Hilarious Lift quote....

[volksman]

I don't often post on here, mainly because I've been struggling with a terrible 1-car garage for years, but now that I am moving into my dream garage next week, I have been looking for a 4 post lift and bridge jack for the new space.

I live in Northern Virginia, and have been sending around requests for quotes to install the lift, a jack shaft door opener and a high lift door conversion.

Here is a quote I received this morning, note this is all "installed":

Tuxedo 8000lb parking lift - $10,950 (Should be $4399-4500)
Tuxedo SJ-35 Bridge Jack - $3,450 (List price $999, but found for $919)
High Lift Kit Installed - $2,395 (The entire door cost $700 less than this!)
Liftmaster 8500W Installed - $1,650 (Listed for $532 on Amazon)

By my calculations they are trying to charge me an extra $12,000 over the street prices for these things just for installation, but they note in the comments that "installation is free"....

Needless to say, looking for a reasonable lift installer in the NoVA area if you have a recommendation.

 

[Smoker]

This is why I do it all myself and buy material from the wholesaler. Everyone thinks they are brain surgeons when it comes to quoting labor.
Just did a nice standing seam snaplock roof on my outdoor kitchen pavilion.. material was $1400 including custom formed panels, trim, synthetic underlay and all fasteners. BTW I did a liftmaster on my last shop - only way to go... Install took maybe an hour.

 

[volksman]

I have no way to take it off a semi truck, much less a place to unload it (private gravel road). I can do the door opener, but have learned my lesson when it comes to the darn near lethal danger of screwing around with springs on garage doors. Just wanted a pro to handle the high lift kit.

 

[Skyman]

I have no personal experience with this guy, but he was recommended by a friend:

American Joe Garage Door Repair

Commercial and Residential

Joseph Palchikoff

202-300-7836

www.alexandriagaragedoorpros.com

I can't offer any help with a lift installer.

 

[ludakris04]

for the lift, have you checked out Wild Fire lifts? if nothing else they have a good video on setting them up..
https://www.wildfirelifts.com/faq
I would try to find a way to DIY it with those prices.. pick up from a Depot, Rent a truck/trailer, something.
Northern Virginia might be a bit hard finding "reasonable" depending on exact location.

 

[Smoker]

I've had luck getting lifts delivered to the nearest FedEx/UPS depo and have the depo forklift it onto my trailer, back the trailer into the shop at home and break down the package from there. I didn't mess with the doors but then they sold and installed (really well too, it was perfectly balanced) a 16 x 8 high lift door for $1600 so I wasn't going to fuss. I want to say the high lift upcharge was maybe $200.

 

[Spud McGee]

That looks like the type of quote you get from the mechanic. They charge you full price for the part, plus 50%.

 

[P0234]

I'm in NoVA as well, I ran into the same issues two years ago, ended up getting the lift sent to a freight depot, rented a U-haul trailer and they loaded it onto that. I was a solid one day build, especially if you have a helper. I have a great garage door guy to do the high lift conversion, I was getting some serious gouging but someone here recommended him, PM me for details if you want.

 

[Mike65]

I am going to be needing a 4-post lift installed within the next year in southwestern Va.

 

[aka Larry]

I helped a friend (happened to also be in NoVA) install his 4-post Wildfire lift with just a couple of guys, a moving dolly, and engine crane. Took about 4 hours. It's not brain surgery, and like another poster said, there are videos to help you if you get stuck.

 

[mcj115]

How much is your time worth?

For the 4 post....I would setup it up myself. You can rent a 5k forklift with pneumatic tires from Sunbelt for ~$350 a day, lets just call it $600 a day after delivery/pickup and fees. A 5k rated lift should easily be able to handle a 4 post lift from the street back a graded gravel drive, and also would be handy for moving two large pieces from out of its shipping configuration. lets say you have a friend...help you for the day...lets say we pay him $50 an hr for 8 hours that is $400. So we are in at a grand extra. So lets say the lift is $4500 a grand in extra expenses for $5500 total that is $5500 saved in a day. If you are concerned about your safety....call the installer who quoted you and ask how much is a service call for a preventative inspection maintenance? Lets call that $500. For one days labor you would be sunny side up $5000!

I installed my Chamberlain RJ020 jackshaft opener on Early 2022 in about an hour. At the time the opener was $422 from amazon.

For a bridge jack I have a RJ35. It has been a few years since I have looked into them but there are/were typically cash and carry deals at the Carlisle car shows for $600 or so.

