Are We Expensive ?

Reasons a contractor may cost less than us:

They provide fewer services. They don’t offer design, ordering, storage and project management services. They shift those costs to you.

They estimate costs poorly.  They do not have a reliable estimating system and don’t clarify the design or scope of work before providing a bid. They are often ‘guessing’ and underprice in the estimate phase only to suprise you will higher costs later on.

They are undercharging. They don’t understand the overhead costs of running a business. This leads to bad cash flow, undertrained staff and poor service. It creates many of the ‘nightmare’ scenarios we read about.

They underpay their staff and take shorcuts. They hire the lowest cost labor, buy the cheapest insurance, and use the cheapest tools to keep prices low. But this results in high turnover, greater risk, lower quality and serice. 

The Result

A contractor that undercharges 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 the quality of work and level of service they provide.

When you hear stories of remodeling projects gone wrong these things are often the cause. Once a project starts it can be very expensive to change course. The trap of lower cost contractors is low initial price that can ‘trap’ you with surprise costs, delays and regrets.

Comparing apples to apples

If you compare us to companies that provide a similar level of quality and service you’ll find our prices are very reasonable. In fact we provide a huge value because we are the only licensed contractor in Tallahassee with a full service showroom and in house design team.

Our turn key approach saves you time and provides a proven system to make sure things are done right the first time. 

When to Choose Us and When Not To

We are well known for providing quality design, construction and exceptional service. But that just does not happen. It requires a investment in people, equipment and internal systems.

An Investment in People & The Community
We pay our staff well, provide health insurance, flexible schedules and generous time off.  This helps us attract and retain the best people but also means when you work with us you are investing in our local community in a real way.

Training and Expertise
We are not just ‘figuring things out’. We invest in the growth and training of our staff so they are the best at what they do.

Our infrastructure
Having our own showroom, warehouse and offices, branded trucks, equipment trailers and professional systems are essential for providing exceptional service.

Our subs and installers
We choose our trade partners carefully and we’ve been using many of the same subs for years. Every new trade partner goes through an onboarding process that includes a team interview, background checks, and signing our trade partner agreement that outlines our standards and expectations.

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 in 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.

“Trusting the people you are working with makes all the difference and the folks at McManus are over the top…”

Our Reviews

In an ideal world where timeline and budget were not factors we would love to help every homeonwer in Tallahassee with all their proejcts large and small.

But the reality is some projects are best left to handyman businesses, others only need a single trade contractor and others would benefit from our design build approach.

What are the Options

DIY

Pro’s: less expensive, just takes yout 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. Small paint touch ups, light maintenance and simple repairs can be done in an afternoon with a little support from YouTube.

Even larger projects can be DIY’ed, though that might mean multiple weekends of work and likely a lower quality of finish and even some design mistakes.

Handyman (unlicensed contractors) 

Pros: only option for small projects, less expensive

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

This is the category you have to be the most careful with. A Hhndyman is generally a 1 man show. The level of knowledge and training they have varies a lot. Many do handyman work as a ‘side hussle’ are really not good at any particular trade. They can be a great choice if you have a handful of small repairs  but I would avoid them for larger projects.

Most handymen are really good at 1 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.

Traditional Licensed. Contractors

Pros: state licensed, usually have more experience

Cons: often understaffed or unorganized. 

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.