Please keep in mind that all professional contractors make between 75 and 160 per hour. If this unavoidable fact is an issue then there is no way we can help you. Most young men today don't want tough jobs so there is a shortage of quality tradesmen. This unfortunate fact, including record inflation, all cause construction wages to rise.
There is a significant amount of intelligence and skill that goes into every trade. They deserve every dollar they make and shouldn't be underappreciated.
We are likely a great fit if you can say yes to these following points.
1. You realize the design process is critical, that obtaining bids from various tradesmen, making a decision as to who should be hired, meeting the demands of the government, managing the construction site and the performance of the work, all require a skilled person that performs that kind of management work on a regular basis.
2. You understand that tradesmen that perform their trade on a daily basis are going to know it far better than yourself, which is why you need professionals to rely on.
3. While you are not foolish with your funds, you have a strong understanding that with quality there is cost. You don't want to pay the highest price on the market for quality work, but you also don't have outlandish ideas of finding a contractor that will provide you with high quality work for a dirt cheap price.
4. You want a General that has an in depth knowledge of not just contracting but design as well which will make the whole process far easier.
5. You want a General that consider the whole picture then give you the information you need, to make an educated decision, on what is best for you and your home or business.
6. You want a General that will put your interests first, while being fair and honest with all tradesmen.
7. You want a General that will not accept poor work or bad work ethic, by any of the tradesmen.
8. You want a General that has experience determining construction timelines and takes the time to make sure you fully understand the process from beginning to end.
9. You want a General contractor that will never conceal anything of reasonable significance that arises at any time.
10. You want a General contractor that has a strong belief that his work is his legacy, that he has a firm belief that 100 to 150 years from now, the admiration of future tradesmen and industry professionals, as to the test of time his work has endured, is the highest achievement this industry has to offer.
1. Being a general contractor is easy. I can manage my own remodel, addition or build with ease.
2. It's possible to get high quality results yet pay the lowest price in the industry.
3. I only have to pay a contractor if I like the work, regardless if the work meets or exceeds industry standards and satisfies the contract specifics.
4. I won't pay anyone an amount that will allow them to make more money than I make or what I think they should make.
5. This guy I know that has a truck and some tools might do it cheaper.
6. I want to find one person that can do all the work himself, and because he is doing all the work himself, it will be cheaper.
7. If I want an addition I can get free quotes even if I don't have a blueprint/design made up by a professional to quote from.
8. I can get a price quote on an addition or remodel by verbally explaining what I want and what it should look like, there really doesn't have to be a professionally created blueprint/design. .
Services can be provided on a percentage basis starting at 10% of all contracts with subcontractors. This is for additions, full house remodels and new builds. A bathroom or kitchen remodel would not typically fit this type of contract. With this type of contract, we provide services as needed for design, contract bidding with the subcontractors, awarding of contracts under your supervision, permitting with authorities, management of the work to be performed and oversight of all warranty situations, and make all payments to subcontractors. All costs of the contracts with subcontractors, including structural engineers and or other licensed professionals if needed, permitting costs, etc are the total that we then use to calculate our fee. This is the most transparent method of doing business.
This is what most people are familiar with. We tell you a total price to perform the work and you either say yes or no to that price. Most people like this but this is where it gets tricky. I will explain.
Lets say you have an addition you want built. If you don't have blueprints, then what will we use to give you a price? If I do give you a price when there are no blueprints, wouldn't that mean I'm speculating on what the addition will include and will look like. If once we build it, you aren't happy with what you got for your money, who is at fault? Does the contractor give you more just because you thought you were going to get more?
Think of it like this. You want to buy a car. You go to the dealer and tell him you want a really nice one. He says oh no worries, I got a really nice one I can sell you. It will be a midsized car, red with a black interior. You say, oh that sounds lovely (while picturing a new Porche). You buy the car and then it rolls up - your new volkswagen. But of course that doesn't happen because before you buy a car you know every detail possible about the car, even being able to test drive it.
A home isn't any different except that in order to be able to demonstrate exactly what your addition will include and look like, there then has to be a lot of work involved in designing the addition and blueprints created. Its not as easy as selling a car that has detailed documents at the ready for the salesmen to show as well as the car itself, sitting there for you to inspect and test drive.
Total price contracting can only happen in an honest manner if there is a professionally produced blueprint and material selection list to price from. Anyone that shows up at your house and just throws out a number and tries to contract you on that number is a scammer or is giving you a price that is so bloated it would cover 18k gold faucets. That or the contractor is envisioning cheap everything while you are envisioning expensive everything. Either way, it is based on speculation and in a manner that if you end up not being happy, you will be finding yourself in a very uncomfortable situation.
I will say however that there are average pricing norms. A new home or addition built will be difficult for less than $200 a square foot. A basement remodel will be difficult for less than $80 a square foot. The problem with square foot pricing is that its not a measure of how to price a build in an honest manner. I could build a house for 150/ft, you probably wouldn't like it though. I could build one for 300/ft and you wouldn't want to ever leave it would be so nice. Square foot pricing while can give an idea of typical pricing, it is not concrete and a method to rely on.
Keep in mind a simple rule of thumb - if it seems too easy, it probably isn't going to end up well.
Abraham Lincoln once famously stated that "every self represented person has a fool for a lawyer". That saying is true even more so for general contracting .
A general contractor is the representative for the client to the designers, government and tradesmen. While a lawyer practices his profession, a general contractor performs it. There is no room for error and no chalking it up to practice vs performance when it comes to building a structure. If a lawyer fails representing you and you go to jail, he shrugs his shoulders and says its just a practice. However if a general contractor builds a home and it falls down on you, he can't shrug his shoulders and say "oh, but I only practice construction". A lawyer can always claim they just practice not perform legal services while a general contractor must always perform.
CD Pressley performs.
If you don't want a horror story, be willing to take the time to do things right. Contracting is a highly demanding profession that requires a significant amount of experience and skill. Trust in those that do it for a living. For the one in ten that have actually read this far, I think we would be a great fit to discuss your future goals on your home or business. We look forward to the privilege.
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