You know, everyone tells you must add an extra 10% on top of your estimate on any construction project to get the final cost.
Of course, my bathroom remodel is going poorly and it’s sucking up my 10% overage.
There was some concrete under the tile in the bathroom that’s coming down. Unfortunately, to get an even surface on the wall, the concrete has to be removed. Don’t ask me why in the 1950’s they put up concrete halfway up the walls, but they did. All the extra labor hopefully will not be a huge amount more, but I have a feeling it will cost me another 20% on top of the estimate.
I wanted to have a special countertop cut for me so I can have a shelf over the toilet, just like I had in the original bathroom. However, it has a 10-day lead time for the order, which would mean I’d be out of my apartment for over almost 2 months. The contractor thinks he can get me a light grey granite countertop cut in the same shape out of scrap material from his usual granite supplier. It will only cost me $100 more but will take 3 days instead of 10. Is that worth it to me? You bet. It’s been over a month since I’ve slept at home and I’m cranky.
But things got a lot worse. The contractor had a drywall guy come in and they put in the ceiling piece early in the week. They came back the next day and the tub was full of water and the new piece was soaked. Apparently, there’s another leak coming from the unit above mine. ARGH.
I don’t know how all this is going to play out, but why do I feel like it’s going to cost me more money and time, no matter what happens?
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Are you there when the workers are doing their work? Are you asking all the questions you have to the contractor, including what if scenarios with costs to those scenarios? Do you know as much about the project as you think you should?
The contractor should have checked for a leak before he ordered to put the ceiling piece in. That’s part of his job, to get the overall project done, in a timely manor, and work hard to keep within your budget. Make sure he’s not taking you for a ride.
Oh my word. That’s just phenomenally frustrating.
I would think that if he’s cutting the light grey countertop from scrap material, he shouldn’t be charging $100 MORE. Also, if he didn’t check for leaks, I think efrain’s right that that was his responsibility to make sure it was ok to put in the ceiling piece.
Good luck!
efrain: Thanks for the advice. But I can’t really hang out all day and watch them work at the house when there is no bathroom to use.
The contractor used to live in my neighborhood and a good guy. He wasn’t going to pass on some of the extra costs on my project until I told him I would cover for it. (He uncovered some other stuff that took an extra day to remove.)
I actually have done some drywall work and small projects with Habitat for Humanity. I’ve asked around and looked into pricing on things. I’m still way under what most ppl would pay for a remodel due to the small size.
MsMiniDucky: The countertop I was going to order is not as nice as granite, i.e. plastic. It will be more because granite is more, whether it is scrap or not. Scrap means that it isn’t a special order and I won’t have pay ridiculously more for it and I will get it faster than the custom piece we were going to order.
The short answer is yes, it’s going to take twice as long and cost twice as much. Do what you can to help your contractor (i.e make your decisions quickly so he can get the stuff ordered)and keep breathing in and out.
Things happen. A contractor (and I am one myself) will give you an estimate based both on what he can see and what he can foresee. A leak from the unit above is unforseen, unavoidable and not his fault. He was probably just as frustrated as you were that the ceiling got trashed. Hidden concrete in the walls – also unknowable. But it sounds like you have a decent guy doing your work – hopefully he’ll work with you on some of the numbers.
Try to keep your sense of humor, remember to breathe, and go for the granite. You’ll be glad you did.
Oh, that just sucks. We’re over budget too–it’s part of the process, I guess.