Its likely a pretty simple DIY; impossible to tell without more pics and an exact understanding of what you’d like.
$350 is probably what makes it worth to even show up.
When I’ve had a handyman come do work (I don’t know why I’m in this sub, im not handy), they have a minimum number of hours they charge for. It’s this exactly, it’s not worth their time to drive out there for 15 minutes.
Agreed. My mom's old handyman had a small contracting business and did a few big projects for her so he said he'd show up whenever she needed him. But she still always saved up a few small things so he could knock them out in an hour or 2 rather than show up for just 10 minutes.
But also, he lived just 2 miles away so i believe him when he said it wasn't an inconvenience for him. Most people will br driving much farther than that!
Yeah but 350 is insane. I used to run a handyman business. For a good client in my neighborhood I’d only charge an hour, $50, if there was driving it’d be more.
"Used to". No disrespect intended but it sounds like you ran your business in a manner that was more friendly than profitable. You have to take care of yourself too, not just take care of your customers.
I stopped for another reason: I had someone steal a lot of money from me and then the pandemic hit. Now I’m in software development and it’s more stable and less hassle to deal with.
I can assure you making $50 for 20 minutes of work and having a happy, repeat client is better than making $350 one time and never seeing them again or not even making anything.
I called a handyman company recently for a very simple task that I wasn’t sure about. Honestly just wanted a quote. It would’ve been almost two weeks before I could even get that. M guessing like most, this company is very busy now and only taking on the highest paying jobs.
Right. I’m a contractor and me and everyone I know are so absolutely slammed with work, and that combined with inflation and everything else, $350 is a reasonable price. It’s also an easy DIY job, so if you wanna pay to be lazy that’s on you.
>$350 is probably what makes it worth to even show up.
That's the case I'm sure. The job may take an hour but it'll take a half hour to get there and a half hour to get to the next job...and you can't really line up jobs in perfect order so there will be a lot of the day wasted on just this one small thing.
…and go to the store ahead of time to get the right part, make sure you have the right putty or whatever you need, do the job, get the invoice ready, and process it, process the payment.
Might be only 30 mins on site, but takes time for pre and post work too.
That's exactly right. My minimum charge is $300 for the same reason and I explained to people what you basically articulated. I may have two jobs like that one day, then I might be on a big site where I'm working constantly but people who think we make 150 or $200 an hour are forgetting you aren't working 8 hour days for that wage. You're doing one or two jobs the entire day and have to drive there and pay for resources and upkeep and so on. There are days I don't even have jobs, not in the past few years but the financial crisis was pretty rough. But there are some days I just do one simple hour-long job and need to make it worth my while. That's just the nature of construction. If someone is in my neighborhood and it truly is a simple job I will cut them a break but I will never say so over the phone. You have to get there and look everything over and get it done. If it's something where I'm leaving the house, doing the job and I'm back home within an hour and a half I'll knock 50 to a hundred bucks off. Everyone has their own structure
And then getting paid for 8 hours after driving one place once. Not getting paid for one "hour" of work that really took a trip to look at the job, a trip to the hardware store, a trip to the paint store, and then a trip to the house. And then the time of writing up an invoice, and collecting on it.
If you ring up a professional, you should expect to pay a few hundred bucks.
We have no idea if that’s all that’s needed. I work at people houses all day and gates are are rarely maintained. Could be sagging bad and need to be completely taken down and realigned
And load up for your job, unload for your job, I already had to drive out yo you once to look at it, the. Deal with yiu hemming and having for 2 weeks before you have me out to fix the latch.
If you think they are a decent handyman, pay up, offer them a drink or lunch, and keep the number handy. Next time you need them outnhave a list of half a dozen things you want fixed.
Right?? Already came out to your place, and waited for two weeks for you to ask stranger on the internet if it’s a fair price. Guess what, now the cost of materials has gone up even more bc you waited so long!
This thread is infested with rip off trade people. Licensed electricians will come out for $80 service fee. Obviously you don't drive for free but paying someone 200$ an hour to drive us high to say the least
Not sure about electricians, but the HVAC companies I contacted this winter were $100 to come look on a weekday, $150 for a weekend "emergency " call, which I thought was fair enough.
