Having trouble getting contractor bids?

[NXGTS]

I thought we had a bad economy and everyone is looking for work. I've made over a dozen calls asking for quotes and only 2 called back. Another told me I was being unrealistic to only ask for bids for specific parts of the build.

It is going to be a 30x48 stick built garage. I asked for bids for a septic installer. It will have a half bath. I need to get bids and drawing submitted to the health department to get a septic permit. Once the septic permit is issued I can get the building permit. I've called no less than 3 licenced installers, one of them 3 times. None called back.

I was going to have a professional do the foundation. I was going to frame it out. Then I wanted to have someone come in and set the trusses. I was willing to do the rest. Is that being unrealistic? The general said I wanted to do all the easy work and leave the rest for a contractor. It looks like I may just get the foundation and septic done then do everything else. I am just floored by the lack of response from contractors.

 

[Rockey]

There are contractors out there that will do just the foundation work. I had 2 bids to build mine but both were refered by friends. You need to ask around there are plenty of contractors to do the type of projects you need done.

 

[Kev442]

A contractor wants to do the entire job, so he can hide his huge margins in the whole thing. I would think you could rent a crane to set the trusses up on top and install them yourself.

 

[Robbo]

Funny, I've had the same experience here trying to get bids for a patio cover. People just won't call me back, or one guy came out then never got back with me after that. Guess they've got enough business. I'm not going to chase someone down... I figure if they're hard to get ahold of/ non-communicative now... after they have some money it will only be worse. Going to do it myself.

Rob

 

[iagsxr]

. I was going to frame it out. Then I wanted to have someone come in and set the trusses.

We have a couple cranes and set a lot of trusses. I don't think that any of the contractors I work with that would do that.

 

[larry_g]

Neighbor bought trusses from a truss mfg who delivered and set them. So shop your local truss mfg and see what they can do for you.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[bdyj]

I know how you feel. It seems like you have to make 10 calls for 2 quotes.
I also built my garage the same way you are.
Had someone do the foundation. I built the walls and put up the trusses, had someone do the roof ( don't like heights ).
I am almost done doing the siding and have been calling electricians to get power out to it. Seven calls 2 quotes.
It is fustrating but hopefully all the call helps weed though the riff raft and you get someone that will do a good job.

 

[chief ben]

In Arkansas what we call a Good Contractor is!
"" One That Just Show's Up Every Day ""

 

[trailwart]

getting the foundation done should not be a problem. the trusses on the other hand may be an issue. we build all of our own barns, we have barn building get together, we have done about 11 of them for cousins, uncles, brothers and so on. we use no equipment when setting trusses, we just run em up extension ladders peak down, set em in place and flip em. we have done enough of them and have a system down to set em all in about 2-3 hours. if you had a company within 5 miles i could see it being worked into there schedule, but a few hour job will mostly ruin a whole day for the crew with travel if its a distance. the businesses that are doing good usually wont take a job that they cant make money on, and figure a crew of 4 or 5 at least to knock it out and what they would have to charge and it probably being the only job that crew will get that day isn't smart for the business and the crew

another way to look at it. A good independent automotive shop is loaded with engine replacements that pays good money with good profit from each engine job done and work lined up for weeks for there techs. Do you think they would try to squeeze in an oil change or tire rotation? NO, unless its the bosses wife. no money in it.

 

[NXGTS]

Yeah, I see the point being made but as with most of the people on here I am more of a DIYer. I did get a decent quote for the foundation last night. As far as the trusses I will probably do that myself. The only issue is, can I get enough people together to do it manually? These are 30' trusses with an 8/12 pitch. It seems like more than a couple guys can handle by hand. If I can get 5 or 6 together maybe. It looks like I may just rent a Gradeall and set them the easy way. The only issue there is that they are $500/day rental.

