19 Contractors Contacted... Only 3 Estimates?? What Gives?

[Anonymous]

This is probably peak delivery-season for deck contractors.

Don't know your timeline, but if I wanted a deck for the start of summer, I would begin my search in early fall. Once you find a contractor, reviewing design, price and schedule can be time-intensive.

Most of the operations that would service a project of this size are not large-scale, tightly-run machines with bidding, design and hand-holding departments (and if they are, you'll probably pay quite a premium for it).

[Anonymous]

the 19 contractors..you are nuts. i would not give you a bid either.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It might not be a big enough job. Or they may be busy. Also with the tariff issue it’s probably tough to give you an estimate. They don’t know what their costs will be.

This. Ask if there’s a way they can quote you on the labor + the cost of x items purchased from Y store. Maybe that will help them feel more comfortable. Nobody good will sign a contract that requires them to lose money to work.

The guys who are busy until the fall sound like a solid bet to me, if they’ll guarantee the price of labor.

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised you were able to find 19 decently reviewed contractors in this area! What part of DMV are you in?

[Anonymous]

When I did my deck, I went with a contractor who had recently done a friend's. We signed in the spring and didn't start work until the fall. He mentioned later that he doesn't do any job unless it's a direct referral from a previous client. I'm not sure if that's the norm, but you may want to ask around if you have neighbors who have recently built a deck.

[Anonymous]

Contractors talk to each other and network. They may know you’ve called a large number of them and are just not interested because you seem unserious.

[Anonymous]

It’s probably your overuse of filler words.

[Anonymous]

Read through this and can’t be of much help but glad you found additional estimates. I had Madeline Chimney and Masonry Pros (found them on Nextdoor) repair wood boards for my deck and they were easy to work with. They did some pressure washing for my mom too. Nextdoor can be helpful so next time look on there and ask for a recommendation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It might not be a big enough job. Or they may be busy. Also with the tariff issue it’s probably tough to give you an estimate. They don’t know what their costs will be.

It's all of this ^^.

OP, you think a 40k deck is a great oppty for them, but it might not be. Especially if they already have more work than they can handle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I did my deck, I went with a contractor who had recently done a friend's. We signed in the spring and didn't start work until the fall. He mentioned later that he doesn't do any job unless it's a direct referral from a previous client. I'm not sure if that's the norm, but you may want to ask around if you have neighbors who have recently built a deck.

I think it is pretty common for the really good people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It might not be a big enough job. Or they may be busy. Also with the tariff issue it’s probably tough to give you an estimate. They don’t know what their costs will be.

It's all of this ^^.

OP, you think a 40k deck is a great oppty for them, but it might not be. Especially if they already have more work than they can handle.

This. It’s a small project even for a small operation. My dad built houses from the ground up with 2 guys, so super small. That would be like, 2 weeks work. Something to slide in a gap, not something you schedule far ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It might not be a big enough job. Or they may be busy. Also with the tariff issue it’s probably tough to give you an estimate. They don’t know what their costs will be.

It's all of this ^^.

OP, you think a 40k deck is a great oppty for them, but it might not be. Especially if they already have more work than they can handle.

This. It’s a small project even for a small operation. My dad built houses from the ground up with 2 guys, so super small. That would be like, 2 weeks work. Something to slide in a gap, not something you schedule far ahead.

Also keep in mind that your 40k project is like a 5-8k project for them, once you take out cost of goods and labor and their overhead.

[Anonymous]

We have had the same problem, we need two porches repaired and most will not return our calls, most that return our calls do not show up, those that show up never send an estimate....we have made probably 10-15 calls and only gotten one estimate and it was insane (we figured it was a go-away price). Its too bad because this is exactly that kind of small, fill-in job that we don't really care when it gets done, could be any time this year, we just want someone to agree to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Contractors talk to each other and network. They may know you’ve called a large number of them and are just not interested because you seem unserious.

Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Contractors talk to each other and network. They may know you’ve called a large number of them and are just not interested because you seem unserious.

Lol - from my experience most of you barely have the executive functioning skills to walk and breathe at the same time, let also cross-check who has called different contractors in the general area asking for quotes.

Op, they're some combination of too busy (applies to the good ones or the small operations that can only take on so many clients), or just too disorganized and chaotic to remember to return calls and follow up on stuff. A lot of times they be on drugs too.

These were probably the kids in school who never remembered to turn in homework or do anything on time, even when obviously harmful to themselves. Some people just can't get themselves together, and many of those people go into the trades since they have neither the IQ, motivation, or general social/life skills to fit in anywhere else.


Just talk to people who have had work done recently and if they like their contractor go with them. Don't waste a second thought on the others.