Help! My contractors broke my baseboards.
We’re replacing old crummy floors in our newly-purchased condo, and our contracter just let us know that they broke our baseboards while installing, and want another $1400 to buy and install (not prime or paint) new ones. I was expecting maybe 1 or 2 to break, but this is over 15% above the quote they…
We’re replacing old crummy floors in our newly-purchased condo, and our contracter just let us know that they broke our baseboards while installing, and want another $1400 to buy and install (not prime or paint) new ones. I was expecting maybe 1 or 2 to break, but this is over 15% above the quote they gave us.
Also, the other contractors we didn’t use said they would replace boards they broke for free.
Is this a normal expense I should have expected? Or am I getting my head bumped?
Can i install them myself without too much trouble for less money?Can broken boards be fixed? I really dont have the budget for this added expense.
still- not new construction.
11:47,
The OP said it was a new apartment, built in the 90’s. Far from historic.
You should ask your contractor to do it on a time and materials cost basis. That will be fair to him and fair for you.
No disrespect to johnife but, his numbers are probably based on new construction and not applicable to the intricacies of a brownstone or other historic structure.
How many sf of flooring is it and how many lf of base? the number sounds low to begin with.
You are an idiot. You should have known you were going to have to replace your baseboards when doing your floors. The contractor knew you’d be clueless and is now fleecing you. You’re a sucker.
I think this is a normal expense, they were not new baseboards. Normally when you put in new floors you put in new baseboards. If you were trying to save a buck by using old baseboards, that’s the risk you take. Your contractor should have warned you about this, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pay for the broken basebaords.
This is an easy one.
Contractor 1, whose low bid you accepted, said you pay for broken baseboards.
Contractor 2, whose higher bid you rejected, said they would pay for broken baseboards.
Obviously, Contractor 1 had no incentive to be careful, and so broke a lot. Had you taken Contractor # 2’s bid, you would have not had broken baseboards, since he had an incentive not to break them. Sometimes you do get what you pay for!
Having said that, looks like #1 lowballed the job and this was his plan to make it up. You can fight him and pay less.
Since this is your first time using a contractor, chalk part of it up to learning about contractors.
This question was obviously addressed with the other contractors from whom you got bids. Was it addressed with the contractor you ultimately used? Whether it was (and if it was, the answer you got) would definitely clarify the financial responsibility for this situation. As to whether the cost is reasonable, the average total length of base per apartment in a development I just estimated was 150′ 0″ or so. The unit rate (for both labor and material but excluding paint) for a good quality base molding is $7/LF. So, even assuming you’re replacing ALL the base in the apartment, I reckon you’re getting gypped by about 40%. Whether you can do the job yourself is a question only your own familiarity with your carpentry skills can address.
Thanks. This is my first time working with a contractor, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.
The apt is new – built in the 90s – and I had it inspected, so I really doubt that the boards were rotten.
Your contractor broke your baseboards and wants YOU (sorry, italics not available) to pay for new ones? Unless he told you in advance “hey, this part of the job might break your baseboards,” or unless the baseboards were rotten and you couldn’t tell under all the paint, I would take issue, although if you like the contractor overall, you might settle on splitting the cost after some huffing and puffing by both sides.
As a general rule, I think you pay for surprises the contractor couldn’t foresee (rotten studs or joists exposed during demo and need replacing, for example), and the contractor pays for his mistakes and things he should have anticipated. Use that as a guide.