I have a 70+ year-old house with cedar shake siding that is in pretty bad shape and is in desperate need of a paint job. I know nothing about house painting, so I've gotten a few quotes for the job.
Usually when you need a contractor, there's a ball park range of what you'd generally expect to pay for a particular job, and then you adjust your expectations when you get bids that are higher or lower than your budget.
In this case, however, I've received 3 wildly different quotes for the job. I had a $4500 budget in mind, but the bids range from $3200 by an independent carpenter, to $7500 by a professional painting company.
Why is there such a huge disparity between the quotes I've gotten? All have included power washing, scraping, paint, and materials in their quotes. I want the job done right and for the paint to last 15 years or more.
I'm hesitant to go with the low bid because it's just a guy, but I don't think it's worth literally 2.5 times the cost just for the implicit guarantees that come with dealing with a bona-fide painting company.
How can I know how much something like this is supposed to cost?
I did get a bid for $5000, which is closer to what I had in mind, but he can't start work until the fall.
Best Answer
There are many reasons why a job would cost the contractor more or less, which obviously affects the bid price:
More significant, though, is the level of demand for a particular contractor's work:
The latter group of factors probably has more impact. A company that has a few dozen or a few hundred employees and is a top contender in the yellow pages will get more calls. Therefore, they can charge more. A little one-man operation may have to scratch harder for jobs, and therefore is willing to undercut the competition.
The inverse can also be true. A small shop with a reputation for excellence can develop an outsized reputation that puts them in demand greater than their ability to fulfill. Now they can name their price and walk away from jobs they don't want. This isn't unique to painters, of course. It's the fundamental law of commerce.
I'd select the lowest bid from a contractor that meets your standards for reputation, personal demeanor, etc. If a guy acts like a goof and slobbers tobacco juice on your driveway, that's a red flag.
Also note that 15 years probably isn't a reasonable expectation for the life of paint over wood. Even the best paint will fade significantly in that time, and the nature of wood means that the bond will be broken down by expansion and contraction, warpage, etc. Five to eight years is probably more appropriate.