House Doctors

I had a back door frame that needed replacing due to wood rot. Technician arrived promptly and measured and took pictures. Gabriel then called me and quoted me the price of $675 for a half day's work. Actually the price should be around $200. I know because I have had the exact same work done on another door frame by another carpenter. And he did an excellent job. But unfortunately this carpenter is out with an illness at this time. So let's say 5 hours (it took the previous carpenter 2.5 hours) divided by 675 equals $135 an hour. Even with the materials, Gabriel's business will be making at the very least $100 an hour. Do you make $100 an hour? I don't. Way way too pricey.

The first call and estimate was good. Originally, I wanted the company to also deal with some sticky doors in the house along with the drywall cracks, outside caulking, and brick work. The quoted price was between $225.00 and $285.00, which was quite impressive. However, it took awhile to get them out here. I ended up waiting a couple of days more than planned, but that was alright. The problems began when the handyman, Mario, arrived, and took a look at the door. He said that the door frame would have to be removed on all five doors and it would be a major operation, requiring at least $250.00 more. I asked the owner, Gabriel Miner, about the cost increase and he said that he had forgotten to include it in the first estimate. Suffice it to say, that's not very professional at all. I also didn't believe that the doors needed that kind of radical work done to them, so I refused to let them do the work on the doors. The outside work ended up being $150.00 more, even though I again thought that was part of the original estimate. The work by Mario on the drywall cracks and outside was thoroughlly professional and well done. I have no complaints about that. However, the fact that the original estimate of $225.00 did not include all the work and ballooned to $400.00 is a great cause for concern. And what I believe to be a desire to do more work than necessary on the doors is also an item of concern. It suggests that they might give low estimate, and then inflate the costs by suggesting there is more work needed than they originally thought. This experience leads me not to trust them and I will probably not use them again.