 

[trailwart]

we have done 32 wides and 40 wides, from 10-14 high. we run 1 side up the ladder to a guy sitting up top, then do the same on the other side. throw the rope to the guy up top in the middle, while he is pulling the rope to flip, we are using boards to help flip it. 6 guys would be better than 5 for sure. we mark where each 1 need to sit before we lift the first 1 so we know where they need to sit, not wasting time with each 1. first and last are easiest, second is the toughest and its gravy from there.

 

[IndyGarage]

So what you are really saying is you can't get anybody to do the job on the cheap. Of course not.

People are hurting for money right now, but the cheap and not very good guys (and the ones who can't make a profit) are already out of business, so you're not talking to them.

Probably as soon as you said you were going to frame it yourself, they shied away, because they have no idea of your framing skills. Will it be done right or like an amateur would do? They don't know, so they gotta assume the worst. Or maybe they can tell from talking to you.

Renting a $500 crane would be money well spent, in my mind.

 

[GarageEnvy]

I'll disagree with the poster above. I'm just finishing up my garage addition that turned into a whole house remodel. At least in my area the difference in contractors between now and 2005 (last big remodel) is tremendous and none of them had any problem piecing the work. I switched truss companies at the 11th hour because the first company would not do roof top delivery. The second company (biggest in town) showed up in an hour, had the roof calcs done and called 2 hours later, hand delivered the papers to the county and delivered the trusses 3 days later (including a weekend). The top notch contractors that wouldn't even look at a job 5 years ago are killing themselves for even small jobs like mine. Here are some examples of then (2005) and now. Concrete then $7.50 sf foundation work w/rebar, now $4.71. Drywall then $2.50 sf, now $1 sf. Concrete flatwork then $5 sf, now $2.75sf. As far as contractors not returning calls I learned the hard way to not give them more than 2 chances. If they won't return the call to even get the job what's going to happen when you call with a problem?

 

[Schtauffer]

Do everything yourself, and save yourself time, money, and frustration. You'll also save the contractor a lot of frustration if you do it yourself.

 

[blkhonda1991]

if you have been calling general contractors you are wasting your time soliciting bids...esentially if you are farming out parts of the build then you are the general contractor. gc's want to do the whole job or none of it from my experience especially when the homeowner is self executing any of the work. i dont see why you would have problems soliciting bids from sub contractors though for each specific trade.

 

[twostory]

if you have been calling general contractors you are wasting your time soliciting bids...esentially if you are farming out parts of the build then you are the general contractor. gc's want to do the whole job or none of it from my experience especially when the homeowner is self executing any of the work. i dont see why you would have problems soliciting bids from sub contractors though for each specific trade.

I agree with these thought. Call fondation guys to get foundation quotes.

As for the trusses,

1) Rent a crane (it comes with an operator), call a sign install company, ask if they want some weekend work & cash.

2) Rent a TRAILER MOUNTED BOOM ACCESS PLATFORM
($300) for the weekend, will lift 500#. You tow it home behind a truck (no delivery fees) (see picture)

3) Get a few friends and raise the trusses manually.

 

[rwhite692]

Do everything yourself, and save yourself time, money, and frustration. You'll also save the contractor a lot of frustration if you do it yourself.

You may save money, but it's highly unlikely that you will save time.

and if you hire good people, you won't have frustration to deal with.

 

[brownbagg]

when it comes to bid work, never take the lowest bid, you will usually get the lowest quality work. It not wrong to pay a little more to get goood worker that get it done on time with good equipment

 

[NUTTSGT]

I talked to a guy last week about an estimate for pouring a new floor for the garage. A simple one day job, pour and finish. Nothing. Talked to my SIL last night, my BIL stopped by today, He's going to do it on the side in 2 weeks. (cheap)

 

[meissen]

Around my area because there's absolutely no demand for new houses, most of the cement yards are closed. My father-in-law called a handful of cement companies and all of them said it would cost more money for them to open the shop than it'd be worth it just to get 6 yards of concrete from them.