Contractor Recommendations

[Flatrock]

Hey guys, looking for some advice on who to pick for a contractor for a bathroom remodel in Bismarck. We've had a few estimates done by a few of the big dogs in town and they have come back around 40-45k. We had one estimate from a smaller guy that was recommended to us and he came in at 28k. I liked the guy but he didn't portray a ton of confidence in doing custom tile showers. Just not quite sure what to think about the wide range in price estimates. Maybe the 28k guy will actually be 35k when it's all said and done.

Anyways, if any of you guys have had any remodeling done by a smaller contractor, especially bathrooms with tile showers, I'd sure appreciate getting their name. Thanks!

 

[Obi-Wan]

Or the $ 28'000 guy might cost you $ 55,000 to fix his
tittysprinkled up work. The low bid is not always the best way to go there is a reason he is $12,000 to $ 15,000 lower than the other guys.

 

[Wild and Free]

Definitely get references from them and call them, if they are reputable they can and will supply references. On a job like this I would not go with anyone not willing to supply a list of references to contact.

 

[Trip McNeely]

Or the $ 28'000 guy might cost you $ 55,000 to fix his
tittysprinkled up work. The low bid is not always the best way to go there is a reason he is $12,000 to $ 15,000 lower than the other guys.

or tha small guy does all his own bidding and office work therefore eliminating 12-15k in overhead costs.....big dogs=big overhead.

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have a small guy do all the work but sub out the tile work to a tile professional.

 

[watson]

45k to remodel a bathroom? What the hell are you having done

 

[Sum1]

45k to remodel a bathroom? What the hell are you having done

No shit. That sounds like a ton of money for a bathroom remodel.

 

[watson]

If your dropping that type of money for a remodel you may want go with a smaller reputable contractor and do what trip says about subing out work that the contractor is not experienced at.

 

[Flatrock]

45k to remodel a bathroom? What the hell are you having done

I about had to go change my shorts when I saw the estimates. I knew it was going to probably be higher than what I thought but 45k was WAY higher than what I was expecting.

Honestly I don't feel like we're doing anything too crazy. The dimensions of our bathroom is about 11x15. Basically gutting it, getting a new vanity, new flooring, knocking out a small 3 foot wall and then enclosing that area into the closet, a few minor things and then a tile shower. The shower is going to be big at 4x6 feet which I know is damn expensive, probably 12k+ or something like that. We're not going with anything super fancy though as far as flooring, vanity or anything else.

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If your dropping that type of money for a remodel you may want go with a smaller reputable contractor and do what trip says about subing out work that the contractor is not experienced at.

Yea we may do something like that. We both liked the cheaper guy and feel like he'd do just fine on everything but didn't have the best confidence in his tile guy. The shower is what's making me the most uneasy and the one thing that we want to look the best.

 

[LBrandt]

::bugeyes::

 

[nxtgeneration]

I would've pissed myself seeing those estimates. I put a new bathroom in our basement last year. I'm talking totally from scratch. From cutting out the concrete to run the sewer to tiling and all the finishes I probably have roughly $12k into it and its a large bathroom. We had a small contractor do the framing and sheetrock/tape/texture. Hired out the electrical and part of the plumbing as well but I did everything else myself. Unless you're putting in diamond embedded tile I have a hard time seeing the shower costing $12k. Tiling really isn't all the difficult, especially floor tile so if you could it might be worth it to do some things yourself if you can. Menards usually has specialty tools (tile saw) for rent or you can buy a basic one for cheap.

Also, don't write off the cheaper guy as lower quality right away. I know a couple guys like that and their work is far superior to the big names around here. Like stated above, they are cheaper because they have very little overhead.

 

[DirtyMike]

pm sent

 

[Wild and Free]

I have saved a lot of money by doing all the demo and prep work myself on major remodel projects in our house so all they have to do is come in and finish almost like new construction, also saves a lot of money to do the subbing yourself but it is time consuming and a pain to get everyone lined up to get the job done seemless without holding up another contractor.

 

[Flatrock]

Thanks guys for the replies. I called a few contractors today and am going to have a few more estimates done.

 

[dakotaeye29]

I would say 25-30k based on your description, a shower that size would run 9-11 depending on type of tile and pattern. It doesn't sound like a big project but for a contractor to come in to do it all and use reputable subs that would be the ballpark. I have been remodeling for close to ten years and that is what a custom bathroom ends up costing when using nice finishes. Pm if you have any specific questions, or I could recommend people I have worked with in the past

 

[eyexer]

as a guy that built homes for close to fifteen years those are the most absurd numbers I've ever heard of for a bathroom of any pittance. I put in one hell of a nice master bath in my newest home and I maybe have 9K in materials and I have a 5'x6' shower with numerous shelves and a seat, double shower heads, etc. Done in slate and tavertine which is big bucks. Corner whirlpool tub 8' double vanity with top cabinet, quartz counter and hammered copper sinks. Slate floor too. Two custom mirrors I made using expensive slate tiles along the sides. And a 8' wide linen closet with shelves and two solid oak big fold doors. If those are the numbers your getting they flat ass don't want to do it. I would general it myself. Draw it up. Decide what you want for fixtures and where the shower is going to be. Talk to a plumber and have him come rough it in. Go buy your tile at a good tile shop that has their own installers. Contract them to do the shower and whatever tile work for you. You can get a handy man to sheetrock and mud it out if you can't. But honestly a bathroom is a slam dunk to rock and mud out. You should be able to get a trim carpenter to install your cabinets if you need to. I still can't believe those numbers. Assinine.

Felt I should add my costs
All Tile (bought at The Tile Shop in Burnsville, MN and trucked to my house)-$3500
Corner Whirlpool tub-$1000
8' of Vanity with top cabinet-2,000
Toilet-150
All faucets-600
Sinks-200
Doors-350
Counter (Menards Quartz) 700
Shower door 200
let's do a 1000 for misc like tile backer etc.