Posted by Bud Branstetter on March 18, 2000 at 15:26:08:
Laure,
Contractors always seem to want to get rich off changes. I had a guy doing two rooms(480sq ft) with acoustic on the ceiling. He suggested two other bedrooms could use it and he was right. For only $300. He was already set up and had to clean up for the first job. Each room would have taken an additional 15 minutes to shoot. The acoustic job wasn’t bad but the painting was terrible.
Well, today was a milestone… - Posted by HR
Posted by HR on March 18, 2000 at 24:02:31:
Today I fired my first subcontractor in the rehab business. I have absolutely NO disillusions that it will be the last, either! LOL. Actually, I fired 3 today on two different job sites.
It felt so good. I don’t like firing people per se, but I had had enuf with the sloppy work and the high prices, and I told 'em it was all over. What made this more difficult was that I had never done this before in this biz, and I used these guys before with relative success and had a good relationship with them; firing a stranger would have been easier. Plus, it was me against their crew of 4, and I wanted them all to know why, and I stood my ground. I also absolutely refused to pay them the agreed upon $3000 for a plumbing job like we had verbally agreed; I gave 2 of 'em $540/each, and that’s it. I was fighting mad, and I stood my ground, and I can tell you for sure I am a better general contractor for it.
I found myself fearing that I woulden’t find someone else at their skill level and price, especially in a hot rehab market. Because of that fear, I kept these turkeys long after I should have let them go. What gave me the confidence to get rid of 'em was starting this new rehab on my fire damaged property. At every rehab I have ever done (only 5), I always get guys coming out of the woodwork to work on the side. I’ve gotten much better at screening the good from the bad. As soon as I started seeing some decent guys emerge, I realized I didn’t have to live with Curley, Larry, and Moe any longer, and the hammer dropped. I’m sure it will have a positive effect on the remaining workers, who will probably straighten up. At least for a day or two 
Anyway, Phewwwwwww! What a relief. Few things can cause more grief than a screwy sub. I’m glad they are gone and I have the guts to call a spade a spade, even with guys I had gotten very friendly with, even as one guy in front of a hostile crowd.
HR
Re: Well, today was a milestone… - Posted by Laure
Posted by Laure on March 18, 2000 at 07:08:01:
Good going ! I am woring with a new taping crew. They threw me a good price on the kitchen and bath. Then I decided to hang a new ceiling in a bedroom, and stripped off old wallpaper in that same bedroom. So, now I have a new ceiling, and raw walls that need skim coated. They wanted $600.00 !! for one room !!! And asked when I wanted them on the job. I said, well, a little too rich for my blood. The hanging contractor called me back and asked what happened? I said, it’s a lot for one room, I’ll just do it myself. He said, yea, it is a lot, and for me to call the other guy back and he would drop his price. LIKE THAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN !!! On to the next guy! He can do the job next week for way less than half. Last time it was 700 for the whole first floor of a house !
LOL
Laure 