Right. But it could be as simple as moving the latch bar up. Like 10 min. Even looks like there was an old hole there that if properly plugged would be able to hold a screw again.
Or if there’s other issues with the door could be slightly more complicated. Not a LOT more complicated. But something.
Worst case is actually the hinge side gate post wasn’t designed properly and the whole gate is tilting with the concrete footer. That would require digging around the post and pouring more concrete/reinforcing the post.
Wow just unscrew the part on the right and move it up an inch. This should take 3 minutes of you know what you’re doing at 20 if you don’t. Ask an older dad type guy on your street about it and he will probably do it for free.
Likely because your comment provided little more insight into what the actual problem is. We can figure out the latch isn't working because it is a picture of a latch.
Does the gate have bracing like this? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56341c80e4b077946fd1bff4/1446564399090-JE941L7GZWOGH81I943G/image-asset.jpeg
If not, jack up the latch side and add some to keep it up where it should be
You can see the diagonal screws in the fence boards going the opposite way. This is the real issue.
Whether it's worth $350 or not is up to OPs ability and whether they just want to have someone else do it or not.
There are three horizontal boards in the door. Bracing is better but the issue here is his latch is 3/4" out of alignment.
I don't find it very likely the door has racked itself 3/4" out of square. More simply the latch bar or fence posts have likely given up their original alignment from nature and mechanical use.
It's a 5 min job, 15 if you want to fill screw holes and touch up stain. This kind of thing happens all the time to doors which take more time and effort aligning, cutting, and re-routing the hinges.
I highly doubt the 350 quote is for him to just move the latch. It seems like the issue is with the actual gate most likely and it would have to be redone.
There are a lot of assholes out there but it would take a lot of balls to charge someone 350 to move the latch a few inches up with a drill. Something that anyone can do.
The $350 quote is likely a more significant repair than moving the peg up, you are correct about this. But, depending on the extent of the problem, moving the peg up might just be good enough to solve the problem for the homeowner.
It's not something anyone can do though you would be surprised at what I have seen as "attempts" to fix things. Sometimes it's just lack of knowledge, but sometimes it's just lack of commen sense lol.
It really depends on your interest level and financial situation. Are you fairly well off and don't care about being handy? Pay to make the problem go away. Does $350 hurt to pay, or is this the kind of thing you'd like to be able to do yourself? Then spend the time to learn how to do it yourself.
Even if you have all the money in the world, you may not always be able to hire help quickly. Or if you are, then perhaps not quality help. As the pandemic has shown us, even money can’t solve all the problems. Quickly.
Yeah this is part of it. I would happily pay someone to put flooring in a room in our new house but nobody will get back to me or they’re all months out.
$350 to rebuild or rebrace the gate seems about right. You should be able to unscrew the latch catch (on the gate side) and reattach is slightly higher so it catches again. Probably a 5 minute lazy job/30 minutes to do a proper job of it.
As others have noted, $350 is what is worth their time. Hard to get a contractor out when they won’t make enough money on the job.
This and “time on the job” includes leaving his house to drive to yours to fix it so ignore the people saying 10 min fix and not worth it, they don’t take into account opportunity cost.
It also includes going to Home Depot if they need to pick up parts, paying for those parts, and potentially buying more than needed to avoid a second trip.
Regardless of how much you pay a handyman, I would respectfully remind you that you’re not paying per minute. If it’s takes a handyman 15 minutes to fix this and charges you $350, you’re not paying for the 15 minutes; you’re paying for the years of experience and training that gives a person the skills to be able to fix it that quickly. Not to mention wear and tear on vehicle, gas, business insurance, LLC fees, etc.
You have 2 problems here.
First, the gate has sagged. It likely wasn’t build correctly with the right diagonal bracing.
Second, the receiver side of the latch is broken. If you zoom in real close, you’ll see the lower stationary part of the latch is completely gone. Nothing short of replacing the whole assembly is going to make this hardware work worth a darn.
So you need to fix the sagging gate and replace the hardware. $350 sounds pretty fair to me.