I will openly admit I am currently building a 4' retaining wall by my pool that I got quotes on in the 30 to 40 k range. I'll be in my wall for about 7k in materials and another 9k in equipment (purchases of plate tamper and skid steer). The plus is I will get back most if not all of the equipment cost when I am done and sell the tamper and loader. Even if I take a 3k loss on the equipment I'll still be over 20k ahead (at the low end) for the total cost of the wall. I will openly admit I am glutton for punishment! I work from home so when I have a long conference call I will go in the back yard (still in wi-fi range) and work for an hour while on the teams meeting. This is a two month long build of an hour or two a day, which is why I bought rather than rented the equipment.

 

[Yankeefarmer]

Give the guys at Advantage a call. They have installers for their lifts all around the country.

 

[rockettauto]

I have no way to take it off a semi truck, much less a place to unload it (private gravel road). I can do the door opener, but have learned my lesson when it comes to the darn near lethal danger of screwing around with springs on garage doors. Just wanted a pro to handle the high lift kit.

I was going to rent a telehandler for about $400 for mine but someone loaned me a cat 450 with a clamshell and flip down forks. Anyway yeah telehandler rents for $400-500.

 

[LB-1911]

have learned my lesson when it comes to the darn near lethal danger of screwing around with springs on garage doors. Just wanted a pro to handle the high lift kit.

Passing along for general info / future reference.

Do-It-Yourself Garage Door Instructions | DDM Garage Doors

Do-it-yourself garage door tutorials and how-to instructions for both the experienced and inexperienced DIYer.

ddmgaragedoors.com

 

[nadogail]

Being of enough age to realise that I am no longer the guy I used to be, I have come to the conclusion that many times I am better off hiring jobs done that I would have done myself in years past.

I know that I will not heal as fast as I used to and avoid some of the things I did without regard for my personal safety.

Garage Door springs and Heavy repairs are one of the things I feel that I should leave to the professionals.

 

[Wrench97]

I have no way to take it off a semi truck, much less a place to unload it (private gravel road). I can do the door opener, but have learned my lesson when it comes to the darn near lethal danger of screwing around with springs on garage doors. Just wanted a pro to handle the high lift kit.

One way I've seen done was to pick the LTL company closest to you and have the lift shipped to them to "hold on dock", then have a rollback tow truck pick it up. Or we on occasion did deliver them to a towing company close to the consignee and they delivered to him, you would have to pay the towing company of course.

 

[PoorUB]

I have a garage wall I am thinking of ripping out the windows and residing. The wall is about 9 feet tall by 30 feet long. The seamless company the did the siding for the previous owner quoted $20,000!! I can buy similar siding, just not seamless for about $1,000 so that should be similar to there materials cost, so $19,000 to install. A couple guys could do it half a day.

Pretty sure it is a F-you quote, as in we don't want to do the job, but if we do it, you will pay for it!

There are many contractors that are short handed and busy. If they do a job, they get paid well for it or they don't do it.

 

[Bucko]

I have no way to take it off a semi truck, much less a place to unload it (private gravel road). I can do the door opener, but have learned my lesson when it comes to the darn near lethal danger of screwing around with springs on garage doors. Just wanted a pro to handle the high lift kit.

Believe it or not Lowes and Home Depot sell lifts. Some seem to be straight delivery to your house and you need to unload but it looks like Lowes has some that ship to the store and you can pick up from there or possibly have delivered by their flatbed and they have a forklift with the truck to unload. I have not done this personally so confirm on your own.
Prices seem to be a bit higher than the big distributors.
Lowes had the the Tuxedo brand on sale last month that put it a little below some of the regular outfits that you would have to pick up at the freight terminal or have your own means of unloading.

 

[tfalk]

I will second the reco to call advantage. They are about 175 miles from me and they told me between 1200-1500
to deliver and install a lift.

 

[cherokee]

I am just floored at the prices given here.

Roughly 20 years ago when I got my two post lift the prices are MUCH different.

 

[P0234]

I am just floored at the prices given here.

Roughly 20 years ago when I got my two post lift the prices are MUCH different.

Most of it is being in Northern Virginia, anything here costs way more than it should because people just want problems to go away and will throw crazy amounts to a contractor because they just don't care.

