DIY - why make these so called "contracters" rich?

I just built a 12 x 16 6 foot off ground deck and "overbuilt" for more support and to last longer with pressure treated lowea wood.

I have invested about 24 hours of time total and gallons of sweat and am out $1158.00 for a completed solid as rock huge deck.

Comments for DIY - why make these so called "contracters" rich?

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Sep 14, 2014
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You get what you pay for
by: Editor - Rich Bergman

I had to chime in after the last visitor's comments because you can just feel his passion and I have to say much of it rings true.

You almost always get what you pay for in this life. A deck or any renovation that is designed well, built with attention and care will perform for years and years.

But no one will do this for pennies. Each contractor is an independent business person trying their hardest every day to ply their god given trade to customers and be able to keep the lights turned on and their family fed.

The very best way to ensure you are getting good value for a deck is to simply take your time and meet with three well known builders. Make sure you provide each builder with identical deliverables. Then when the bids come in take the time to review each in detail and ear mark any areas that are ambiguous or unclear.

When you get into the details is when you understand the complexities of a construction project and what differentiates one price or quote from another.

In this country, we have some of the finest most talented builders in the world. It is awesome to see. These are people who wake up in the morning every day and see the sunshine and get going doing what they feel they were put on this earth to do.

Despite economic downturns, and other hurdles like apparent over regulation and bureaucracy or whatever, these folks really see the world as a glass half full, not half empty.

Keep up the good work. Honesty and sincerity is what the vast vast majority of builders exude. They and other industrious self starters are the back bone of a great economy and country.

Keep at it!

Sep 14, 2014
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DIY Reality Check
by: Anonymous

To the guy that posted this comment, Why make "contractors" rich?

Number one.

There are a lot more decent and legitimate contractors in this world than guys who are just out to make a quick buck by screwing over homeowners because they watched a youtube video on how to do a job.

No contractor in the world ever got what you call "rich" off of a single job they did for someone, it takes years of learning the trade, learning the business, Keeping updated on codes, materials, prices,etc.

And not to mention when you hire a contractor you know he has to pay for insurance, liability workers compensation. Unless he uses subcontractors in which case he pays the sub a higher hourly rate because the sub is also a contractor with insurances, workers, etc.

It's real easy to watch a how to video and run to your local lumber yard. Get some plans and brag about how you saved thousands by "not makings a contractor rich!"

You have no business insurance to cover. So if you drop a hammer and hit your wife on the head good luck explaining that one. Cost of fuel to get to your own house is I'm thinking around $0.00. And not to mention any future repairs due to install or faulty materials.

That's completely out of your own pocket bud.

Contractors who are "rich" ...

There's usually a good reason for it. It's called hard work. Time effort passion. If you've had bad experiences with contractors. It's your own fault for not gathering the right info before you hired one.

Low bid isn't always best bid.

Guys who build the same deck you build for $1000 and change build it for $3-$4 for a reason. It's not just to get over on homeowners. It's because that's what why NEED to do the job, cover expenses, future repairs and save homeowners from risking spending money on a "DIY" project that turns into a nightmare.

Being a contractor isn't all just what you see at the job. It's owning your own business.

Go start a deck building company if you feel like superman for saving yourself a few bucks. Go ahead and do that same deck on a house 10 miles away from your house. Even with no insurances whatsoever. No license, no corporation. Then let me know what you had to charge that homeowner for the same deck.

Do that. Then you ll see why so a called "contractors" charge what they charge. Be sure to compare apples to apples.

May 29, 2014
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Buyer beware is always good to keep in mind
by: Editor: Rich Bergman

Just want to chip in here that it always wise to keep in mind that we are not able to verify the numbers that people say they built their deck for.

So when you read these various posts and opinions keep a critical mind set as our last poster has suggested. The cost of building a deck can vary greatly from using the simplest of construction techniques to the cheapest of materials.

And we also see decks becoming much much more than merely an outdoor floor structure but almost a completely new room with all kinds of amenities added on that take the cost into a completely new realm.

But overall, I do think this free flow of discussion makes it possible to see the range and to call in to question the veracity or the details.

And this will help visitors of DecksGo.com become very informed consumers. That is the goal. Thanks everyone for participating.

May 21, 2014
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12x16 for 1,200?
by: Anonymous

That should never have been posted w/out a picture for proof. I'd be willing to bet it's not over built or up to code.

Aug 25, 2012
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Deck Price
by: Anonymous

Check this out! 12 x 20 deck 10 feet off the ground and closer to 3000 dollars in materials!

Mar 14, 2012
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Low Price?
by: Anonymous

I built a similar deck size all by myself and my materials were all #1 pressure treated lumber and I still spent over $2000 just in materials.

Price sounds too good to be true.

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