I reached out to Rapid Renovations (RR) to get a quote to upgrade my house to rent it out. They were very accommodating, very communicative.
The first estimate included major renovations and was well outside my budget. After discussing a more practical, rental friendly renovation, I received a second estimate that was substantially lower. However, I noticed a $16,950 charge for cleanup, which was the single largest line item in the $66,160 estimate.
Naturally, I reached out for clarification because I genuinely thought it was a typo.
RR provided the following breakdown, but the charges totaled only $16,000, leaving $950 unaccounted for.
$6,500 for urine treatment and pet odor removal. These were listed as two separate services: $4,000 for urine treatment and sanitization and $2,500 for pet odor removal and deodorization. My question is, aren't these services potentially overlapping? Treating urine contamination should also address much of the odor it causes. While I understand that additional deodorization may sometimes be necessary, there was no explanation of what distinguished the two treatments or why both were needed.
$9,500 for dumpster rental, debris removal, hauling, disposal, and cleanup. I had already informed RR several times that I would be clearing out the house myself before renovations began. In fact, the owner offered to handle the clean out for me since they would be needing a dumpster anyway and to save me money , I declined.
The breakdown included $1,200 for a dumpster rental, $4,200 for debris removal, $1,600 for hauling, $1,500 for landfill/disposal fees, and $1,000 for final cleanup. I understand that renovation work generates construction debris and that disposal costs money. However, I questioned why there were so many separate charges for services that may overlap, particularly since dumpster rental companies often include pickup and a certain amount of disposal in their pricing.
Between the $6,500 in pet-related treatments, $9,500 in cleanup and disposal charges, and the unexplained $950 difference, I simply could not justify nearly $17,000 for these services.
It's unfortunate because, without these charges, the estimate would have been well within my budget, and I genuinely liked the renovation work they showcased. read more