All Forum Posts by: Ryan Normand

 This is a decent ballpark, but keep in mind that is for labor only. You will still need to manage the laborers yourself and rent/own any specialty equipment (particularly for tile demo) which will add to your overall cost as well as your own time invested in the project. If you're looking to have a contractor come in and manage the whole process for you, including providing all necessary tools and labor, expect to pay more because they need to cover their profit and overhead. 

The biggest ticket item I see here is tile demo, so your cost will depend greatly on what % of that 1800 sf is tile. Also, keep in mind most dumpsters do not allow appliances.

We need a lot more info to give you even a ballpark estimate. Honestly I don't even know if it's possible without a physical site visit. Is it an interior or exterior wall? Is it load bearing? You're expanding the width of the opening so that will probably mean a new header or lintel. Is it a shear wall? Any plumbing, mechanical, electrical, or bracing in there that will need to be moved? What type of wall/siding repairs will be needed - drywall, stucco, brick, vinyl, etc? Does your city require permits/inspections for this type of work?

You can get a decent Pella or Jeld Wen 6068 slider for like $600 at Lowes or the Depot, but that's the simple part. Installation could be relatively straightforward or it could be an absolute nightmare. I don't mean to sound harsh, but you want to make sure you and/or your contractor understand what's involved and include those things in the SoW.

FYI it's always a good idea to get multiple bids, but a lot of contractors will turn their back on you if you start asking for itemized labor/material bids. It's usually not worth our time and it's a red flag that the customer is just looking to nickel and dime.

Honestly the big box stores are fairly competitive when it comes to prices. Now quality, that's debatable lol, but the prices are good especially during sales events (which happen often). There are tons of alternatives out there, but many of them won't save you much money unless you have a commercial account and do a bunch of volume. Usually the specialty stores are focused on delivering a wider variety of higher quality products than the box stores. They are not focused on delivering lower prices. There are a handful of resources that might help you save money, though, like:

Amazon for light fixtures and faucets

Floor and Decor for flooring 

H4H Restore for cabinets (albeit used)

Keep in mind you get what you pay for, and if you buy bottom shelf materials you may end up paying more for install because they're almost always a PITA to deal with.

 Agree with the first part, but not the second. At least in AZ, you can count a 4-year college degree as 24 months of experience, but it has to be construction-related degree (e.g. construction management, CivE, etc.). In addition to that, you still need an additional 24 months of practical construction experience to qualify, which is more than enough time to weed out anyone who can't handle the real-word construction industry. And then on top of that, you still need to pass the trade exam. Not sure what part of that is BS. The process is equally rigorous whether you went to college or not.

Regarding the original post, I suggest linking up with an experienced GC and working under them for 6 months to a year, even if it's just as a part time apprentice. GC's are always looking for extra help so it shouldn't be hard to find one who will hire you. Don't expect to get paid much, though. The real benefits are that you'll learn a lot, grow your network and meet a ton of subcontractors (this is CRITICAL if you want to be a GC), learn the construction process, and (like Bruce said) if the GC likes/trusts you they'll probably sign off on the experience even if you're still a year or two short.

I'd suggest reaching out to some GCs in your area. Home inspectors just point out everything that could possibly be wrong with a house. Contractors are the ones who actually fix these issues. Repair costs vary greatly based on region/market so there's no universal answer to how much it should cost. 

Note that not everything listed in your report "needs" to be fixed... a lot of the reports I've seen are very picky and a good home inspector will indicate which issues are major/urgent vs. Nit picky things.

In my area that would be a fair price, probably even a little cheap if you're truly getting what's in those pictures. I mean that bottom right picture is easily north of a $10k shower by itself.

Could you find someone to do it cheaper? Probably. But you get what you pay for, especially with custom tiled showers. You can't compare custom tile to a shower insert - they're two totally different things. It takes a lot of time and experience to make one of these look good so hire someone who is credible, has a good reputation, and warranties their work... even if you have to pay a little more. Cheap out and best case it will come out looking like a mickey mouse job. Worst case, if they cut corners on the pan and waterproofing, you'll have a complete tear-out on your hands.

I don't know anyone in Nashville, but I can offer you some advice from a contractors perspective...

Jobs like this - converting non-livable space into livable space - are rarely as simple as you'd think. Assuming you want to do it legally/correctly, it's going to involve plans, permits, city inspections, and possibly engineering. Most of this work has to be done before construction begins. So, if you don't already have city approved plans, I would suggest starting with a local draftsman or architect. Once you have plans, contractors will know you're serious and be more open to investing the time it takes to write up a bid. Do you already have an idea of how much you're willing to spend total? You'll also want to make sure your expectations are reasonable before you start spending money on plans. 

I'm assuming the studio already has water, just not hot water, right? If so, $12k does seem high for that SoW, even if he has to run new supply lines to the 2 sinks and shower. This is why you should always get multiple bids.

I'd look into getting a little thankless electric water heater. They're pretty affordable and take up a lot less space. It would be a good option for a studio that doesn't require that much output.

Ditto on the request for a floorplan. The first step to learning what options you have is understanding where existing plumbing, mechanical, electrical, structural, etc. is located. 

What you should do depends on your budget and how much return you think you'll get from changing the floorplan. Anything is possible in construction - it's all just a matter of time and money. A light/cosmetic bathroom renovation could cost as little as $5k-$10k. What you're talking about - a full gut, moving walls and plumbing - will easily get you into the $20k+ range.

Check out Jeff Thorman from Home Renovision DIY if you want tutorials on YouTube. However, you should probably hire a professional contractor with the SoW you're talking about.

@Bruce Woodruff Back to the original topic - I've been waiting for someone to bring up this topic on the forums ever since the BP podcast aired an episode on 3d printed houses. I didn't see much detail about how they're automating things, but I'm usually supportive of anything that boosts efficiency while maintaining quality. Unfortunately with a lot of these new "revolutionary" technologies, I feel like they're only more efficient and cost effective on paper... once you look at the big picture when they're implemented in the field, they're not actually all they're cracked up to be. For example, in the article, they're making their process seem like it's faster, cheaper, and better, which would presumably lead to more competitive pricing... yet $290k-$355k isn't any better than the other new construction homes in CG. Not saying it's good or bad, I just always like to approach flashy new technologies with a healthy dose of skepticism. 

What really grinds my gears, though, is the 3d printing advocates who make a case for their technology by bashing traditional wood-framed construction, saying it hasn't evolved in a century and making it seem like anyone who supports it is a Neanderthal. While I think it's possible that 3d printed houses replace a portion of the new construction market in the long term (the technology still has a long way to go IMO), I don't see it overtaking wood framed houses because there are so many benefits - wood framed houses are renewable, fast, relatively cheap, easily modified, can last hundreds of years if constructed/maintained properly, and all of the trades are already trained to work on them. Plus, traditional building methods HAVE EVOLVED in the past century: trusses, gluelams, advanced framing techniques, and Zip systems just to name a few. Sure, they don't make for sexy headlines, but I would argue they are just as impactful as the technologies discussed in the article.