Man, I hear you on the “surprise rot” under the AC. I’ve had similar headaches—once found a whole section of mushy decking that looked fine from every angle until we started demo. Honestly, I think you just have to pad the budget for unknowns, especially with old roofs. You can scan and core all day, but there’s always something hiding. I’d rather have an awkward talk about contingencies up front than eat the cost later. Clients hate it, but they hate change orders more.
Padding for unknowns is just part of the game, especially with older buildings. I’ve had projects where we scoped everything—thermal scans, moisture meters, even cut a few test holes—and still got blindsided by hidden rot or weird framing. It’s tough because clients see those scans and think we’ve got x-ray vision, but there’s only so much you can do before demo.
I usually try to document the risks up front and spell out what’s included vs. what’s “if discovered.” Not everyone loves that level of detail, but it’s saved a lot of headaches when something ugly turns up mid-project. Change orders are always awkward, but at least if you’ve flagged the potential issues early, it doesn’t feel like a bait-and-switch.
One thing I’ve started doing is keeping a running log of past surprises—helps when estimating future jobs in similar buildings. Patterns do crop up. Old flat roofs in our area seem to hide more trouble than pitched ones, at least in my experience.
One thing I’ve started doing is keeping a running log of past surprises—helps when estimating future jobs in similar buildings.
That’s a solid move. I’ve found that even with all the prep in the world, you just can’t predict what’s hiding behind 60-year-old stucco or under a patched-up roof. One thing I do now is build in a “storm damage contingency” line item, especially for older commercial roofs. It’s not always popular, but after getting burned by hidden rot (twice in one year), I’d rather have that awkward conversation up front. Also, photos from previous jobs help a ton when explaining to clients why the extra padding is there—seeing is believing.
- I get why you’d want a contingency, but as someone footing the bill, those “just in case” costs add up fast.
- Sometimes it feels like contractors pad estimates just because it’s an old building.
- Wouldn’t a more detailed inspection up front save everyone money? I’ve had folks use drones or scopes to spot hidden issues before quoting—less guesswork, fewer surprises.
- Not saying you’re wrong, just… I’d rather see proof of actual problems than pay for what might be there.
