it happen to me.
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