Is This A Change Order?
I am a new investor in the middle of my first project which is a major rehab. I am in the Washington DC area and purchased a preforeclosure property for $100k. It was a single story Bungalow with a horrible floor plan. My friend, who is an architect, and I and both agreed that the property needed to be gutted and I decided to put on a second floor. My architect friend gave me several contractors to interview and I chose one. We signed a contract and things are moving forward in a timely fashion however, the contractor just gave me a change order for $13k to add footers to support the 2nd floor. I reviewed the original contract and the contractor did not include any price for footers. Basically, I think he just missed it. My questions are 1. What should footers cost on a 980 sq ft. property (with the new floor the property will be 2000 sq ft.)? 2. Is this considered a change order? I ask because I am supposed to pay for change orders as they arise which is outside of our payment shcedule for the work. and 3. How would you approach the contractor about this matter? I understand that footers are necessary and if he forgot to price them in I would not try to stick him for the cost but I am peeved that he expects me to pay for it all up front.
from my viieew point which is not a legal one seems like a tough call. He should have included it if he was giving you a total job but if it was not listed in his contract he probably did not include it but you not beinga professional should not have to be aware of every step in the job and be sure he figured it. Have no idea of footer costs but am sure there are a lot of variables to price it sight unseen.
Unfortnately you have learned a value but costly lesson with more to follow.
A change order is any deviation from the blueprints / contract.
The problem you have (and Im not being condecending) is that 1) you obviously dont know what you are doing, 2) you are relying on your architect friends references, 3) you failed to read and / or understand the contract your were signing, 4) you signed what probably was a generic contractors contract which most are crappy in the first place.
Since the contractor failed to read the blueprints.......and is charging you for the failure on his part.....you would be very foolish to continue doing any business with this man.
From a contractors standpoint; if I fail to carefully read a set of blueprints and I give a turnkey price, then I as the contractor should eat the mistake. If I am doing cost plus a percentage or setfee then the mistake will cost you since it would have been actual cost plus what ever arrangements you had thereafter.
No one here can tell you how much a footer is going to cost without seeing the architect blueprint / design.
If your architect friend just put some lines on a foundation plan without giving specific details about the footing requirements, then you need to find another architect.
I believed I answer question 1 & 2........question three....should be irrelevant since I would fire him in the first place...................being that you have a legit set of drawings with details about the footers.
NC_Yank
Rehabinator and NC_Yank,
Thanks for your input.
Your project is way over your head for a first rehab, an architect is not a building professional. Before you started did you do a subject to appraisal to see if adding the extra space etc. was warranted? Was it economically feasible?
Of all realms of RE investing this is the most dangerous and fraught with peril.
I would have a serious talk with the contractor and let him know that the oversight on his part is not something your willing to pay for...
PS was he the cheapest??
[addsig]
Post deleted by moderator for forum rule violation.
NC_Yank (moderator)
[ Edited by NC_Yank on Date 10/18/2005 ]
Yank.......I think I love you.
That was more than helpfull.
Ps. depending on what computer im on....Im fridayg2002 OR brianab9920.....
Brian or Friday.......(lol)
Glad we could help........
When I was building in VA, I found the board, as well as the local officials very helpful and friendly. They only get testy when you try to go around them.
regards
NC_Yank
Look at my profile and pm me......I know some that will work in the Charlotte area.....depending on the size job and if its south side or east side etc. You will find that subcontractors in the surrounding counties of Mecklenburg / Charlotte area are cheaper....and often better.
NC_Yank
[ Edited by FallenAngel on Date 10/06/2005 ]
Hello
Ive used waterbased prmer and paint on paneling many times in the past only problem is when you try to use it on the paper coverd cheaper paneling it bubbles the paper some. Dont know if oil would have the same effect. Seen lots of painted brick it can be done and it looks good to.
Ed
For the paneling, the caulk you need it paintable caulk. Use Kilz as a primer and any top coat you choose. You can even texture the walls between the primer and top coat.
yep, regular painters caulk, I got the kilz white and did 2 coats of that, no other paint on it at all.
So far the fireplace is looking great with two coats of Kilz 2 latex.
the paneling has one coat of the same and is looking good also.
Thanks for all of the input
Dr D
this is always a good cheap fix. I prefer the oil based primer as it seems to hold a little bit better than the latex. I too like to tint the primer to approximate my wall color as it saves time.
Kilz is my favorite but zinsser is a good product as well.
[addsig]
I just looked at the brick fireplace this a.m., it looks like there is a little "yellowing/bleed through", so I think I might have go with the oil based primer (I hate oil based products!!!)
Thanks
Dr D
Tinting the primer helps keep the "yellow" from bleeding thru. I like Kilz but I think the Zinzer had a more pleasant smell in the oil based products
DR D,
I wonder why you decided to keep the panelling in a rehab, instead of replacing it with some new sheetrock?
Im currently working on a rehab which had two wall of panelling in the living room. I simply replaced it with sheetrock. it makes a huge difference.
Vguess,
I had to sheetrock 2 bedrooms, frame 2 closets and rock them also.
The paneling is in a large basement, three closets and up a flight stairs. to take it all out and replace would be to time consuming and cash intensive. For the market price (60-65K) of this house I think painting is the best option. If it were a little higher dollar house, I agree that "rip and replace" may be a better option.
Thanks for the input,
Dr D
Around $100 for a 5 gallon bucket.
Go with the good stuff, paint is really such a small part of the rehabe price...
[addsig]
Ebay.
ebay as a true auction (i.e. no comps needed)
You could probably trrace down the former family through tax records and such? if it was an REO home, I would imagine they have had enough grief withut realizing someday soon that they lost dear old grandma somethwere?
i would call the FBI it could be Jimmy Hoffa
I would say definitely try to contact the people you purchased it from. If you made a reasonable effort to return the urn.... EBAY it is!!!
Thanks for the story and Good Luck!!
[addsig]
I understand they never found Amelia Earhart, either....
Extra trivia for the Ebay auction!
Did they ever find DB Cooper? There might be some hidden cash as well.
Did they ever find DB Cooper? There might be some hidden cash as well.
Jimmy Hoffa? Amelia Earhart? DB Cooper?
Too funny!
But if they had Grandma tucked away under the stairs, she obviously wasn’t top-of-mind for them. And apparently the police aren’t too concerned either.
What a business this is!
Maybe we should have a FUNNY STORY forum?
thanks to this post I will now visit fourm more often.
Speaking of dead people, has anyone bought a house where a murder took place?
I bought a house last year for .50 cents on the dollar (short sale) because a pretty bad murder took place on the property (guy was beaten and stuffed into a car trunk). The wife was the only one who didnt go to jail and she didnt have anything to do with the murder but all her kids and her husband did, so she contacted us. We did well on that one.[ Edited by ZinOrganization on Date 10/20/2005 ]