Estimates that make you go hmmmmmmmm....

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We got 2 estimates 2 replace basedboards in 2 bedrooms including closets and a hallway. Our linear footage is 165.

One guy used a tape measure and measured only 1 dimension--but said roughly 200 feet and his estimate was $400 installed, but not painted. Okay--no biggie, but thought it was weird that he didn't measure precisely.

Today estimator #2 comes along--WITHOUT a tape measure...eyeballs it. Says about 200 feet. The price...installed and painted: $2400. Hubby also had him price matching the door jams (2 doors, 3 sides needing updated..we already did one frame on one side + 2 closets) and that was $1800. $300 if he had to move furniture. Total...$3400.

$400 guy would take half a day (we just move furniture to the center of the room)...2nd guy wanted 2 days--we (or he) moves all the furniture to one room and then the next day flop it around.

WTH is that 2nd guy smoking?????????????

FTR 2.5 years ago..we had all our carpet removed, tack boards removed, 2 rooms of tile removed and our terrazo floors grinded down, cleaned and polished for the SAME price as what the 2nd board guy was quoting (and that job was 6-8 hours per day for a week and a half and they moved each and every piece of furniture in every room of the house).

Seriously--$3400 to replace 165 of baseboards and a couple of door mouldings?

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

Good grief! Where do these people come up with their numbers?! $3400??!

We had our two front trees trimmed last spring - a Jacoranda and a Sycamore - and the estimates were all over the place. One company said $1200 and they'd do it all in one day and do all the clean up as well. A second company said $1500 over 2 days with no clean up, and the third company said $3500, it would take a week and they would do a "limited" clean up (only the branches that the yard waste collection wouldn't take). We went with the cheapest bid, and they did a fantastic job and the clean up was above and beyond what was necessary - they swept and hosed down our entire driveway, front patio, and all the sidewalk and walkways!

 

[Taylor]

Just be careful. The low bidder is not always the best bidder.

 

[chrissyk]

That's insane (and par for the course in my experience). It seems like the estimates we get for anything are all over the place. We had the same experience with the first house we renovated (in another state). I remember one painter who wanted 9K to paint the inside of our very small house When we put in hardwood, the estimates ranged from 6K-12K for the same job We went with the 6K people and they did a great job. I doubt that we would have gotten a doubly good job by paying double

Replacing baseboards and door frames is pretty easy BTW. We replaced all the ones that the previous owners hadn't gotten to, and it was a pretty simple project. The toughest part was getting the materials home, but the new Lowes would make that part much easier.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

chrissy--let me add....though I don't like LOWE's right now....my carpet INSTALLED (and they do move the furniture) in both of these rooms...was for the same price....and it takes more people, though it will be completed in one day.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Replacing baseboards and door frames is pretty easy BTW. We replaced all the ones that the previous owners hadn't gotten to, and it was a pretty simple project. The toughest part was getting the materials home, but the new Lowes would make that part much easier.

Hubby refuses and that's all I will say about that. He just doesn't want to deal with the corners. He would prefer to put up crown moulding b/c of the cheating corners you can get.

And Lowe's--if I never purchase anything again from that location (wahh....we're on a learning curve...wahhhh...we understand your POV, we are still new though...)..

it will be too soon.

 

[snowwite]

Does your state have liscenced contractors? Be sure you check thier numbers and if there are complaints pending. My ex is a contracter. He said get 3-4estimates and toss the low and the high one out.

 

[chrissyk]

chrissy--let me add....though I don't like LOWE's right now....my carpet INSTALLED (and they do move the furniture) in both of these rooms...was for the same price....and it takes more people, though it will be completed in one day.

The $3400 estimate is way high, but I think that the $400 estimate is actually low unless it doesn't include materials.

The new Lowes is pretty nice physically, but their customer service bites so far.

The actual job of installing trim is easy if either of you are even moderately handy. We found it to be one of the easier renovation projects that we've done on this house so far.

 

[brmom]

Ask the low bidder if he carries his own liability insurance. I bet he does not. That type of thing would add significantly to his costs.

 

[chrissyk]

Hubby refuses and that's all I will say about that. He just doesn't want to deal with the corners. He would prefer to put up crown moulding b/c of the cheating corners you can get.

And Lowe's--if I never purchase anything again from that location (wahh....we're on a learning curve...wahhhh...we understand your POV, we are still new though...)..

it will be too soon.

Yes, their customer service bites for sure...this week they made us wait 30 minutes to buy a showerhead. They CLOSED the aisle while the store was open and full of people If we hadn't needed the stupid shower head so badly, we would have left and not returned

My DH said the same thing about the corners, but they're actually easier on the baseboards than they are on the crown molding. We had our friend who is a contractor come show us how to do it when he was down visiting us. He showed us, and told us to "do our best and caulk the rest" DH did his best with the trim, and I did a fine job of caulking the rest

 

[chrissyk]

Ask the low bidder if he carries his own liability insurance. I bet he does not. That type of thing would add significantly to his costs.

Oh yes, definitely listen to this advice. When we put in our screen room, only ONE contractor that we called for an estimate was licensed and insured One guy told me that he didn't have either, and that I was only the 2nd person who'd ever asked him for either Um, yeah...we didn't go with him

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Ask the low bidder if he carries his own liability insurance. I bet he does not. That type of thing would add significantly to his costs.

2nd guy goes out and hires a crew....that is what added to his cost. I guess he must contract out the use of the tape measurer.

 

[chrissyk]

2nd guy goes out and hires a crew....that is what added to his cost. I guess he must contract out the use of the tape measurer.

Why would anyone need a "crew" to install 160 ft. of baseboard At best, they would just be getting in each other's way!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The $3400 estimate is way high, but I think that the $400 estimate is actually low unless it doesn't include materials.

It would cost us $200 to do it....so $200 plus materials for him to do it, didn't seem low to us at all.

I guess we are weird and don't really expect much considering the job will be done in 3-4 hours. (we aren't doing the whole house and this is ONLY 165 linear feet.)

 

[Taylor]

The actual job of installing trim is easy if either of you are even moderately handy. We found it to be one of the easier renovation projects that we've done on this house so far.

Trimming a room can either be very easy or very difficult. The biggest factor is if the trim will be painted or stained. If it is painted, caulk will cover the mistakes. If it is stained it is much more difficult.

Personally I look at it as an art form. I have trimmed our entire house in oak and cherry. I buy rough lumber and plane it and shape it the way I want. You will never see any trim available like we have in our house.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Why would anyone need a "crew" to install 160 ft. of baseboard At best, they would just be getting in each other's way!!

"Hi--I'm mister contractor. Your job is too small so I am going to charge you through the nose."

I just read his business card---soooo not the focus of his business to do this.

 

[reddixie]

Sometimes a contractor will say a high price to get out of doing a job. They don't want to say no but they don't want the job either. As for cost I looked at Lowe's site http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?acti...e&No=84&Ne=8000&category=Moulding&N=0 5001958 and it looks like you will spend about 280.00 on primed baseboard. Therefore labor should be about the same. Baseboard is time consuming to install. That maybe why the quote of 400.00 if labor only. That is the one I would go with. The other guy is crazy.

 

[pppiglet]

Here's another......I was at the vet and asked them how much to get a kitty spayed. They said they'd have to call me with an estimate. ????? Isn't it just a flat price? Well, they left a message on my phone saying $485!

I went in and asked to see the estimate and told them take off all the extra's and leave only what the cat had to have. Got it down to $135.

I did check out the clinic ($45) but it was dirty, smelled, and disgusting! I would never take my cat there!

 

[sewer]

You have to be kidding be! It's not hard to install baseboard. For that kind of money you could buy a power miter saw plus materials, and buy me drinks do it yourself, and have money left over!