Need Help Pricing Failing Deck Fix for Elderly Client
Hey guys, I went out to look at a small deck that looks to have some serious structural problems. The lady whose house it is said she's been unable to find a contractor. I'm guessing that might be because the deck should probably be torn down and rebuilt.
She wants the structural parts of the deck fixed, siding out on, and a door or two installed, with a couple of plexiglass windows. Oh yeah and she wants a weather barrier layer between the top deck boards and the shed below the deck.
When I asked her about her budget she said, "Well, I don't want to pay ten or fifteen thousand dollars for this." She did mention she has the money set aside for this project.
She's nice, I want to help her. The problem is appealing because I've never fixed a deck like this. As far as skill level—I know I'm going to get roasted here—I'm a handyman with three years of experience.
My approach to this would to take it slow and methodical, design out the fix, look up what kind of jacks I need to hold up the deck while I replace the 3 posts and at least one beam.
Am I nuts and probably, naive? It's likely. That's why I'm posting here ie to get a reality check.
I just moved and everything is expensive as hell so I'm eager to take this job and get some money coming in. I will definitely have her sign a contract, and get milestone payments up front. I'm insured.
I'm also maybe an idiot but I will leave it for you guys to decide.
To sum it all up, my questions are:
is this a tear down?
Is it worth fixing?
What *should* something like this cost?