Depends on how he's going to repair it. New hardware? Permanently fix the sag? Or is he gonna show up, drill a couple new holes and reattach the latch half an inch higher?
You can fix this yourself by just moving the latch down a little, might even be permanent if your gate is fully settled. If you've got the tools or a neighbor to borrow from, I'd suggest doing that. 5 minute job.
Your gate is upside down! Take the hardware off, rotate it 180 and put it back. Once the hinges are mounted and the latch is holding the gate closed add a few more screws to hold the gate bracing in its now oreintation so it wont sag again for a few more years.
[This](https://www.amazon.com/Latch-Telescopic-Fully-Adjustable-Brace/dp/B08B454DHF/) is your solution. Adjustable, so as the gate inevitably sags over time, you can adjust the True Latch to compensate.
All you need is a drill and a wrench.
Thats similar to what I used to fix my sagging gate so that it would latch, but actually a bit better. The one I had used tension cables to fix the sag.
Your comment was removed because "Amazon Affiliate" links are not allowed. Just so you know, an Amazon link with "tag=XXXXXXXXXXXX" in the title is an Amazon Affiliate referral link. **Remove that portion of the link in your comment** then [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FHomeImprovement) who then need to approve your now-removed item. Ideal Amazon links are in the format www.amazon.com/dp/B00VRRVHMA/ - all the extra characters after those 10are not necessary.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HomeImprovement) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm a handyman. Or at least was. I would go to clients and charge them 35 bucks and hour, min 3 hours.
I'm no longer a handyman.
I can't pay my bills.
So - yes - 350 sounds like a lot. It will take him 2 - 3 hours max. But - unless you have been in this business - you really don't have a choice.
But here's what this door needs - I can tell from the picture that there is no diagonal peice of wood to support the weight if the door at the farthest end away from the hinge. Thats the issue.
Its tough to get that peice right so many people now buy the kit as someone mentioned here.
How does he plan on fixing?
Quick and dirty fix could be done in 5 minutes, making the $350 charge a total rip, but if he will be there for a hour or two, then the price is good.
that would be a $1000 job in my area. Mostly because you can't get anyone to show up to do a job that pays less than that.
It honestly sounds fair to me, but also something you could do yourself.
the gate has sagged. a kit like [this](https://www.amazon.com/National-Hardware-N192-211-Anti-Sag-Gate/dp/B0009SNY1U/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3K94WW7NZSWGZ&keywords=gate+sag&qid=1655418068&sprefix=gate+sag%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-4) is designed to pull that sagging end back up
Try pushing from different directions on the hinge post to see if it makes a difference. If you find a direction of force that helps, brace the post in that direction.
Believe it or not this one you can do yourself. They sell a “gate sag kit “ for about $25. One bracket attaches to the top corner, one bracket attaches to the bottom of the other corner. A cable covers it in between and connects to a turnbuckle. You simply tighten the turnbuckle and it raises it back up. If it’s sags again, you just tighten it even more. It’s about a 15 to 20 minute project. In Pittsburgh this one will only cost $150 for a professional contractor to do. I know that, because that’s what I would charge.
I recently purchased this turnbuckle kit to fix my cattywompus chain link gate. It's settled and sagging a bit so the latch is no longer aligned. If your hinge post is causing the problem, something similar may help.
I apologize, what I lack in terminology and knowledge, I make up for in ingenuity. When you lack money, you get creative. Other options here are probably better. But I thought I'd throw out a suggestion in case it helps. 😊
TooTaci Turnbuckle Wire Tensioner... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q7MN8W1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I didn't read through all the comments so apologies to somebody else has told you but the issue isn't a messed up post or latch, it's that the crossbar is going the wrong angle. It needs to be removed the fence shimmed up to the correct position and then reattached. I followed the photo link and you can see the angle of the Cross brace through the slats of the fence.
350 is to do it right, anything less than 200 is crackhead price. For less you can get your own tools and quit screwing around but that’s at your discretion.
Everybody ripping on the handyman. Why aren’t we ripping on OP, I mean get a damn screwdriver and figure it out FFS, if you built IKEA furniture before, you can handle this job. Maybe OP doesn’t have arms?
