Finding general contractor.

Hilljackoutlaw

Hilljackoutlaw

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So we have a few projects going on at the house that I have taken as far as I will take them. So for 2 months I have been trying to get in touch with a half a dozen or so general contractors with no luck. I realize they are super busy in these covid times, but what cracks me up is that after multiple voice-mail, texts, and emails to two specific outfits over the last couple months with ZERO response at all. My wife calls them this morning and magically 2 bids are scheduled within the next week. Weird...
 
noharleyyet said:
Have you received quote/quotes?
Click to expand...
Yes received one late last summer got on the list. Didn't get to me before cold weather kept in contact and a few weeks ago guy calls and said it was just no way they could get to me covered up in work. Referred me to another company and got the quote this week from that company. They say maybe August they can get me in.
 
Hilljackoutlaw said:
what cracks me up is that after multiple voice-mail, texts, and emails to two specific outfits over the last couple months with ZERO response at all. My wife calls them this morning and magically 2 bids are scheduled within the next week. Weird...
Click to expand...
It might be the message left. People are so busy they only want to invest the time in projects they are likely to get. Something as simple as the difference between saying "I wanted to get some bids" and "I want to redo my kitchen". Bids don't pay for my kid's tuition, completed contracts do.

Your wife also might have name dropped referrals. Some general contractors and real estate agents I've gotten great referrals from, I jump on those bids even if I'm too busy to do the work, if nothing else I can give them a rough estimate and the names of contractors I recommend.

Also, size matters. A two day job isn't as worthwhile as a two month job.

Some materials like OSB are up $400%. If you're smart you are paying through the nose for labor. A little better than unskilled labor doesn't cut it anymore, no criminals. Everyone covered by comp.
 
I would hate to be in the position of needing a contractor. Once you select one then the next trick is getting them to show up.

when I contracted the log work on the house, I was told it would take 14 days. It actually took only 13 days but over four months. It took me the month of November to put a roof on it with the help of my wife. Got my elk early and no snow till Dec. The windows took a year. Was livable in four years. Persistance!!!
 
diamond hitch said:
I would hate to be in the position of needing a contractor. Once you select one then the next trick is getting them to show up.

when I contracted the log work on the house, I was told it would take 14 days. It actually took only 13 days but over four months. It took me the month of November to put a roof on it with the help of my wife. Got my elk early and no snow till Dec. The windows took a year. Was livable in four years. Persistance!!!
Click to expand...

Yea it sucks, I can do most of the work but with the new baby and family visiting pretty much from mid July to October on and off I just don't have the time.
 
Wife and I decided to invest in a new pool last year. So beganeth the nightmare.....

Day one.... hit solid rock. “This is gonna get expensive quick” he says. 🤬

Finishing up now a year later but the contractor PTSD will, I think, take far longer to recover from. Still, I realize other people are having worse experiences and less to show for it due to shortages, price increases, shoddy work and no shows. You pays your money and takes your chances I guess.
 
Hilljackoutlaw said:
So we have a few projects going on at the house that I have taken as far as I will take them. So for 2 months I have been trying to get in touch with a half a dozen or so general contractors with no luck. I realize they are super busy in these covid times, but what cracks me up is that after multiple voice-mail, texts, and emails to two specific outfits over the last couple months with ZERO response at all. My wife calls them this morning and magically 2 bids are scheduled within the next week. Weird...
Click to expand...
That's the supernatural power of a woman.
 
Agreed, many contractors lack good social skills/politeness to simply return a phone call. Its like wearing a mask...easy.
Flip side, home owners calling in June wanting something done in the next couple of weeks.
Admittedly what voice-mail is more interesting, a friendly woman's voice or a pushy, take charge mans voice.
My favorite clients are women who know what they want without an attitude.
Nature of the beast, I guess.
 
Addicting said:
Me too
Click to expand...
@Addicting , if you find a contractor that does your job and is willing to drive to the Flint area let me know. I have a complete tearout and remodel for my 2nd story that I've been trying to just get people to show up to give me a quote since March. Only had one guy show up and he quoted $150k without even looking at it... :mad::mad::mad:
 
I started in Oct of last year and the building contractor put the first pole was in the ground 3 weeks ago. I had a asphalt guy call me back about the new drive, but we played phone tag. I got his voicemail and left 2 separate messages weeks apart. Never heard from him.
 
I am a general contractor so I'll offer my $0.02. It is absolutely crazy out there right now. Everyone has been sitting at home over the past year dreaming up home improvement projects. My biggest challenge right now is getting product on-site. Something that used to be 2-3 weeks out, now might be 2-3 months out (windows) and that's if you're lucky. I actually try my best to proactively eliminate new calls coming in, my website has said booking for 2022 since the first of the year and my voicemail says the same.

I say all this because even with the "please don't call" message, I still get multiple calls per day saying "we NEED you to come out and give us an free estimate"... fail. I listen to a call from a new customer VERY carefully and almost all of my business is word of mouth or repeat clients regardless, so I weigh each potential new client very carefully and I actually do return calls saying I won't be able to help. I can say with confidence that right now anyone with a heartbeat is busy, anyone who is actually good literally doesn't have the time to answer their phone. I only post this as more of a PSA for anyone looking for a contractor at the moment, know that their phone is ringing non-stop and you had better work at giving them a reason to call you back. Don't mean to sound conceited but it's a reality, weather your a one man band, or are running five crews, there's only so much you can get to.

The one red flag, and a reason you may not be getting calls back is "So we have a few projects going on at the house that I have taken as far as I will take them." About the last thing I want to deal with is a homeowner who has done a bunch of work (reality is there's good chance we'll be tearing most of that out) and they're not going to want to hear that. And again, remember our phones ring 20x per day (while we're dangling from a ladder). So before you make that call think hard before you leave that message saying what you NEED from the GC on the end of the line.

Doubtful this helps but it's the reality of those of us in the trades right now.
 
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