I am done meeting with Contractors! Finally!

I received a bid from Salvador Hernandez from M.A.S Home Services yesterday and it was outrageous! He quoted me at $54,900 when other contractors have been quoting me between $17,500 to $36,000. And to come to think that he said he doesn't charge too much and that his prices are reasonable! Yeah right!

To date, I have met with four contractors and I am reading to make a decision. See below for bid amounts

- First Contractor: $17,500 (not including redecking, but did include exterior paint for 2 properties & fence)
- Second Contractor: Will have on Monday
- Third Contractor: $36,000 (including $18,000 total to redeck 2 properties, didn't include fence or exterior paint)
- Fourth Contractor: $54,900 (included everything to leave both properties ready except floor, plumbing, or electricity).


I am meeting with the first contractor tomorrow (Saturday) again to work out a plan that I'll be happy with. Again, my budget is $18,000 (which he knows already) and we will work off of that and see how much I can get done. For sure I need to remodel one complete restroom and paint one house. The rest of it is simply cosmetic work like painting the kitchen cabinets, painting inside and changing carpet... nothing dramatic to cost $54,900! What a joke.

I'll post pictures of the before and after projects along with the contractors information when everything is completed. The great thing about him is that he doesn't take days to get back to you like other contractors, he's been doing this for years and can give you a quote right there and then.

I've seen a house this contractor was working on in Gardena and it was beautiful! The house had four bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and a huge yard! He charged them $30,000 to remodel everything, except roof and stucco. He did the landscaping, exterior and interior paint, laminated floor throughout the house, closets, garage repair & door, gate, kitchen, plumbing, electricity and all of the small details like fixtures, door knobs, etc! He left the house ready to move in, and it looked beautiful!

I hope I can make my duplex look half as good as that house. I'm wondering if he can get all of that done for $18,000 considering I won't need plumbing, electricity, landscaping, laminated floor, and garage repairs/remodeling...... We will just have to wait and find out! Meeting with him tomorrow and will let you know how much I was able to get with an $18,000 budget.