Well I quit, might as well sell the darn cabin

[ChrystalPaths]

Well, I do believe I'll just throw my hands up in the air and kiss my dream goodbye.

I have had 2 guys that were to finish my kitchen. First one decided July 4th he can't do it so we get another guy and he promises it'll be done by Oct 1st. He said he couldn't do it either, too busy on Sept 27th. THEN I find a really nice guy not too far away, private contractor, he comes last Wed nite to look it over, I really liked him and today his wife calls me to say............$5500

.

MARTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok, here's the deal. You saw the pics months ago. Floor is finished, I did the cupboards myself. Painted the boxes w/ 3 coats of paint and then polyed the doors 4 times. That's paint and sand 3 times, w/ 1 final shiny coat. They look so cute and country. I bought the coutertop formica and the 1" fiberboard (kinda like thick cardboard), I have the adhesive, I need 4 electrical outlets, I have the plugs, the wires are there hanging ready for the plugs. The plumbing is already through the floor for the sink. I need the fronts of the island finished but also said we could do that ourselves.

I called yesterday and told the wife that he could separate the estimate into parts. I NEED the countertop done and plumbing and electirc in the kitchen, we can work the rest later on.

At $50/hr (I'm guestimating now) it would take him 14/8 hr days to complete this job. How can this be?

Marty I am out there, how on earth can it cost $5500 when I have all the materials here!

I am so unhappy, no devistated. My home is all done except for this bit, I just can't winter in the cellar again.

 

[Miniv]

Yes, that does sound excessive!

Does he realize you have all the material -- that all you need is the labor????

MA

 

[Horse Hugs]

Are you sure he wants to do the job? Maybe he is making the bid so high because he doesn't really have time to do it? I don't know- just trying to make a guess.

It is so hard to find someone willing to do smaller jobs. I know what you are going through- it's very frustrating. I found the best handyman in the world through the Penny Saver. I needed a small job done down at the barn and I figured it would be a good way to try someone out. He turned out to be very capable, honest and a perfectionist. I had him do one small job at the house afterwards but I was so impressed with his work that I give his name out to everyone around here. Now I know if I ever need something done I have somebody I can call.

 

[Sanny]

That is WAY too high, maybe she mixed up your bid with someone elses??

YOU HAVE ALL THE MATERIALS!!!!!

We have a guy that does great work for about $25 an hour and to me what you need done sounds like about a days work. It doesn't make sense. I've gotten a lower estimate than that to have someone come in and tear out what I have and put in custom GRANITE countertops.

 

[Bess Kelly]

Maybe she didn't see the decimal point????? $550.00 sounds more like it.

I would sure call him and ask for breakdown and explanation for the costs.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

$5500? That's outragous! Setting formica yourself is not that hard and if you are doing the other things yourself, you could easily do this.

Just go to one of the DIY websites and you'll see it's not that hard.

Iv'e done several formica counter tops in my day and it's really not that hard. As m'yhubby lovingly teases me when I do a project, "It's so easy even a girl can do it," Then I punch him

 

[user 488]

NO WAY!

Somebody is really trying to take advantage of you. I also think you need to take off a zero. I just redid my entire kitchen. I have 144 square feet

(lots of counterspace) and had a high end granite installed and it was just around 10k with tear out of old countertops and installation of the new tops.

Carol

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Well, I decided to call this guy and I spoke to his wife again. I was nice and honest and asked if perhaps I had not heard her correctly. Nope, $5500.

Now that is $40/hr for him and her equaling $80/hr and he figures 64 hrs to do the kitchen and the electric/plumbing and finishing the exterior of the island. Sorry...no sale. BIG SIGH>>>>>>>>>>>

SO...I have a few other number I got today and I have one fellow coming tomorrow afternoon to see it. WE'll see.

Shirley..believe me I have considered doing it myself but right now I am in so much pain. For some reason my neck and back are killing me, I wonder if mowing the paddock had something to do with it?

I know I'm stupid!

Had to be done one last time! Honest...they came in with stick tights in their forelocks!

Can't have that and Shain doesn't know how to drive the Woods mower, it's a ride on so I really didn't think it would kill me. WRONG!!!!!

Thanks for your support. I didn't think I was that far out of the 1900's.

time wise I mean.

 

[capall beag]

Oh Deb, that is terrible!

I don't know what your kitchen looks like but $5,500 is a lot of money!!!!

$40 per hour seems very reasonable but it seems very excessive to take that many hours to do what you have explained!

Hang in there I am sure it will all come right, I certainly hope so!

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

Oh Deb, I'm sorry you are hurting. If I wasn't in about the same shape, I'd come our to visit you and help you do it free of charge. There must be someone who does good work in your area for a reasonable price. I recall there is a small contractor website of people in every state that are licenced and bonded AND do small jobs that are reasonable but I can't think what it was called. Hmmm, I think it was on the DIY network website. You might do a search and see if you can find them. I have to go take care of the Daisy but if you haven't found it when I come back, I'll try searching around for you.

