I found a local contractor to build a deck for me out of a imported
exotic hardwood (ipe). The project involved removing an existing deck
and rebuilding it. He did seem to be very knowledgeable and
enthusiastic. He quoted me a price (labor only) approximately 70%
more than two other contractors because he did his research and knew
that this wood is difficult to work with. The suppliers of the wood
estimate labor costs approximately 50% higher than using a traditional
deck wood, so I did not think his estimate was totally unreasonable.
The other two contractors have never heard of ipe wood, and I believe
simply ignorant of the difficulty in working with this EXTREMELY hard
dense wood (all screws and holes must be predrilled, and cannot hammer
through this wood). I accepted his bid without haggling, and I told
him that I expected that he was a master craftsman, and I expected that
he is an expert, and that is why I would pay him top dollar. He
quoted me a time estimate of 2 1/2 weeks to complete the deck.

Since beginning he has taken every opportunity to charge me extra labor
costs. Firstly, on demolition of the existing deck, he said that the
existing deck posts were deeper than anticipated, and so he charged me
rental for a larger jack hammer than he had, and charged me $650 extra
($65 an hour for extra 10 hours). I told him that I was not pleased,
but agreed for him to proceed. I do not know exactly how much EXTRA
time (beyond what he expected and should have been covered by the
original bid) but I seriously doubt it was 10 hours.

Then when I discovered that the wood supplier would not unload the
delivery truck, he said he wanted to unload it, and that he needed a
fork-lift (approximately 6000 lbs total weight of wood). The
supplier told me that there were about 5 batches of wood. I told him
to go ahead, and that I could not imagine that it would take more than
an hour to unload the truck using a fork-lift. Well after this
occured, he charged me 2 1/2 hrs labor (this time he charged $75 an
hour) time. When I said that I could not understand how it could have
taken 2 1/2 hours to unload with a fork-lift, he said he examined each
piece of wood, and that is why it took that length of time. When I
complained, he asked if I wanted him to just accept lousy wood, I told
him I felt that examining the building materials should included in his
original labor bid. But I went ahead and paid him.

He has worked on the project a total of 4 days, and the posts, and
joists are all up and now he says he will be finished within a week.

I find it very f**ked-up, that he takes every opportunity to charge me
additional labor costs when he says a particular step is taking longer
than anticipated, but when and if he finishes the project in less than
half the time he said it would, why should not I request a 50% return
of the labor costs he bid. Obviously, the overall labor time is way
less than he proposed to me, why am paying for extra labor costs. Do
all contractors pay this game, and how can I prevent this in the future?

I had a similar problem when I first purchased my house. I hired the
high bidder because he was more knowledgeable and seem to have thought
of the details the others didn't. I was not satisfied with he job. He
cut a lot of corners.

I have since learned that it is sometimes better to throw out the way
high bid and the way low bid and seriously look at the middle. The high
bidder might not want the job but will do it if you overpay. The low
bidder will cut too many corners. It sounds like you need to get more
quotes to see if the high bidder was in line.


wrote:
I found a local contractor to build a deck for me out of a imported
exotic hardwood (ipe). The project involved removing an existing deck
and rebuilding it. He did seem to be very knowledgeable and
enthusiastic. He quoted me a price (labor only) approximately 70%
more than two other contractors because he did his research and knew
that this wood is difficult to work with. The suppliers of the wood
estimate labor costs approximately 50% higher than using a traditional
deck wood, so I did not think his estimate was totally unreasonable.
The other two contractors have never heard of ipe wood, and I believe
simply ignorant of the difficulty in working with this EXTREMELY hard
dense wood (all screws and holes must be predrilled, and cannot hammer
through this wood). I accepted his bid without haggling, and I told
him that I expected that he was a master craftsman, and I expected that
he is an expert, and that is why I would pay him top dollar. He
quoted me a time estimate of 2 1/2 weeks to complete the deck.

Since beginning he has taken every opportunity to charge me extra labor
costs. Firstly, on demolition of the existing deck, he said that the
existing deck posts were deeper than anticipated, and so he charged me
rental for a larger jack hammer than he had, and charged me $650 extra
($65 an hour for extra 10 hours). I told him that I was not pleased,
but agreed for him to proceed. I do not know exactly how much EXTRA
time (beyond what he expected and should have been covered by the
original bid) but I seriously doubt it was 10 hours.

