Hey Everybody!!!! I just wanted to vent, and get your guys opinion. I have a friend of mine who just bought a new house. He wants a 24x24 deck with one set of 6' stairs. My Partner and I were slow for work so I went up to my buddies house and did a layout to get an estimate together for him. I was only going to charge him for materials and very low labor $400 a day for 2 men. The materials came to approx. $3500 for pressure treated lumber and screws,lags,hangers,ETC, Etc, etc,. Plus rental on auger. We have to sink and cement 6 6x6 posts. So my partner tells him it would take us about 2 weeks to build the deck from start to finish. So thats $7500 for the new deck. That day I give my buddy the price and he laughs and says all he could afford right now would be the materials. So a couple weeks go by and I have already wrote off the deck. My buddy calls me the other day and says that a guy who built a 10x10 deck next door said he could build his deck for him for $3100. This contractor is also making the deck larger 30x24. He told my buddy to just dig 3 holes for him for his support post and beam.(Contractor will do the rest of the work) I cant see how this is possible for $3100!!!! Plus the fact that he doesnt have enough support for that size deck!!! My materials alone were $3500!!! Is this guy stealing his lumber from somewhere!! Anyways now my buddy acts as if I was trying to give him a raw deal!!! I told him to go ahead and let the guy build the deck but dont call me when the SH*T falls down!!! I just want to get some opinions!!! He basically said in so many words u and you partner are a rip off!!!! I love this ****!! Never do work for friends or Family!!! THE GOLDEN RULE!!!!:furious::furious::furious: