Contractors gouging or are the prices fair?

[Anonymous]

we had 2 quotes for some exterior painting + wood repair.
One was $9600
One was $3500

I thought the $9,600 was 2K too high. Glad I got another quote.
Note - the 2nd quote was from a smaller contractor who said they recently had more than 1 job get delayed.
People are starting to put off work

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we had 2 quotes for some exterior painting + wood repair.
One was $9600
One was $3500

I thought the $9,600 was 2K too high. Glad I got another quote.
Note - the 2nd quote was from a smaller contractor who said they recently had more than 1 job get delayed.
People are starting to put off work

With that kind of disparity and your original expectations about how much it would cost, I would be concerned that the second contractor will cut corners on the repair work to keep it within the budget.

[Anonymous]

OP again. Just to clarify some things. We are definitely getting multiple bids but they alway in the same range, I’m really surprised by how close they end up being. And when I say contractors, I don’t just mean building contractors. The french drain bids for example all came from small businesses that specialize in drainage issues.

[Anonymous]

This is the simplest example of fair market value that there could ever be.

The fair price isn't based on the value of materials and labor then adding a small markup.

If he doesn't have a place to go for his next job, the price comes down a bit. If his phone is ringing off the hook with opportunities, the price goes up. He'd much rather do a long, larger project than 5 small ones. It's not much more complicated than this. This is why you try to get 3 quotes when you can, but if you are trying to back into the cost of materials and labor, you aren't going to get there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:12:55 again. Do the French drain yourself, or hire a handyman or willing teen/college student to help you. It's not financially smart to pay a building contractor for unskilled labor. My husband, along with both our immediate neighbors, all do as much work as they can themselves.

I take home about $250 an hour for every extra hour I work and I get enjoyment from my job. Digging ditches is not enjoyable for me at all. I would much rather work an hour behind my desk, pay someone $100 an hour to dig the ditch, and pocket the $150.