Daytona Best General Contractor

.It is an old story. I met Rick Sita when we needed to build out a sub place in the Food Court in the Shopping Mall. It was about 15 years ago.

Rick is a General Contractor with decades of experience. He came, took the measurements and then kept working on the numbers and it took forever.

I asked him what was taking him so long to figure out how much to charge for a tine space in the Food Court.

He explained, that whatever he misses, it would become his problem. So, he wanted to be sure that he knew what the issues could be and reflect it in his calculations and the contract.

– What issues?

It was a very small space and I could not understand what he was talking about.

And Rick explained. He told me that we did not know what was behind the walls, and he needed to  prepare for any possible scenario.

I did not really believe this stuff, I thought it was his fantasy.

Finally he got the numbers, we signed the contract and started.

And then every darn problem he mentioned was right there behind every wall and every corner. There was more electrical work, more plumbing work, more framing, and more everything you could think of… It was all there.

But it did not derail Rick. He was ready for the surprises. Not that he knew that they were there, but he knew they could be there, and he knew exactly how he would tackle them.

No, he did not come to me and say that he needed more money. Or more time…

In the last few years we did a few remodeling jobs for our investors, and we dealt with different people. We turned to Rick to do 2 of our most expensive projects, and they came out exceptionally beautiful. Of course, with cheap condos and tighter budgets we dealt with handymen on few other deals.

The guys did not have a problem quoting the price right on the spot. And then the surprises started coming, adding frustration, and demands for extra money, schedules and plans going down the drain, and even handymen walking away because they could not handle the problems… and inexpensive projects ended up costing way more…

I remember looking at the remodeled condo, a beautiful one, and looking at the spreadsheet with all the expenses, and thinking that not cheap Rick would have done it for what we have spent anyway, but it would be better quality and no drama… But it is not my money, and not really my choice. But it is sure my headache.

I did not need more drama, but I deserved it…