SKILLED LABOR ISN'T CHEAP & CHEAP LABOR ISN'T SKILLED

DISCLAIMER:  Thomas Decks, LLC does not own this phrase or this T-shirt
Every week someone searches this phrase on this website.  I had previously blogged about this shirt and it's meaning.  Like you, it made me stop and think, and it fit perfect for the deck job we were doing at the time. Those customers had no clue how unsafe their deck was from being installed incorrectly and the use of subpar materials.  They did get a great price on that deck, but the cost to repair all of the water damage from no flashing, and no safe attachments to the home cost them more. 

Building decks isn't a hobby for us.  We don't have other jobs Monday through Friday, then build decks part-time.  We build decks all day, every day.  This is our bread and butter, this is how we bring home the bacon. We are building decks to make money, and yes, to make a profit.  Just like you are...... after subtracting your obligations out your paycheck each week, then you decide what to do with what's left over..your profit.   After we pay for your materials, then we decide what to do with ours.  Most of the time there's not alot let over...not what the general population thinks....this is a highly competitive business field to be in because you have the "Chucks in a truck" as above, that will undercut our prices to get the job.  BUT, what half our business IS, is getting a call from one of these cheap built deck owners to please come and fix the deck problems.   You were just trying to save yourself some money, you were just worried about the mark up and how much the contractor was going to make off of you.  Well, now some of you know and you're calling us to get another estimate on how much a repair or new deck will cost.    

Unique skills of qualified builders do have value.  We have determined our worth after helping so many homeowners have a safe deck after seeing so many failures and doing the repairs.  Not only can I tell you, but I can show you what we bring to the table to prove our worth.  Any good qualified builder can, whether it be a framer, an interior/exterior remodeler, home builder, or a roofer.  You should be able to go see and check out any previous work, you should be able to get a list of references on the spot, get their business/contractor's license, get a copy of their insurance certificates.  You can go to your local building department to check that everything has been built to the current building code requirements, you can view permits that have been pulled and check that they've passed inspections.  All of these items are available at your fingertips for free, to make sure you're getting your money's worth and to see what good contractors/builders can provide for you.  If you choose to hire someone without verifying the list I've provided, and invest your hard earned money into something below standard, then I will be waiting for your call so that we can make our hard earned money.    

So, back to the t-shirt message.........no other statement could be more truthful.