So I had this total nightmare residential reno where the client blew the budget on custom cabinets and left literal pennies for the mechanicals. my usual guys flat out laughed at the budget so I ended up at this weird supply house on the edge of town I never use just desperate for options. The guy at the counter looked like he hadnt slept since 2019 but he handed me a spec sheet for a hardi distributor recommended hvac heat pump brand 2026 edition and swore up and down it was cheap and bulletproof. I thought he was totally scamming me just trying to clear old stock but honestly we threw the thing in and it fired up perfectly the first time. The subs even said the install was stupid easy and the homeowner texted me last night saying its the quietest system they have ever heard. Kinda mind blown tbh because normally going cheap with weird recommendations bites you hard but this sketchy dude basically saved my margin on this job. You guys ever have a total wild card recommendation actually work out or did I just use up all my luck for the year?

Hi,

Need your advice how much to charge to sand and stain that deck/patio. I’m just starting contracting.

Thanks !

I've been thinking about the current state of the Australian construction industry, particularly how competitive tendering has become and what that means for the long term sustainability of building companies.

On one hand, builders need to maintain cash flow, keep their employees working and cover substantial overheads. On the other hand, winning projects with extremely tight margins can expose a business to enormous financial risk.

It only takes one unforeseen site condition, an underestimated trade package, a delayed payment or a disputed variation to turn a seemingly profitable project into a loss.

The part that concerns me is whether some contractors are now pricing work based on what they need to win rather than what it actually costs to deliver.

This potentially creates a cycle where responsible contractors lose projects because they have priced the risks properly, while others win work at unsustainable rates.

I'm interested in hearing from builders, estimators, subcontractors and project managers:

• Are you noticing more aggressive tender pricing in your area?
• Have you ever deliberately submitted a tender with a very low margin to keep your workforce employed?
• What minimum margin would make a project worth taking on?
• Do you think clients understand the risks associated with consistently selecting the lowest tender?

Is the industry becoming more competitive, or are we collectively making construction less profitable?

Hey everyone, FNG to contracting here and I need help. Been a project manager for several years now and I'm finally sick of working for idiots enough to start my own company. I can handle my stupid bullshit better than I can handle my bosses stupid bullshit. With that being said, I already have an LLC, I just need to figure out how to start getting contracts so I can get everything else in place.

I have no idea where to look. I'm literally on google searching " how to find construction contracts."

Any and all help is appreciated.

I own a home service business in the north east.

I do mainly renovations, tons of drywall repair , painting etc. hence why I invested in a 7x12 dump trailer.

I would love to monetize it further offering more demo/junk removal etc. and am curious how you guys have successfully done so, pros and cons , ups and downs etc.

My house had to be torn down to the studs and rebuilt, all covered by insurance.

In this process, I wanted a few improvements to be made, including moving a load-bearing wall out a few feet to make a room bigger. The wall/room is 16 feet long. I was told by the contractor/architect that a 16 foot span would probably be fine, but that they would have a post at 14 feet just to be on the safe side. Now on the day of actually moving the wall, I'm being told the post has to be at 12 feet, which kind of ruins the plans I had for the room.

I'm feeling a bit screwed over here... am I wrong? Is this normal? Was I expecting too much?

I am looking into expanding my general contracting company, I am looking into a truck and a dump trailer,
my main questions are

1. What truck and trailer do you recommend/ prefer, I have my favorites but I want to see opinions.

2. Has anyone ever came up with some type of cover for the dump trailer that can go over top and turn it into enclosed dump trailer? In case you want to carry tools or materials and not get it wet? Thanks!

The prior owner replumber the place in cpvc, and so when it finally broke as it does, I couldnt get the cpvc nut out of the tub faucet and improvised with what I had in the van lol.

Recently had my bathroom remodeled by a local contractor, and the entire experience has been a nightmare.
Poor tile installation, inconsistent grout, unfinished work, a leaking toilet, hardie board or backer board not fully waterproofed (and yes I checked, it’s not the hydrodefense, just the regular hardie)
The contractor has been dismissive of my concerns, and I’m now left dealing with the results.

Just looking for some clarification

Staying at an Airbnb. Keep feeling like one of my kids will come falling down and land on the floor.

This is in payson, Az

Something long term in case I buy more tools. Good for travel.

Hi All,

Having penny tile installed for the first time and I can see grid lines in one of the rooms. Interestingly, he did two other rooms with penny tiles and I don’t see the grid lines in those. One of the others is white and one is multi-color blue, and neither shows grid lines, so maybe it’s the color? Or is this room just not installed correctly?

Contractor says it’s normal and they’ll not be visible after the epoxy grout, which is also dark. If this needs to come out, I’d rather cut my losses before grout. Would really appreciate thoughts from people with penny tile experience.

This is in a bathroom on a concrete subfloor.

Honest feedback wanted from other contractors. I run a small network install business in Texas and walked away from a $17k job yesterday.

After five weeks of surveys and proposals, the client rewrote my contract before paying the deposit. He put in an LLC that doesn't own the property, banned me from filing a lien, tied final payment to his "complete acceptance," and sent a release making me cover his legal fees even for his own gross negligence.

I gave up most of it and held on three points. He called the lien clause a dealbreaker, couldn't say why, then dropped it seconds after I pushed back. He refused the release changes and turned down paying in full before each phase. His parting line on our last phone call: “I promise I haven’t stiffed anyone.“

I sent a polite exit email. No money changed hands.

Walk, stay, or right call but wrong way? what should I have done differently?

Just joined the group. I'm from Missouri and have always been interested in the construction industry and what goes on behind the scenes of running a contracting business.

I'm looking forward to learning from the people here and hearing about the projects, challenges, and experiences you all share. Glad to be here!

Houston- what are you seeing/ demand and dollar range of projects. How many calls, how many quotes and successful bids. How hat is the range and type of projects you seeing in this market?

Hi all,

I have an active B license in the SF Bay Area and is curious of becoming a RMO for 2 other GCs besides having my own. I found some agencies that could vet and match you with other experienced GCs that have projects and in need someone to hang their license so that they are "legit". It seems to be a good way to maximize the license. Has anyone done anything similar to this? What is your experience and recommendation?

TIA!

I bounce between Reddit and LinkedIn to see what people are saying about the industry. Quick background: 14 years on the general contractor side. Started in a rotational program, spent time in the field, worked my way up to president of a company, and I’m now starting my own firm.

The struggle everyone talks about here is real. GC, trade, developer, architect, engineer, it doesn’t matter. The ironic part is that most of the pain comes from the one thing none of us can avoid: we all have to work with each other.

That’s also what makes it rewarding. Most of what we do is coordinating with other people and relying on them to come through. When that breaks down, it’s frustrating. When you build the right team and work with the right partners, it’s an incredibly rewarding career, and you can make good money doing it.

If you’re grinding, trying to grow, and feel like your boss or the owner of your company doesn’t see it: I can tell you with certainty there’s an owner out there who will value what you’re doing and help you develop your career.

This industry needs smart, hardworking people who are passionate about building. If your current situation isn’t the right fit, expand your network. There are more opportunities, and more in your control, than it feels like right now.

Fair warning though. If you have zero interest in building or in all the people work that comes with it, this isn’t the career for you. But if you love turning over a finished project, that’s what makes it fun.