 

[Marty]

Hold on, I am doing some figuring here for you.

You are most definately being taken for a ride.

Be right back.

 

[Marty]

Give me the measurements of both countertops separately for my estimate.

Are the countertops built in the first place or do they need to be built too?

 

[Denise]

Dont give up yet. Just keep searching and the right contractor will come along. We started remodeling our bathroom in April and had to fire the first contractor. We put the door back on the bathroom and called it quits-we were so disgusted. I finally started searching again and found an awesome contractor at a decent price and now our bathroom will finally be finished very soon. Hang in there-they are out there but can be hard to find-keep interviewing and check those references and the BBB. Good Luck!

 

[ChrystalPaths]

I'll take some pics in the am Marty but for now...yes they need to be built. I have that cardboard thick stuff that you put the formica on. Just needs to be cut to size. The formica I have is not the proper size so there will be a seam in each countertop. Oh well.

Formica measures 1 pc 60x120, 1 pc 60x96, I have the front strips and the adhesive.

The countertops measure from the fride to the corner 100" & from that corner to the stove 64" (give or take a bit, I can remeasure tomorrow. The island measures sink side 72" and the other side 80". Does that make any sense?

Thanks Marty, I figure I cound have Jerry and boys come up for $5500.

It is such a tiny kitchen! Sheesh.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

I think it's going to be difficult to give Deb an accurate estimate. Labor varies so widely from state to state, even county to county. The east coast is as bad or worse for labor rates than on the west. Ballpark labor estimates for something similar here would be a stunner to those in southern states but to us it's reasonable. For instance my ex has a hourly rate of $85.00 for difficult jobs but he'll do a flat rate bid on jobs he knows he can get in and out fast. For my friends, he tends to cut them a great deal because I do his materials cost estimating, billing and payroll so he does things almost at cost for them.

 

[Marty]

OK first off a job like that would not be going by the square foot prices to begin with. We would charge $25.00 an hour for it here in the south, going price but since you are up north, $40.00 an hour would not be unreasonable. Jerry would do it in a day tops, unless a sink would need to be installed or cut in, that he would have to plumb or something like that, then a full day barring no complications.

Of course this is very ruff not seeing the job first to see how many cuts etc. and I just went back to see the countertops needed to be built, still a piece of cake, so Jerry said probably add on another day to that to build them which would include all plumbing and that kind of junk. (He's fast but why so slow on my barn I swear..........) Still $40.00 an hour would be appropriate for your area.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Well you send Jerry on up, I'll pay $50/hr and I'll feed him and care for him.

I do need to have the sink installed and plumbed and 4 outlets put in, but the wires are at the walls and hanging there. The plumbing is standing up out of the floor just needs attaching and then we will finish off the back side of the island with pine or tin or something.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Well, I spoke w/ my husband last nite (long distance) and he says we'll just have to see.

What he doesn't understand is I have been living in this CELLAR for 9 yrs. I was promised 5 yrs and that was 4 too many. My kids are grown and I'm NOT getting any younger! BIG SIGH. I have a very bad feeling it isn't going to happen this year either.

Hey Shirley, do you really think Shain & I could manage it? Probably wouldn't look perfect but I'm down to thinking about putting cut pine boards across the tops of the counters and smacking contact paper on them suckers! Presto...countertops!

 

[Marty]

I he could, he'd be up there in a New York minute but he's swamped here with work and people waiting just like you. He's always in demand here and that's a good thing.

If I were you, I would take myself to Lowe's and speak to their manager. They have people there that will come out and do installations very reasonable, atleast here they offer the service. The new one here has been trying to get Jerry to supervise all their construction work that goes out in the field, but they can't pay him enough so that's how come I know they work pretty cheap on most things. They shouldn't gouge you.

I really know how you feel Debi. Ten years here and my house is still a wreck and getting worse by the minute. I really fear that these 60 foot oak trees will end up in my living room at any time.

People are building thier barns in a month but why mine has to take two years is beyond belief when my present barn is caving in and leaking. So I atleast moved my tack over, hung cabinets and shelves, and set up what little I could by myself.

Debi, why don't you just live up and downstairs. Move what you can upstairs into the part that is finished ???

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Bedrooms & bath are totally completed. Moving up there is my #1 goal. When I bought my materials from Home Depot I asked if they would install it and was told no. I had a fellow here last nite and will see what he says. He is going to see if he can juggle some of his work and at least get my countertops on and the sink put in. Two days he figures. I should know by Monday. Sigh. I'll figure out the plumbing and electrical. To be so close and not be able to get there is so painful. I just don't know how I can deal with another winter in the cellar. I know for a fact I'll lose it. I'd rather live in the barn.