User Example wrote:

I have done contract work where I had to go to the customer's site to
write software. But even then, we negotiated on a rate (time and
materials) and that's all I charged for. Granted my rate was very high
but they knew that going into the deal. So, I expect the same when some
workers come to my house to do work. I don't see the justice in paying
mexican's $150/hr to paint my house, which is about what it works out to
when you do the math.


Well, you go paint some houses for a living and see what you end up
charging as a working wage...

Well I give up. It is obvious to me that the reason that contractors
charge outrageous rates and do shoddy work is because the majority of
homeowners don't know the difference in shoddy work and good work. I'm
sure I **** the hell out of the contractors that work for me when they
don't do a good job. For instance, when the guy installing my $1800
frameless shower finished up the job and there was a chipped piece of
glass, smeared caulking, and scatches on my brand new marble shower
enclosure you are darn right I told him to get back and fix it and I
told him that I didn't appreciate him leaving a job that way. If it had
been done right the first time I would have been happy. Even still,
after 2 months of dealing with the shower guy, it still looks pretty
sloppy. I'll end up taking the glass down sometime down the road and
reinstalling and recaulking the mess. $1800 for 3 pieces of glass and
it took 2 months and 3 call backs just to get it satisfactory. That's
what I am talking about. And that's why I do anything I can do on my
own. You don't like my view? Well, then you are probably a sucker so I
don't care.

The difference between poor workmanship and the cost of doing business
are two separate arguments...you've changed the target.