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"We Had Another Contractor Do The Work”

By
Home Builder with Dry Rot and Water Damage www.tromlerconstruction.com Mobile - 916-765-5366 CSL#642819

 

"We Had Another Contractor Do The Work”

 

As a contractor in El Dorado County, I get an opportunity to look at and bid on many jobs but I do not get them all. The reason vary as to why I lose some of the projects but it is a competitive market. Good, healthy competition is good for everyone.

I bid on a deck project in an apartment community that needed several wood decks repaired or replaced. I hadn't heard from the manager but was looking at another job in the neighborhood. I took the liberty of driving through to see if the work was being done. Sure enough it had been started.

I contacted the manager to hear that, “We had another contractor do the work”. But I know that something was wrong, maybe not all of the facts were being verified. Or there was some miscommunication about what was being done and how things were to be built. Regardless, something was not right.

It is not my job to critic the workmanship or practices of another contractor but some things need to be discussed to help understand.

There were some glaring errors in the construction of this deck structure repair in El Dorado County. Any contractor worth his salt would know that the railings must be a minimum of 42” high, not 36”. This is not a new code, it has been in place in this county for decades for commercial buildings. This leads to the next issue.

No inspector would have let this get by without calling it out. So I would have to assume that there were no permits for the project, that explains the other deficiencies that I could see without getting out of the truck.

I am sure that hiring this other contractor was made with some thought and consideration. Price, workmanship and knowledge must have been included in the list. Before hiring a contractor in El Dorado County be sure to at least do some minor checking.

 

Research the license

Ask for insurance

Get local references

Get a copy of the permit

 

At least with these you will have a much better understanding of the contractor that you hired in El Dorado County.

 

 

Kathleen Daniels, Probate & Trust Specialist
KD Realty - 408.972.1822 - San Jose, CA
Probate Real Estate Services

Tom, I certainly hope that someone reports this.  There are safety issues there .... just saying.

Jul 18, 2015 02:55 AM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Tom, this scenario happens frequently with contractors and Realtors, and I'm sure many others in the service industry. The job probably went to someone who "over-promised and under-delivered".  Kathleen Daniels is right. The safety concerns should be reported.

Jul 18, 2015 03:13 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Tom, it doesn't take long to see mistakes when you really are a pro. We often end up following behind someone who outbid us one way or the other. Sadly for the client, it ends up costing twice what they spent. 

Jul 18, 2015 03:37 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Tom - you get what you pay for.  That will come back to bite them.

Jul 18, 2015 07:25 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Yes, I was going to say something similar to Grant.  Dumb dumb dumb.

Jul 18, 2015 09:47 AM
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

 Good Sunday morning Tom. Yes, I see inadequate height on balcony guards quite often. I write them up every time!

Jul 18, 2015 08:15 PM
James Dray
Fathom Realty - Bentonville, AR

Good morning Tom.  I'm sure in the end you'll get another call asking you to fix the mistakes for the one they hired.  Sounds like they have opened themselves up for a law suit should anyone get injured.

Jul 18, 2015 08:19 PM