The owner of a four-unit apartment building called The Other Man with a story we hear everyday---the work he needed done was too small for the big guys and too broad for the specialists.  He had to redo the bathrooms, replace some broken doors, repair the screen doors, and do some touch-up painting as well as a few other little projects.  The owner said he received one estimate to redo the bathrooms and he was not prepared to spend the equivalent of three months rental income to fix the bathrooms.  After looking at the job, The Other Man submitted a bid, detailing the scope of the work to be performed and the materials to be used.  The owner asked THE question-“What is it going to cost me when it is all done?” 

It is the policy of The Other Man to provide a detailed bid proposal for all work performed on a ‘per job’ basis.  The bid specifies the extent of the work to be performed but may not necessarily include all the work required to complete the job.  We all hate surprises and every time you open a wall or remove that cover, you are in for a surprise.  The Other Man may be skilled in many things but estimating for surprises is not one of them.  We do our best to anticipate, however, it is impossible to plan for everything we discover. 

In this case, we expected the drywall in the tub area to be in bad shape and we planned to replace it all.  The surprise was the water damage and rot we found in one wall, caused by a leaky roof years earlier.  The Other Man received permission from the owner to fix the water damage, after informing him of the cost of the additional work. 

Upon completion of the project, The Other Man submitted a final invoice to the owner.  His total price, including the additional work performed, was $32 above the original bid.  The expense of repairing the water damage was partially offset by happily discovering much less extensive drywall damage in one unit.

Before:

   After:                                              

Bathrooms (x4)

Remove tiles in tub area

Remove drywall in tub area

Disposal of debris

Remove faucets & showerhead

Remove window frame

Install ADA grab bars in tub area

Hang drywall in tub areas

Install tub surround

Reinstall faucets and showerhead

Install new window frame

Caulk tub & tub surround

Caulk exterior window

Paint bathroom walls & ceiling

Replace missing tiles in bath

Install new window covering

Interior Doors (x6)

Remove & dispose of old doors

Paint doors (doors will be primed white)

Install new lockset & knobs

Install new hinges & doorstops

Hang doors

Screen Doors (x4)

Remove screen doors

Remove molding & screens

Paint doors

Install new aluminum screening