I see that many good general contractors contribute to Breaktime. I’d be grateful for advice.
(1) How should a customer find a good general contractor?
– yellow pages?
– word of mouth?
– active jobsites?
– better business bureau?
– post to Breaktime’s help-wanted folder?
(2) How can a customer recognize a reasonable price?
– materials cost times two?
(Specifically, I want new clapboard siding installed on my old Boston triple decker (3066 square feet of wall area).)
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Replies
First off, I would suggest calling friends who have had work done. The best reference is a satisified customer. Then once you have some names, you might call your local building dept. (if you have one) to assure any necessary licensing is in order)
As far as cost...just remember you get what you pay for and the "Sour taste of a job gone bad far outlasts the sweetness of a good deal"
Mike
I would ditto what Mike said. Word of mouth is best in my book. Otherwise, current, see-able, verifiable references.
Price vs. Value<!----><!---->
It is unwise to pay too much but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you loose a little money - that is all. When you pay too little you sometimes lose everything because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot- it can not be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for the better.<!---->
<!---->
Josh Ruskin<!---->
English Philosopher<!---->
1819-1900I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
Mike, IMERC, and Eric - Thanks for the good advice to an "Owner".Much of Breaktime's discussion is from the "Contractor" point of view:
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=50132.1FYI Google found this site which might be useful:
http://www.contractors.com/
FYI Google found this site which might be useful:http://www.contractors.com/
fwiw; THAT is NOT word of mouth.
'Bout as far away from it as you can get.
Good contractors rely heavily on word of mouth, and the only way they will get 'good' word of mouth is to do good work and make their clients happy and satisfied.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
triple decker...
materials times three fer starters plus lifts and staging... that's just to get a handle..
proud member of the FOR/FOS club...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
in Boston?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
yes, in Boston. Why did you ask?
It was Imerc that I asked the Q. Wondered if he would think same of prices if he focused on the fact that it was in a city with almost no parking.
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
sure...
change of pace for ya and yur closer than I am...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Concur, by and large. Referrals are the best advertising, and you can't buy them. Despite the wealth of people who tell you to check references or see work, few people actually do that. Do that. I think I'd fall over if someone actually asked me for a reference. Nobody ever has.
Turn on your personality radar. You're going to be in close quarters with this person for awhile. Are you going to get along or just be really glad the work is all outside?
Gut instincts are right more often than not. If you trust a guy on meeting him, (or dont), put stock in that assessment. And obviously trust runs both ways. Its WAY in your best interest to have someone working for you who likes and trusts you. If you're hard to deal with, you're making a bed you'll have to sleep in.
Personally, I think the BBB is a big racket. If you pay a fee, you're in. Whoopteedo. The only useful thing that I have found with them is they track complaints on members, so if the person is a member, you can look them up on the local website. That can be worthwhile. A single complaint, I wouldn't sweat much. Id also compare them to their peers. But if you look at 10 siding companies and one of them has 8 in the last 6 months and the other 9 have zilch, thats where the BBB info is worthwhile.
"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain
Thank you for the advice
What part of Boston? I'm from Danvers. I would get around $1.00 per sq ft to strip, $4.50 per sq ft to side with primed beveled ceder. Dumpster $1200 + or - . Prices will vary based on location, hight! permits,how far to a dunkin donuts lol etc.I would definatly check refrences. Don't be afraid to ask at a real lumber yard! not HD or Lowes. I know there are a few other contractors here that live in your area maybe they can recomend someone. If you wait till summer i'm sure someone will do it for red sox tix lol. Your on the right track. Good luck
All Things Wood!
Stephen Prunier Carpentry
Hey SP-Small world...we used to live in Beverly. Now we live in the western suburbs, near Maynard, Action, Sudbury, etc
I consider myself a fairly good find as contractors go. I almost never advertise and get work thru referals.
That means that you would know somebody who has had me do a job for them and that mutual contact gave me a good recommendation so you called to see if I could do the work.
Word of mouth.
my bigger reaction though was that anybody would consider any kind of relationship between labor and materials in ratios like that has very little knowledge of Contracting. Not to beat up on you, because I have been amazed to hear some so-called contractors state similarly.
For instance, I can buy claps for anywhere from .37 to 1.80. The labor is close to the same for any of them. Given your formula, the labour cost might go from seventy five cents up to three sixty, regarless of whether it is easy access rancher or a five storey in city.
The way to know if the price is fair is find a reputable contractor, and if in doubt, get a couple estimates to compare. aSk specific pertinenrt questions about the details and check the work and references of the contractors
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
isn't DieselPig from around that area?
Siding .... that's right up his framing alley.
Just found out we have a friend that swicthed jobs and is in Boston now ...
was gonna ask to see who works around the area.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA