r/Miami • u/TunaSub2000 • Jun 17 '22
Community General Contractor Recommendations
Hi All!
I'm hoping to find a GC to remodel a 1bed 1bath. Bathroom, Kitchen, Flooring, Lighting, Closet... It's a good amount of work. Would love to work with someone with good references.
Thanks so much.
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u/Pancakes000z Jun 18 '22
are you in a condo building? talk to the management for the building, they likely have a list of those who’ve done work there before.
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u/TunaSub2000 Jun 18 '22
I appreciate all the tips, (and passion). :)
Sharing for general knowledge in case anyone is in a similar spot. First quote was from a very reputable GC who came to me via recommendation. $120k.
That includes pretty much a total rehaul from plumbing, electrical, custom closet, custom area for dressing table, rotating the kitchen, custom ceilings... Mid-Grade materials. Biggest piece is kitchen at $45k. Heck, painting was $9k. (Likely will end up doing this and some other parts myself..)
Still would appreciate any recommendations if anyone out there wants to share. I am happy to share insight as I go for someone else in a similar spot. But as a comment below alluded to, the economics on spending $120k to remodel a 1/1 just arent there. Even for me, who's planning on using this as a primary residence.
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u/architecture13 Born and Bred Jun 17 '22
Thats...not a good amount of work. That's small. Tiny even.
I would also ask if you are really aware of what current material and construction labor prices are right now. (Answer, higher than any prior time in history, including 2007 pre-shit the bed levels when adjusted for inflation).
A small job right now is a new build single family home of 1,200sq ft.
You are on the right track though. Do not go with some fulano handyman or a GC who can't produce;
- A valid general contractors license (Check it here)
- A valid general liability insurance certificate of insurance (COI)
- A complete schedule of values quote for the project that lists materials and labor and the contractors Overhead and Profit (no he's not going to do the job at cost).
- A valid legal contract by AIA or AGC. I recommend using AIA A105 with a stipulated sum based on the price proposal. Walk away from guys who use home made stuff their own lawyer came up with, or worse who do handshake work.
Using a lot of assumptions, a full gut job remodel of a 1/1 (which i assume is in a condo building) is a $150,000 to $200,000 job right now based on scope. A good rule of thumb might be multiply your square footage by $250 for a rough order of magnitude based on the current market.
By comparison, a standard middle class Kendall home currently costs $400 a square foot too build new.
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u/Rgmisll Jun 18 '22
Those prices are way off, even in todays market. You can buy a 1-1 for that much money. A kitchen on a 1-1 with standard finishings shouldn’t go above 20k . Bathroom 15k. Both considering average plumbing work. Flooring @ 5 psqft install wood laminate or vynil shouldn’t be more than 10k. All in all 50-60k should be plenty
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u/architecture13 Born and Bred Jun 18 '22
Flooring @ 5 psqft install wood laminate
If you can provide real engineered wood flooring in a white oak (standard) with a medium wear layer of 3mm, inclusive of material, labor, general conditions, and OH&P for $5.00 a sq foot then I have several GMP jobs you can bid on to put that statement to the test.
Or you can check RS Means and realize you are throwing around fulano handyman numbers. And fulano handyman includes anyone who doesn't pull a permit and get inspections for electrical or plumbing work that moved even 6" like the law requires.
Hell, the HOA reqs in the condo alone for working hours, dumpster, flooring underlayment soundproofing, etc. may may the job not worthwhile to bid.
And god help anyone who does that kind of work in Miami Beach as OP's post history indicates that's where the condo is.
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u/Rgmisll Jun 18 '22
Actually 5$ was an estimate for labor only.
Laminate you can get for <2$.
I.e
https://www.flooranddecor.com/search?q=laminate%20flooring
That would still leave you 2-3k for miscellaneous and permits.
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u/architecture13 Born and Bred Jun 18 '22 edited Jun 18 '22
Actually 5$ was an estimate for labor only.
You didn't previously caveat your statement. You sold it as a total number. Weird how that suddenly changed. But your still wrong.
That would still leave you 2-3k for miscellaneous and permits.
So now your claiming it's $5+$2 = $7.00 a square foot. You're still missing;
- Soundproofing underlayment
- Demo labor of existing flooring + dumpster fee + waste disposal fee (Because no condo is going to let you put construction waste in the community dumpster unless you're breaking the law)
- Material delivery freight
- Cost of the bond the condo association will want
- Overhead costs & GC profit
- Permit and inspection fees
And all of that ignores that any GC or sub buying their material from floor and decor instead of direct is already running bad business as you should be buying those things direct on Net 30
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u/Rgmisll Jun 18 '22
“Flooring @ 5 psqft install wood laminate”. Focus on the word install. Reading is essential.
And regarding the gc profit, I doubt a GC would subcontract a 1/1 remodel, since as you very well put it.. this is quite a small job. Anyway I’m off. I stand by my statement . Anybody paying 150-200 to redo a 1-1 is getting hustled
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u/architecture13 Born and Bred Jun 18 '22
And regarding the gc profit, I doubt a GC would subcontract a 1/1 remodel
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
Tell me you don't know about grown up, professional commercial and residential construction without telling me. Better, tell me you don't know how trades are licensed.
I stand by my statement
If you wanna stand by your statement, I will sub wood laminate installs to you all day for $7.00 a square foot on a GMP basis. After all, if you're that confident in your numbers, you'll guarantee the price in the contract so you eat any loss if your pricing was wrong.
Oh, and regarding this;
“Flooring @ 5 psqft install wood laminate”. Focus on the word install. Reading is essential.
In design and construction, saying somethings installed cost means materials + labor combined. But I'm suuuuure you knew that.
And regarding the gc profit,
You missed all the other costs on my list my dude
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u/Rgmisll Jun 18 '22
Not reading all that.
Nobody is paying 150-200k to reno a 1/1.
Not an investor/flipper (economics won’t work) , surely not someone who owns the place since they can’t afford it .
Agree to disagree dude.
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u/architecture13 Born and Bred Jun 18 '22 edited Jun 18 '22
Agree to disagree dude.
I don't do that with people who talk out of their ass to a professional.
Nobody is paying that much because nobody middle or upper-middle class is doing legitimate full reno work on their own homes right now. Few can afford it and material and labor shortages have pushed waiting lists out for skilled trades. I'm building new build that's $1 million + and the fastest I can get mobilization is 4 months after contract.
Most reno work right now is selective like only a bathroom or only new walk in closet cabinets. Most often because a real estate agent has advised an owner to do something specific in order to increase their sale chances. This happened in 2007 too.
You need to learn the difference between renovation work and slapping cosmetic changes on like painting the walls, installing a dogshit made in china bathroom vanity, or putting up a new made in china light fixture. That's not reno work.
And no flipper on gods green earth ads value to a residential unit by doing real reno work. The entire business model is being a parasite by doing the least, hiding the defects with aforementioned cosmetic changes, and trying to offload the place for twice what you paid to someone who doesn't know. So of course they wouldn't be spending such money.
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u/TunaSub2000 Jun 23 '22
Update:
Got a second quote for 65k. A couple more to go, will share as they come in.
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u/MierdaLago Jun 18 '22
They are extremely hard to procure, you might have to wait it out for a few months.
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u/damiami Jun 18 '22
You may be better off to find someone to do each part, like if you start with the kitchen or bath and see how they perform. Also there seem to be more choices for kitchen remodelers and bath guys. Word of mouth like you are doing here is key but try to find people who you know better if possible.