North Jersey: $9.8k vs $15k–$20k estimate for replacing main beam and sill plate in a 1925 home. What am I missing here?
*Disclaimer: I used Gemini to organize my thoughts and the information for readability.
Hey everyone,
We are under contract on a 1925 two-story colonial in Northern NJ. During inspection, significant insect infestation/damage was found in the basement structural framing.
We hired a structural engineer who estimated a budget of $15,000–$20,000 for structural remediation. The sellers provided a contractor quote based on their engineer’s report that came in at $9,100.
Looking closely at both documents, the core scope of work is almost identical:
- Replace ~12 ft insect-damaged flush beam with a new engineered lumber (LVL) beam.
- Replace ~15 ft of infested sill plate with pressure-treated lumber between the main/adjacent basement.
- Remove and replace/sister 2–3 infested floor joists under the dining room.
- Temporary shoring of first-floor framing, site cleanup, and debris removal.
- Both exclude finished hardwood flooring repairs in the dining room.
The catch on the $9.1k contractor quote:
- It explicitly states: "Please note any concealed-condition and permits/inspection fees are not-included in the total. It is not anticipated there are any permit fees being this is a repair."
- Termite treatment/monitoring is handled under a separate contract.
Questions:
- Is it realistic to claim that replacing a 12' flush beam, 15' sill plate, and floor joists in New Jersey does NOT require municipal permits or inspection fees?
- Given the "concealed conditions" exclusion, how often do these jobs blow past the initial $9.1k bid once you open up the framing and subfloor?
- Does $15k–$20k sound like a realistic real-world total once permits, engineering sign-offs, and unforeseen damage are factored in?
u/darkchocolattemocha — 9 days ago