[AT] Crazy pricing on construction job

Fri May 14 12:48:43 PDT 2021

When we went to order our Trex decking we were going to get the un-grooved boards and was planning on using the side clips that they have. That meant that I would have to cut a slot in the sides at every joist using a router bit. The distributor told me it was better to get the grooved boards since it would save time and there was no price difference. They could also get it faster since it was more in demand and Trex produced more of it than the un-grooved boards. Turns out something called Covid but the kabash on delivery, but we did eventually get it. The side clips make installation really simple and they also act as spacers, all the boards line up perfectly. The only issue with using the grooved boards is that you will see the grooves in the board ends unless you frame the deck with un-grooved boards first, which means cutting mitered angles at all the corners. So you deck needs to be pretty square or you need to be good at figuring odd angled miter cuts.

In case your interests, Trex has an app on their website that lets you sort of design your deck. You can select your board type and railing type, then they will provide a recommended list of what you need to order based on your selections. They also provide a picture of what the decking/railing would look like if you go with their recommendation. Helps to make sure you don’t forget something. Also check out their installation guides that have a lot of helpful hints.

Carl

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com>
To: at at lists.antique-tractor.com
Sent: Fri, 14 May 2021 13:44:29 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: Re: [AT] Crazy pricing on construction job

My daughters boyfriend installs a lot of Trex decks. I have a buddy that
had a Trex deck installed in their vacation house in FL. I showed my him
a picture of the new deck, and he just shook his head, they surface
screwed it like a wooden deck. He said those are going to pop, and he
was right, they weren't even countersunk.

Mike M

On 5/14/2021 9:11 AM, szabelski at wildblue.net wrote:
> Last year I redid our deck using Trex and clips. Has a 25 year warranty. It’s not the one that’s fully clad, only top and sides. I believe they do have the four sided clad but we were looking for a mid range product so I can’t say anything about cost. Keep in mind that the ends of a board clad on all four sides will still have exposed ends on each board. I have a few long scrap pieces that I cut lengthwise and they do develop a bend from moisture over night, however when they dry out in the sun for an hour of so, they’re perfectly flat.
>
> Carl
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dean VP <deanvp at att.net>
> To: 'Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group' <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Fri, 14 May 2021 00:27:47 -0400 (EDT)
> Subject: Re: [AT] Crazy pricing on construction job
>
> I've now had some additional quotes come in I can now say that the inflation
> of at least one quote from the lowest I got last year is 320%.The housing
> and remodel market in the Seattle area is soooo hot right now the
> contractors have developed a serious case of GREED.  Apparently there are
> enough suckers out there that will pay these inflated prices that they can
> cherry pick very high margin jobs. Two contractors that have come out of the
> Seattle area are the ones with the 300% plus bids. We are 30 miles plus from
> the center of Seattle.  I suppose what they are doing is they are willing to
> travel for a job if they have found a sucker.  I'm trying very hard to not
> be one of their victims. It's an insane world trying to get something
> related to construction done in a reasonable time at a reasonable price.
> Greed is a very attractive concubine.    As my father said in these kinds of
> times:  This too will change!  Oh by the way.... Concrete work is $18 a
> square foot with a $2800 minimum.   If I was a few years younger I'd build
> the damn thing myself. Building a deck is not rocket science.  I get a kick
> out the sales people that throw around that material costs have gone up by
> 300 plus percent.  They get very quiet when I mention, I've been to the
> local lumber yard and was told the price of a 16 foot 2 x 8 has gone up 40%
> in the last year.
>
> I do have one question.  As most of you know it is very wet and damp here
> for at least 7 months a year and where I am installing my deck is in the
> shade all afternoon and evening. The SE corner of the house but is in the
> worst possible place for the weather which we often get  rain from the East
> or SE.  I intend to use composite wood for the flooring. I have developed a
> fear of what a constant moist environment under the deck will do to the
> underside of the composite wood.  So I am looking at composite flooring that
> is clad on all four sides so the moisture cannot get in. A intend to use
> clips rather than screw the boards down so I don't penetrate that seal.
> Anyone with experience in this area I sure would appreciate hearing from
> you.  The 4 sided sealed composite flooring board is considerably more
> expensive.   Am I being over cautious?  I know almost anything will last as
> long as we live here which probably will be between 5 and 10 years.   But I
> don't like building crap.
>
>
>
> Dean VP
> Snohomish, WA 98290
> "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and gospel of
> envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."
> ..Winston Churchill...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: AT <at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com> On Behalf Of Steve W.
> Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2021 8:25 PM
> To: Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Subject: Re: [AT] Crazy pricing on construction job
>
> Stephen Offiler wrote:
>> My rental property is a prefab built in 1989.  I purchased the
>> property in 2015 so obviously I had nothing to do with selecting who made
> it.
>> What I have done is renovation work that has shown me they really,
>> really like their construction adhesive!  No matter who the
>> manufacturer is, they all have to be built to handle the
>> transportation from factory to job site.
>>
>> SO
>>
> Transport is part of it but most of it comes from the regulations on them.
> The standards on a prefab are really interesting to see. I worked in the
> cabinet shop at a local plant for a year before getting fed up with it.
> There are different specs for the various parts of the country and even
> different ones when you shipped to Canada. They actually have crash test
> standards for them!
> It was a real blast watching them being built though. We started with a set
> of axles and bulk frame steel and built from there. My boss at the time was
> also my fire chief and he ordered a new place while I was there. He spec'd
> it out as a Canadian unit (that gets you a larger breaker panel with
> breakers for each room instead of the common US designs where the front
> bedroom, bathroom and outdoor lights are all on one breaker style) It also
> has increased snow loading, better insulation and closer spacings on studs
> and joists.
>
> We also had different materials for items, from real solid oak/cherry/maple
> to pressboard with paper facing. His was built with all the top line
> materials. From start to finish it took us one week on the line. That was
> for a double wide 62X32. The weigh them as they go out the door to be sure
> the permits are just legal and his was a bit on the heavy side, roughly an
> extra ton of weight in better materials and insulation over the normal
> version.
>
> --
> Steve W.
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