for those who renovated with a really high end architect

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain why a bid for a renovation (adding sunroom/mudroom, adding 2 bathrooms and doing a pull and replace on 1 bathroom, adding casework in living room and family room, total overhaul of electric system, HVAC replacement, replacing all windows, and upgrading all hardware in the house) would be 100k more than another bid. The contractor I prefer bid the job at 500K and the lowest bid was 400K. When I asked the preferred contractor about it, he said that the lower bid likely underestimated the full scope of the work and was willing to cut corners (for example, lower bid used lower quality insulation in the attic and didn't do a full replacement of all pipes in the bathrooms). I'd really like to use the contractor with the more expensive bid and we can afford to spend 500K on the renovation, but I don't want to burn 100K if this is just a load of BS and there is absolutely no benefit to using the more expensive products. FWIW, I we are living in our forever home and this renovation will fix every issue in our house that I don't like. Our house is worth 1.5M or so now and is in NWDC. After the renovation, I think the house would be worth more like 1.8, which is probably the cap on our home's value given the .2 acre lot size.

[Anonymous]

It's likely that the higher bid includes more contingencies built into the numbers (in addition to the standard job contingency.) Contractors add contingencies when conditions are hidden or when the contract documents have holes/inconsistencies/errors. So presumably with the higher bidder you won't get change order price increases because they've accounted for that in their bid. Ask the contractor if that's the case, and maybe get it in writing.

[Anonymous]

Thanks - this is really helpful. I did ask about change orders and he said there shouldn't be any. He went over the bid with our architect and the architect thought it looked good, although the architect works on mostly really high end stuff and so this bid (and the contractor) are what he's used to working with.

[Anonymous]

i will do that for 300k and still make 100k in profit, you better shop that around

[Anonymous]

honestly spending $500k for a renovation that is done right/the way you want it seems better to me than spending $400k for a renovation where the contractor is cutting corners and things keep coming up, but that's not to say paying more is always the right answer-- I liked our contractor but I didn't always like his subs and I think I could have done better for the same/less money in a couple areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i will do that for 300k and still make 100k in profit, you better shop that around

OP here - I'm not trying to be snarky here, but honestly how could you know this without coming to look at the house? For example the windows are tricky and with the framing, etc. will cost 50K to replace (we have A LOT of windows and 4 of them are very very large). One other thing I'll add is that we are saving an estimated $5000 a month because we are housesitting a friends house while they are away, but this means we have to be finished in 7 months. The more expensive contractor will guarantee we finish by that time. Maybe the old adage really is true: you can have cheap, good quality, or quickness, but not all three.

[Anonymous]

sounds like a rip off

[Anonymous]

sounds like you have made peace with the price. go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i will do that for 300k and still make 100k in profit, you better shop that around

OP here - I'm not trying to be snarky here, but honestly how could you know this without coming to look at the house? For example the windows are tricky and with the framing, etc. will cost 50K to replace (we have A LOT of windows and 4 of them are very very large). One other thing I'll add is that we are saving an estimated $5000 a month because we are housesitting a friends house while they are away, but this means we have to be finished in 7 months. The more expensive contractor will guarantee we finish by that time. Maybe the old adage really is true: you can have cheap, good quality, or quickness, but not all three.

never hear dof that syaing but we have done many renovations and i am willing to bet your "high end architect" is steering you towards these builders....no?

[Anonymous]

Our contractor has became a friend over the years (and many houses and many renovations). He says the industry trick is to low ball to get the contract and then not only change order after change order adds to the price but that the builders/contractors add in 25% for themselves for everything. Any change we had with our (higher priced) contractor came because we decided to add some work, builtins, wine cooler, whatever or move things around after the contract signing.

[Anonymous]

What is considered a "high end architect? GTM or Studio Z?

[Anonymous]

High end = someone like Mark McInturff. In my mind it is an architect who wins awards. This is OP.

[Anonymous]

I would go with the contractor you are comfortable with - you could be 20% over on the 400k bid and end up in the same place.

GET REFERENCES THAT HE REALLY WILL COMPLETE ON TIME AND ON BUDGET.

We are having a smooth renovation (150k - interior gut, much lower budget) where the main change orders are things we are changing, not our contractor, which I'm fine with. They are largely on time. Two family members have had absolute nightmare renovations with respect to price and timing changes. Does your architect vouch for both of these?

[Anonymous]

a lot of times the cheapest quote will cost you WAY more in time and $ over the course of the project.

strong personal recommendations from customers and a review of the work (go see it) a must.

[Anonymous]

You knew it was coming, but why not knock the sh*tter down, for that price?!? Seriously.