I'm not just being hard on my boss. Our entire development department is extremely gun-shy from our first experience with a contractor who did lackluster work (a brand new roof is leaking 6 months after installation? A door fell off its hinges? The gas company wouldn't turn on the gas? Jigga?). To avoid those problems, on this go-round our desired scope of work is outsized: all new systems (flooring, HVAC, furnace), new cabinets, new appliances, new interior paint, new exterior paint/siding where needed, beautiful trim, no fiberglass tub surrounds, natural tile in all bathrooms and kitchens, all new fixtures. Not to mention the "green" touches that include insulation batts in the crawl space, blown-in insulation in the attic and new windows. I am here to tell you that is a pricey scope of work. One estimate came back at $69,000 -- for a $73,000 house! Obviously that is not sustainable or affordable, so we find ourselves in a quandary. We need a champagne product. We have kool-aid money.
Normally this paragraph would be the one where I tell you how we found a solution. But we haven't yet. I think we're going to have to get started on some rehab work before we can plot a reliable path to affordable quality on a large scale. My first acquisition closing is in 3 weeks., then the construction work begins. Stay tuned.
2 comments:
OMG! Why was I just pricing out closed cell spray foam insulation this weekend and swallowing HARD when I saw the estimates? I'm obviously in the wrong business. I need to be a polyeurethane spary foam installer. Of course, my kids would probably come out all fucked up from the chemicals, but at least I'd get to wear one of those cool suits they wore when they came to get E.T. and would get PAID!!
who are you telling?! when my contractor told me how much exterior siding was going to be I immediately started looking for classes to get licensed to sell it! i have always said book learning is fine, but you need to have a TRADE to get PAID.
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