The Contractor Price Trap

The Contractor Price Trap

A lot of contractors undercharge. They either do not know how to estimate properly, they don’t undertand their overhead costs or they lack enough work so they lower prices too far.

This might sound like it benefits you but the reality is when contractors undercharge they struggle to provide consistent results and are often forced to take short cuts that affect their quality of work and level of service.

What HAppens When a contractor undercharges:

When you hear the horror stories of remodeling projects gone wrong these things are often the cause.

It affects work quality

• • They can only afford cheap, low skill labor which affect quality, communcation and service.
  • They take shortcuts or switch to cheaper materials when they realize they are losing money mid job.

It affects the project timeline 

• • They “job hop” … They need to use deposits from one job to pay the bills from the previous job which causes unexpected delays or ‘ghosting’ you during the project.
  • They don’t have time to schedule properly or order materials in advance so they are often way behind and affected by material delays

It creates surprise costs and mistakes

• • They don’t have time to create accurate estimates, so they create ‘change orders’ mid job.
  • The don’t work from well thought out plans so things get overlooked or forgotten
• • The don’t include materials in their estimate and expect you to provide everything

It affects communication and service

• • They don’t have the time or staff to keep up with client communication or schedule properly… they show up to work unannouced or don’t show up when expected.
  • They often hide from phone calls and emails becaue they are overwhelmed.

The trap of lower cost contractors is low initial price that can ‘trap’ you into a project with surprise costs, delays and regrets.

Our estimates may be higher, but they are very detailed and accurate. We hire professionals who are expert at what they do and have support to staff to make sure everything runs smoothly.

Your Options When Choosing a Contractor

DIY

Pro’s: less expensive, just takes your time

Con’s: takes up your time, quality may be lower depending on your level of expertise

For very small project DIY is often the way to go and can be very satifying. Small paint touch ups, light maintenance and simple repairs can be done in an afternoon with a little support from YouTube.

Handyman (unlicensed contractors)

Pros: Good option for small projects, potentially less expensive

Cons: no license requirement, many are unqualified, many are ‘fly by night’

They can be a great choice if you have a handful of small repairs  but I would avoid them for larger projects. Read more here: https://mcmanuskitchenandbath.com/handyman/

Most handymen are really good at one or two trades but mediocre (or terrible) at others. When hiring one try to determine what they have they most experience in and use them for that.

There are some handman businesses that are run by licensed contractors. This does not mean they are any better at any particular trade but it does mean they are likely more experienced.

Specialty Contractors

Pros: Experts at their trade. Higher quality work, done faster.

Cons: Only do one trade so not ideal for small repairs that need multiple trades.

Specialty contractors specilize in a single trade like painting, drywall, plumbing etc…  Always call a specialist over a handyman if you just need specialty work done.

Traditional Licensed Contractors

Pros: state licensed, usually have more experience

Cons: often understaffed or unorganized. Do not include design or material selection

Traditional contractors typically have worked in construction for years under another licenced contractor before getting their own license so they tend to know more about construction. They are also required by the state to carry min levels of insurance and get continuing education.

While there are some great traditional contractors in Tallahassee there are also many who lack experience and training to do higher end remodels.

Design Build Contractors

Pros: Highest level of expertise and service. Turn key approach make remodeling easier for you.

Cons: More expensive.

In a perfect world everyone would work with a design build contractor on larger remodels. They provide the most expertise and service. This category of contractor is becoming well known so so some traditional contractors are starting to call themselves ‘design build’ even though they do not have an in house design team or showroom so make sure and do your homework.

What You Can Expect from US

The best people
To be the best you have to work with the best. We attract great talent with satisfying work, good pay, provide health insurance, flexible schedules and generous time off. We provide continuing education and career training opportunites for all staff.

We also attract the best subcontractors by setting high standards, providing details plans and work scopes and supporting them on site so they can do the highest quality work.

Great ‘infrastructure’
Having our own showroom, warehouse and offices, branded trucks, equipment trailers and professional systems in place are essential to creating a professional environment and providing great quality and service.

Combined with the design and construction expertise of our staff our infrastructure is what allows us to provide the highest level of quality and service.

No shortcuts 
We don’t skimp on materials or construction standards. We are building for the long term, not providing band-aid solutions or quick fixes.  Our focus is on quality work that will last for decades.

Proper licensing and insurance
We are State Certified Residential Contractors (lic CRC1331326). Both of our designers are have degrees in interior design.

We carry a $2,000,000 general liablity, $2,000,000 commercial auto policy and workers compensation insurance provided by a reputable insurer. We require all of our trade partners to do the same.