 

[Monza Harry]

For your lift the flatbed wrecker is probably the best idea, Thanx Wrench97 but I was thinking similarly with a dock pick up with a box van (not a cube a real truck) with a lift gate to un load you would require a pallet jack though, flat bed would be better though! You may need a pallet jack for some of these parts as they are steel and it don't float through the air. A "cherry picker/engine hoist" would be a good idea for a couple of "garage projects" clump them together build then sell no longer needed equipment(?) Harry

 

[P0234]

For your lift the flatbed wrecker is probably the best idea, Thanx Wrench97 but I was thinking similarly with a dock pick up with a box van (not a cube a real truck) with a lift gate to un load you would require a pallet jack though, flat bed would be better though! You may need a pallet jack for some of these parts as they are steel and it don't float through the air. A "cherry picker/engine hoist" would be a good idea for a couple of "garage projects" clump them together build then sell no longer needed equipment(?) Harry

The flatbed truck is a good option if you can find someone willing to do the work for a reasonable amount.

After you get it home, you don't need any special tools. A floor jack and furniture dolly is enough to get a common 4 post lift built if you use your head a bit.

 

[finn]

The flatbed truck is a good option if you can find someone willing to do the work for a reasonable amount.

After you get it home, you don't need any special tools. A floor jack and furniture dolly is enough to get a common 4 post lift built if you use your head a bit.

Hardest part is the ramps.

That’s one thing to consider if you’re debating on whether to get a standard sized lift or an “XLT” lift. Standard ramps might be a hundred pounds lighter, depending on brand, and thus easier for someone working alone to maneuver.

 

[P0234]

Hardest part is the ramps.

That’s one thing to consider if you’re debating on whether to get a standard sized lift or an “XLT” lift. Standard ramps might be a hundred pounds lighter, depending on brand, and thus easier for someone working alone to maneuver.

Flipping the ramps over is the hardest part, but I think even on an XLT you can do it yourself IF you use your noodle. Once they are flipped, a furniture dolly and floor jack will get them to where they need to be. Getting someone to help will definitely be a better option.

Like Archimedes said : "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world."

 

[CraigStu]

Quite a few of the DC cobra club guys I used to hang with bought lifts from GregSmith Equipment. Apparently they have merged w/ Tooltopia.

Greg Smith Equipment Lifts

<meta name="description" content="Greg Smith Equipment is now a part of the ToolTopia family. Get tire changing equipment and auto lifts from the name mechanics know and trust.">

www.tooltopia.com

At around 2000# shipping weight any standard car trailer will haul it. Might even be worth renting a uhaul and making a day trip to Delaware.

 

[FredWanaker]

in defense of the OP. Some of us as we get older don't want to be on ladders, handling heavy items, building things. We want lifts because we don't like to lay on our backs under a car up on jacks just to change the oil. I cringe at the thought of simple things that I would jump at 20 years ago, and many of my friends feel the same. I watched my dad's generation go through it too and didn't understand it, I do now. That said. there was a thread in electric recently where someone had quotes for $12,000 to $14,000 on some work. Eventually he found a licensed electrician who did the work for about $3k. At that point his insurance company chipped in $2500 of it. There are always people out there who want to make a killing on one job. I remember a bid for an HVAC system about 20 years ago - two contractors were up at $20K each. The third contractor, well known in town did the whole job and more for $8K. When the other contractors found out they did not get the bid and who was doing it and for how much, they countered to match. I would never do business with someone who treats potential clients that way.

 

[MovingAlong]

...
Needless to say, looking for a reasonable lift installer in the NoVA area if you have a recommendation.

Might talk with other shops that have lifts. Someone installed them...

 

[Restomod68]

I don't often post on here, mainly because I've been struggling with a terrible 1-car garage for years, but now that I am moving into my dream garage next week, I have been looking for a 4 post lift and bridge jack for the new space.

I live in Northern Virginia, and have been sending around requests for quotes to install the lift, a jack shaft door opener and a high lift door conversion.

Here is a quote I received this morning, note this is all "installed":

Tuxedo 8000lb parking lift - $10,950 (Should be $4399-4500)
Tuxedo SJ-35 Bridge Jack - $3,450 (List price $999, but found for $919)
High Lift Kit Installed - $2,395 (The entire door cost $700 less than this!)
Liftmaster 8500W Installed - $1,650 (Listed for $532 on Amazon)

By my calculations they are trying to charge me an extra $12,000 over the street prices for these things just for installation, but they note in the comments that "installation is free"....

Needless to say, looking for a reasonable lift installer in the NoVA area if you have a recommendation.

I'd call Advantage Lift, they have many installers on the East Coast and their lift is twice the quality as the Tuxedo and ALI Certified.

 

[racecougar]

I am just floored at the prices given here.

Roughly 20 years ago when I got my two post lift the prices are MUCH different.

Lift prices have just about doubled over the past three years alone, and a 2-post costs ~75% of what a similarly rated 4-post does. Buying a 2-post 20 years ago is WAY different than buying a 4-post in today's market.

 

[finn]

Flipping the ramps over is the hardest part, but I think even on an XLT you can do it yourself IF you use your noodle. Once they are flipped, a furniture dolly and floor jack will get them to where they need to be. Getting someone to help will definitely be a better option.

Like Archimedes said : "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world."

I assembled two Advantage lifts, a 9000 lb XLT, and the larger, heavier (11000 or 12000 lb ) SS.

Trust me. Balancing the ramps, hanging in the air, is a little dicey, and the job was trickier with the larger lift.

No accidents, but it’s not a job to be taken lightly. You really have to understand center of mass and polar moments of inertia when handling something that heavy and long. Fortunately I had my wife helping.

 

[P0234]

I assembled two Advantage lifts, a 9000 lb XLT, and the larger, heavier (11000 or 12000 lb ) SS.

Trust me. Balancing the ramps, hanging in the air, is a little dicey, and the job was trickier with the larger lift.

No accidents, but it’s not a job to be taken lightly. You really have to understand center of mass and polar moments of inertia when handling something that heavy and long. Fortunately I had my wife helping.

I built my Direct lift 8S solo, nothing more than a floor jack, dolly and some scrap wood. Like I said, having tools and help is excellent, but if you can use your brain, you can accomplish anything. How about you supply the 12k lift and I'll build it myself, if I need help or special tools, I'll pay for the lift, otherwise its free? Are we on?

 

[finn]

I built my Direct lift 8S solo, nothing more than a floor jack, dolly and some scrap wood. Like I said, having tools and help is excellent, but if you can use your brain, you can accomplish anything. How about you supply the 12k lift and I'll build it myself, if I need help or special tools, I'll pay for the lift, otherwise its free? Are we on?

Never said it cannot be done. Mine are both up and running for two years now. Put up by me and my seventy year old wife, at that.

Just that there’s a lot room for error and injuries if something goes wrong lifting a several hundred ramp that’s in the neighborhood of sixteen feet long, especially if you’re not great at physics, CG, and polar moments.

 

[P0234]

Never said it cannot be done. Mine are both up and running for two years now. Put up by me and my seventy year old wife, at that.

Just that there’s a lot room for error and injuries if something goes wrong lifting a several hundred ramp that’s in the neighborhood of sixteen feet long, especially if you’re not great at physics, CG, and polar moments.

Man, I was really hoping you'd go for it. I tried....

 

[Restomod68]

I'll chime in on my decision to have it professionally installed. I knew going in I am fully capable of self-assembly, but my car trailer is out of state, not a big deal 2days drive (think fuel there and back 3-4 tanks and a weekend lost) and it would take me 2-3 days to install start to finish and would probably take a day off of work. My time is valuable both from time away from work and time at work standpoint. I had it professionally installed ( they came back for adjustment), it was done right and charged less than a day of lost wage not counting cost of fuel of having to get the trailer.

 

[Spud McGee]

Might talk with other shops that have lifts. Someone installed them...

Thats who did mine.

I was on the rotary website and they sent me to a local company who is a dealer and certified installer of their products. The guy that came out to do it was the same guy that installs and services lifts at all the car dealerships and repair shops around here.

Their price to install a 2 post lift was around $900. Doesnt matter if you had a rotary or an ebay chinese one. Considering the effort for somebody to load up a lift, get it to OP's house, and then unload it, and install it, his quite of $1500 sounds pretty on-par with what I got from the professional lift installers.

 

[racecougar]

Considering the effort for somebody to load up a lift, get it to OP's house, and then unload it, and install it, his quite of $1500 sounds pretty on-par with what I got from the professional lift installers.

I think the OP is stating that he was quoted ~$6,500 on the lift install. $10,950-$4,500 = $6,450

Tuxedo 8000lb parking lift - $10,950 (Should be $4399-4500)

 

[Spud McGee]

I think the OP is stating that he was quoted ~$6,500 on the lift install. $10,950-$4,500 = $6,450

Sorry, this is the $1500 I was talking about. https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/threads/hilarious-lift-quote.517596/#post-10175432

 

[racecougar]

Ah. Gotcha.

 

[garagenvy]

By my calculations they are trying to charge me an extra $12,000 over the street prices for these things just for installation, but they note in the comments that "installation is free"....

Nothing is "free". Their prices should say installation included or shipping included.