The contractors aren't the issue. It's the customers have already set market prices. Try to estimate your materials and if possible just contract for labor only.

For example, standard 8' x 6' bathroom renov is anywhere from $8K-$12K with installed ceramic tile new fixtures and no relocating of electrical/plumbing.
In my case, I got a referral and used workers from a reputable contractor as a sidejob. They charged me $3500 for complete gut of plaster walls down to studs.
I bulked buy from the The Tile Shop and was able to get marble shower wall tiles and travertine flooring for about $1200 and then new tub/vanity/fixtures/custom trim $1000.
So I spent $6K.

Obviously, it was somewhat of a hassle to manage but the actual labor took only a 3-4 days.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The contractors in this area are ripping everyone off but no one will make a stand

The issue is most of us don't know anything about contracting. I am looking to do some work in my house and I have no idea if I'm talking about a $5k, $15k, or $30k job. I truly have no idea. So I need an honest contractor to tell me the truth so I can determine if it's even worth proceeding. But it takes a while to find an honest one, interview, check them out, etc. And then still I don't know if the costs are too high because contracting is not my field.

Anonymous wrote:I can't watch any of the current shows on HGTV other than House Hunters and Extreme Homes. I find the brothers and the various couples dull yet annoying, and their results maddeningly bland.

So many channels have this lazy programming now. Today is endless reruns of Property Brothers, with two episodes of House Hunters thrown in. Yesterday was a full day of Chip and Joanna Gaines redoing houses to look like something out of a crappy catalog, while she gazed at him adoringly and their pack of toddlers played with nail guns in tree houses.

I do agree with this. Why do they stack the shows all day? I hate Chip and Joanna and the LA couple (she's the bleached out one). So it's frustrating to sit down in front of the TV and find there are five of those shows back to back and that's it, all night. I wonder why they do that?

I can't watch any of the current shows on HGTV other than House Hunters and Extreme Homes. I find the brothers and the various couples dull yet annoying, and their results maddeningly bland.

So many channels have this lazy programming now. Today is endless reruns of Property Brothers, with two episodes of House Hunters thrown in. Yesterday was a full day of Chip and Joanna Gaines redoing houses to look like something out of a crappy catalog, while she gazed at him adoringly and their pack of toddlers played with nail guns in tree houses.

Anonymous wrote:Man, LIOLI makes me feel better about DC real estate. It also makes me suspicious of Canadian electricians.

LOL! This PP made me laugh. I agree that it seems like it frequently happens that someone's wiring is dangerously wrong.

Love these shows on HGTV. I find them relaxing to watch after a along day of work and parenting. The reveal at the end makes me so happy for the homeowners!

Anonymous wrote:

I know it drives me crazy how Tariq barely does any work but makes it seem like he does!

If I were a contractor, I would want the know-nothing realtor to stay the eff out of my way.

I had wondered about the furniture. Several times on LIOLI I have yelled at the tv - fix the bathroom and use her old couch instead!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They 100% do NOT pay for labor, which is what, 50%-75% of what a regular person like you or I would actually pay? Plus a lot of companies are comping them products to place on the show. Property Brothers I think actually buys and leaves the furnishings and decor in the houses. I know that on Fixer Upper, they just stage the houses, so the homeowners don't keep any of the furniture or decor afterwards.

That's so cruel!! I guess I have always wondered about that as there is no listed budget for furnishinga.

It kind of makes me mad now that they poke all those nails in those newly painted and finished walls to hang up all those "eat" and "family" metal letter signs if they're just going back there and ripping them all out again and leaving holes in the drywall to patch up. That totally sucks for the homeowners.

From the FAQ page

How can they do so much with such a limited budget?

We are working with real budgets on the show, set by the homeowners. The show provides $10,000 including labor, certain sponsored products, as well as the expertise of Jonathan’s design team. It’s also helpful that we are very resourceful especially when working with a limited budget. There are creative ways to get things done without paying market price – shopping online, refinishing your furniture and searching big box stores for customized looks are just a few ways. But remember to never skip out on hiring a professional when you need one!

http://www.thescottbrothers.com/faq/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about Flip or Flop? Those costs seem ridiculously low!

I think the lower the costs to make it look like the got a big(ger) profit from the flip.

It's so lame how Tarek "helps" out by knocking down the wall for the camera and to get a good media clip, but that's about all the work he does. I never see him getting him down and dirty with the workers. And the wife has an annoying voice that makes it obvious she's reading from a script.

Fixer Upper is better b/c at least the husband is hands on and does actual work and the wife has experience in design. That makes for a smart team.

I know it drives me crazy how Tariq barely does any work but makes it seem like he does!

Property Brothers reno budgets seem reasonable to me. I wouldn't say they are very cheap..? Sometimes it'll be $100k for a kitchen, living room, 1 BR and 1BA. I'm not sure how much you guys spend, but that's a lot of $!

For sure contractors in this area are ripping people off and paying their subs dirt cheap. I know years ago when probably a lot of these "flipping" shows were filmed, labor costs were cheap during/after the recession. Some of the ridiculously low prices you hear on the shows (especially in Vegas) sound pretty accurate.

Anonymous wrote:They 100% do NOT pay for labor, which is what, 50%-75% of what a regular person like you or I would actually pay? Plus a lot of companies are comping them products to place on the show. Property Brothers I think actually buys and leaves the furnishings and decor in the houses. I know that on Fixer Upper, they just stage the houses, so the homeowners don't keep any of the furniture or decor afterwards.

That's so cruel!! I guess I have always wondered about that as there is no listed budget for furnishinga.

I can't stand LIOLI die due to the bickering. I try and ignore the corny teasing in PB.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've noticed a huge difference between quotes on Property Brothers and Love It Or List It. PB always seems to get a ton of t quality work done for a low or reasonable price, while LIOLI can blow through 70k on a bathroom and hall closet. I wonder if the quotes are so different or if it's all labor costs.

Love it or list it is a Canadian show so prices are in Canadian dollars.

In the past, but they are currently filming in Raleigh, NC. As crazy as they are in NC, they still accept USD.

Anonymous wrote:The contractors in this area are ripping everyone off but no one will make a stand

The issue is most of us don't know anything about contracting. I am looking to do some work in my house and I have no idea if I'm talking about a $5k, $15k, or $30k job. I truly have no idea. So I need an honest contractor to tell me the truth so I can determine if it's even worth proceeding. But it takes a while to find an honest one, interview, check them out, etc. And then still I don't know if the costs are too high because contracting is not my field.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've noticed a huge difference between quotes on Property Brothers and Love It Or List It. PB always seems to get a ton of t quality work done for a low or reasonable price, while LIOLI can blow through 70k on a bathroom and hall closet. I wonder if the quotes are so different or if it's all labor costs.

Love it or list it is a Canadian show so prices are in Canadian dollars.

Isn't some of Property Brothers? I've noticed both shows do some in Toronto (where housing seems ridiculously expensive) and some in the US.