Then when I discovered that the wood supplier would not unload the
delivery truck, he said he wanted to unload it, and that he needed a
fork-lift (approximately 6000 lbs total weight of wood). The
supplier told me that there were about 5 batches of wood. I told him
to go ahead, and that I could not imagine that it would take more than
an hour to unload the truck using a fork-lift. Well after this
occured, he charged me 2 1/2 hrs labor (this time he charged $75 an
hour) time. When I said that I could not understand how it could have
taken 2 1/2 hours to unload with a fork-lift, he said he examined each
piece of wood, and that is why it took that length of time. When I
complained, he asked if I wanted him to just accept lousy wood, I told
him I felt that examining the building materials should included in his
original labor bid. But I went ahead and paid him.

He has worked on the project a total of 4 days, and the posts, and
joists are all up and now he says he will be finished within a week.

I find it very f**ked-up, that he takes every opportunity to charge me
additional labor costs when he says a particular step is taking longer
than anticipated, but when and if he finishes the project in less than
half the time he said it would, why should not I request a 50% return
of the labor costs he bid. Obviously, the overall labor time is way
less than he proposed to me, why am paying for extra labor costs. Do
all contractors pay this game, and how can I prevent this in the future?

wrote:
I found a local contractor to build a deck for me out of a imported
exotic hardwood (ipe). The project involved removing an existing deck
and rebuilding it. He did seem to be very knowledgeable and
enthusiastic. He quoted me a price (labor only) approximately 70%
more than two other contractors because he did his research and knew
that this wood is difficult to work with. The suppliers of the wood
estimate labor costs approximately 50% higher than using a traditional
deck wood, so I did not think his estimate was totally unreasonable.
The other two contractors have never heard of ipe wood, and I believe
simply ignorant of the difficulty in working with this EXTREMELY hard
dense wood (all screws and holes must be predrilled, and cannot hammer
through this wood). I accepted his bid without haggling, and I told
him that I expected that he was a master craftsman, and I expected that
he is an expert, and that is why I would pay him top dollar. He
quoted me a time estimate of 2 1/2 weeks to complete the deck.

Since beginning he has taken every opportunity to charge me extra labor
costs. Firstly, on demolition of the existing deck, he said that the
existing deck posts were deeper than anticipated, and so he charged me
rental for a larger jack hammer than he had, and charged me $650 extra
($65 an hour for extra 10 hours). I told him that I was not pleased,
but agreed for him to proceed. I do not know exactly how much EXTRA
time (beyond what he expected and should have been covered by the
original bid) but I seriously doubt it was 10 hours.

Then when I discovered that the wood supplier would not unload the
delivery truck, he said he wanted to unload it, and that he needed a
fork-lift (approximately 6000 lbs total weight of wood). The
supplier told me that there were about 5 batches of wood. I told him
to go ahead, and that I could not imagine that it would take more than
an hour to unload the truck using a fork-lift. Well after this
occured, he charged me 2 1/2 hrs labor (this time he charged $75 an
hour) time. When I said that I could not understand how it could have
taken 2 1/2 hours to unload with a fork-lift, he said he examined each
piece of wood, and that is why it took that length of time. When I
complained, he asked if I wanted him to just accept lousy wood, I told
him I felt that examining the building materials should included in his
original labor bid. But I went ahead and paid him.

He has worked on the project a total of 4 days, and the posts, and
joists are all up and now he says he will be finished within a week.

I find it very f**ked-up, that he takes every opportunity to charge me
additional labor costs when he says a particular step is taking longer
than anticipated, but when and if he finishes the project in less than
half the time he said it would, why should not I request a 50% return
of the labor costs he bid. Obviously, the overall labor time is way
less than he proposed to me, why am paying for extra labor costs. Do
all contractors pay this game, and how can I prevent this in the future?

This is where having relatives in the Mafia pays off. I'm not kidding.
(Unless the contractor has relatives in the Mafia).