Skylight Work!

beachremodlr

I paid for an ad in a neighborhood directory and just sent out 600 letters and e-mails to intruduce myself. S.C. specialty contractor with lots of framing, roofing, design, and other related experience. Got a call this week to price installing 2 skylights. Expensive neighborhood, steep roof, w/ vaulted ceiling, and DIY HO. He already has the skylights, 2 new Velux curb mounts w/ the curbs. I bid 1600 w/ materials included or 800/ea from cutting the hole in ceiling and roof, building the chases, to painting finished drywall.
He called back and said he had an earlier bid of 700 for both, plus the cost of materials. He was going to take it from the point of finishing the drywall on, but they were not able to do the work afterall. I'm thinking about attempting the install for the 700. Figure it would be max 2 guys 2 days.
The catch is - the symetry of the room will not stay consistent w/o cutting both the top and bottom of the trusses to enable centering these skylights in the room. He is O.K. with me bracing the cut trusses however possible and aware of the potential. But really 700 for 2 employees, for 1 day may be good. 2 guys for 2 days is a waiste of time, not to mention the liability. Could you and another do this in 1-1.5 days?

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skyhook

What size skylights ?
Are you going to add rafters and head it out or are the going between the (e) rafters ?

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neolitic

He's playing you like a cheap fiddle.
You were too low to begin with.
What ever he says he's okay with now
you'll be in deep weeds if you cut those truss
without an engineer's plan.
Run Forrest, run!

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Chris Johnson

Did you say cut the trusses to center it???

Why would you even entertain this project for this price?

Move on, something else will come along

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skyhook

Vaulted ceilings don't have trusses.
is this you kcah ?

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neolitic

Sounded like he was talking about scissor truss to me?

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firemike

Walk away - FAST!

If you did actually mean you are going to CUT THE TRUSSES, that is far too little money to acccept that kind of liability without an engineer signing off on your alterations. You will always be liable for anything that happens. One little leak and you and your modifications will be blamed, and he knows this.

Like Neo said, he is playing you, probably because the other "contractor" walked away because he wouldn't cut trusses like Joe Homeowner wants, and is hoping that you are hungry enough to do it instead. I am guessing there never was a $700 deal, just a bargining ploy.

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beachremodlr

I'm still learning the names of the styles of trusses, I believe they are scissors. They are vaulted and there is about a 4 1/2' distance between the roof and the ceiling. Thanks all, for your replies, the more I thought about it last night and this morning, I knew that his proposition was lucrative. The lesson is one that I have been through before. Not This Year. I've only cut one truss that was in the way, one time in my life and this modification would be way more extensive and A liability. "Running and Running and Running Away". Nesta Marley

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theroofinggod

you had to think about it!

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Grumpy

If my scope of work were to install 2 skylights situated between the existing rafters and all I had to do was cut a hole in the roof, cut a hole in the ceiling, frame a header and footer, install the curbs, install the skylights, and install new ice shield and shingles around those curbs and flash them, my price would have been VERY similiar to yours.

This would include no materials and no drywall work. If I have to cut any framing of any kind the price goes up. If I have to install any sisters the price goes up. If I have to install any new framing, tunnels false rafters, etc... the price goes up. For what you described, I would be at minimum

"Mr Customer, I don't sell on price, I sell on quality. You can always find someone to doo it cheaper, but what's cheap when the skylights are leaking? and all the new drywall work is ruined and you don't know who to call because the neighborhood guy down the street changed his number? What's cheap when you hire someone without insurance and he falls off your very steep roof and sues you? I am not interested in being the cheapest. I am interested in being the best. Can you show me that other proposal so that we can compare apples to apples?"

call his bluff, if you want the work let him know your price goes up at the end of the week.

dougger222

My guess is there was no other $700 bid and if there was it was from like Grumpy said the washed up mechanic down the street that needs money for beer and cigs.

Not sure on a price for labor only but would guess two guys could cut back the shingles, cut the hole, install w/i, mount skylight, install shingles/flashing in a couple hours times two for two units.

I installed flashing on a skylight that never had proper flashing from the manufacturer and it took two of us about an hour in a half and I charged $500. Used dormer flashing for the top and bottom and shingle tins for the sides so my materials were less than $50 with w/i around the whole thing. That night it poured and the window didn't leak a drop. Before that every rain it would pour water in.

Three things make me nervous,
#1 a large chimney on a low pitched roof.
#2 skylights on a low pitched roof.
#3 a home owner that lies.

essrmo

you could install the skylights, leave the trusses alone, drywall, tape and mud around the trusses, looks like industrial crap but lets some light in. that might be worth 700 each.

dougthewndowguy

Walk away from this job. You have no idea if the other person will do the quality work you would do. The key is having money in the project for unseen problems.

DL