cost cutting, home addition

[mistysue]

Does anybody know any good websites for LED light fixtures, flooring, or misc. supplies for roofing and siding?

We are building a new living room and our estimates before we started and the more concrete estimates now that we are doing the work are not matching up AT ALL! So now I am trying to figure out how to salvage this entire thing.

Just to vent for a moment, so far we have pulled permits, dismantled the deck and had a hole cut into our footings of the foundation to run our ductwork... and every little bit has been dramatically over budget. I even confirmed with the township what permits I needed and the week before I pulled them they added a new fee... as if they couldn't have warned me that was coming when I said "in the next few weeks."
Then for whatever reason every single contractor in the area is suddenly swamped beyond what any of them expected. We got "rough estimates" for the foundation before we started. Now that we go to do it, every single place has come back with a price 2-4 times what they said two months ago (as in it was $4,000, and the new quotes are in the $6-15,000 range!) Plus rather than saying they can show up "any time" now it's "early fall if we can fit you in." That then pushes my labor into a horrible position because the inexpensive labor I had (family carpenters) will be back to work and I will need to hire real people at multiple times the cost for all of that as well.

I feel like I'm living in a nightmare. My backyard has a bunch of holes and deck posts sticking up meaning it's dangerous to even go outside with the little kids and it's going to sit that way the entire summer at this rate. Then it's looking like rather than comfortably doing this project out of savings and not noticing a strain, we are cutting our budget, downsizing and we're going to need to tighten our budget for maybe a few years just to pay for it.

 

[Tom Kurowski]

I ran into the same problem after my back porch collapsed this winter. Estimates were high to begin with and when they said they could finally "show up" they said they mis-quoted and the cost will be much higher. Short story...I told them to forget it, went to home depot and lowes contractor desks, asked if they personally knew anyone who needed the work, and i got a few names. Concrete got finished, I built the wooden parts with help, then the electrical guy came in and finished. Being my own "sub-contractor" saved me money compared to the estimates and onlty added maybe an extra month to the build time.
So maybe give the contractors desk at your home improvement centers and see if they know anybody dependable....you just never know.
Good luck
tom

 

[mistysue]

Thank you for that! I didn't think to ask them about the cement- I did call a local cement factory but they gave me the guy who quoted me $15,000!

 

[yoopermom]

My DH is a independently employed mason, and what he writes into his estimates is "X price good for X number of weeks; work not scheduled by X date may be delayed or price may change". He is among the cheaper in the area, and people who have figured that out, and know that he will stand by his estimate, schedule their work immediately. Others (the procrastinators) hem and haw and wait until the first snow is in the air to call and want it done "yesterday". Usually their job will have to wait for spring, or, if it can be done so late in the season, the price is higher due to winter concrete prices, etc.

It's a shame that your contractors didn't give you binding estimates.

I would start asking anyone and everyone you know and trust (even on Facebook) who they've used for jobs in the recent past, that did a good job. When you find someone reputable, even if they say they can't get you in right now, ask to be on top of the cancellation list, or tell them that you're willing to be flexible in how they need to cut the job up/hours they can come.

It's kind of like back to school sales, contractors start to get really busy about now, and it runs right through the next few months (at least up here in the northern climes).

Sorry for your delays, though, I know it can be so frustrating!

Terri

 

[mistysue]

It's funny, I work in construction so I knew this season would be busy but when I was calling around asking for quotes back in April and May to verify my budget was correct all these cement guys acted like there was no rush- they had nothing coming up. I was trying to schedule immediately. While I was doing this and working on my plans to get the permits nobody wanted to put anything in writing unless they saw the permit. Skip to early June, I get my permits and suddenly it's like pulling teeth to get a call back. Based on my Spring conversations it sounded like I could have called anybody up June 1 and had my pick of dates.
This area has been in a real slump the last few years so I've had a few guys tell me they had no idea they would be this busy this year.

 

[Nztara]

Have you tried to negotiate on the price once it is quoted? This does work better when work is slow, but it is worth a try. It also helps to be knowledgable on material costs to know if you are being fairly quoted. Contractors get discounts at most supply stores.

 

[eliza61]

First, take a deep breath, I know it's frustrating.
Next, in all the home remodeling projects I've done and had done (and I'm currently getting ready to finish the basement in my new home) NEVER, EVER try and get a concrete price. All that does is set one up for disappointment and frustration.

yes townships have been known to raise fees over night. It sucks but they really can't call everyone the night before, now can they.

Now it maybe busy because the economy is picking up (so they say) and construction is picking up (definitely true). the increase in price is probably definitely due to the increase in demand. I don't know concrete guys but every one of my contractors prices go up in the spring/summer. They know that, that is when most folks want to start remodeling projects. I have learned that if I can wait until November my price will often be 10% cheaper.

My son is a plumber's apprentice, he is in his second year. The plumber/HVAC company he works for is definitely charging premium prices in July.

Also are you doing the work yourself? I know from my flooring guy (and he's done all 3 of my houses), do it yourselfers in his line of work will often get the least amount of discounts. as he puts it, basically your taking work away from him.

Now there maybe a couple of reasons why the concrete guys aren't getting back to you. as I said in the northeast construction is picking up. so that means the wholesalers are going to go after the big jobs first and get back to you later (not saying that's what's going on but it's possible).
April/May is two months ago, a lot could have changed.



Hang in there. it's frustrating definitely.

 

[mistysue]

Outside of doing the cement work, I am buying materials myself and work in the construction industry so I'm getting the quotes through my work email... that part is working out as far as the basic building materials. I can easily buy through lumber yards and warehouses. (boss is my dad, he supports this )

The thing I can't get around paying a massive markup on is the cement, which is really frustrating me right now. Our original plan, which I had verbal quotes for included a slab foundation and a recessed tornado shelter. We were going to go down about a foot because the water table here is high enough I don't want to think about flooding so no basement. So far by telling people what I thought it would cost ($4,500) I've gotten somebody to quote only $6,200 but it does not include a stem wall I know has to be in there and that is without the shelter. On top of the quotes being high everybody is putting every potential condition they can think of in there as a potential unquoted add. My request for quote includes detailed sketches and exact dimensions for wall heights, water levels, everything. It looks like instead of concrete walls for the shelter we are going to build the room out of cinder block and it is going to be at a cost completely outside of our budget.