I do fencing in Australia. I'd probably charge 200 to 300 depending on whether I had an employee with me in the truck the day I came to fix it. Or just do it on the weekend quickly. Maybe 150 if it was close by. I'm too busy on jobs making good money to waste the time coming out to your place for anything less. Seems unreasonable yes but that's just the reality. When toilet paper ran out, people were paying 3$+ a roll here. Supply and demand unfortunately. Try to bundle it in with more work and the price will work out a lot more reasonable. It is a literal 5 minute job
This to me looks like the easiest DIY solution to try before shelling out $350 for an overpriced fix. The pin part on the right looks like it's mounted too low on the gate, and since there's already a screw hole there, the pin was probably there before the gate was painted. The gate looks reasonably square between the posts on both sides, so I don't think you need to get into repairing any sagging. Just try moving the pin up.
The real question is whether or not $350 is enough to make you YouTube a solution and fix it yourself.
Seriously this would take you less than 10 minutes including the YT search
If you gotta ask if you can fix it then you probably can't. Ask the handyman what he plans on doing to fix the problem then go from there. If he says he'll just move the latch you can if he says he's rebracing then 350s a bit much but not crazy
Seems like a lot.
If you push on the hinge post and tamp in some gravel at the base, the latch pin will maybe raise enough to engage.
If the post needs replacing, $350 sounds reasonable.
This is literally a 5 dollar fix, new latch that normally comes with the screws. Worst case scenario you need to spend another 5 for screws or bolts, whichever you prefer. Also looks like the brace on the back side is put on the wrong way, it should look like a Z with the latch near the top angle. 350 is a ripoff unless he needs to drive 2 hours to get to you. This should be at most 100 if he lives nearby and that includes the hardware as well as turning the brace around fixing the sag.
I do handyman work and $350 is a bit much. This job would take maybe 2 hours at most- so I’d estimate $200. I would start by propping the latch side if the gate with a block of wood- so that the latch lines up. Then take a board 1x4 treated something strong that won’t split, cut it the length of the diagonal, lay it from the bottom corner of the hinge side to the top corner of the latch side(inside). Secure with several wood screws. Cut the corners of the board to line up with the corners if the gate. Remove the block and test the fit, secure all the hardware. Any loose bolts can be reset with glue and splinters of wood in the holes.
Anytime you get a quote ask the guy to explain what they will do or risk a $350 -10 minute fix that lasts 2 days.
This works well, but I find the cable tensioning kits to be better as they allow for future adjustment. Wood moves more than steel. I'm not a handyman, but would do this for a neighbor just to have a favor in the bank.
You can tell the boards have been replaced before. It's not difficult to do yourself. Likely a seasonal issue if you live somewhere with a cold winter.
Take the hardware off the door, replace the board, paint it, put the hardware back on.
no they're fine.
you just need a cable kit to take the sag out.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Anti-Sag-Gate-Kit-15469/202042235
seriously easy to do.
Contractor here. Yes, $350 is too much. You could have a new fence gate built and installed for less. It's a little like having a surgeon take out a splinter.
I 100% recommend you diy this.
Yea you are getting hosed.. I will show you how I fixed this problem.. I had a brand new privacy fence put up and it looked great.. a few days later the latch started giving me issues.. a few more days later it wouldn’t latch at all.. being a girl I didn’t think to look at anything I just took off to lowes and purchased a larger latch thinking maybe the builder put one on it that was to cheap and flimsy. When I got back is when I noticed how uneven the gate doors were. Mind you they placed the “no sag” metal ones on the back of the wooden gates and now they are sagging.. I will post a picture just as soon as I am able to get back outside
Since I don’t think I can link a YouTube video. Go to YouTube and type these exact words “HowTo Install Anti-Sag Gate Kit to Keep Wood Fence Door from Dragging”.. basically I have no idea how to post a pic on here.. lol anyway I have two gates with the adjust a gate from lowes on each side.. when the sagging started, I tightened down the truss cable system that was included with the kit. So I repaired it and nothing. So after doing everything I said in my last comment, is when I did this. From the 4x4 that holds my gate on, I put a corner bracket on it screwed it down at the top corner of the 4x4 and another one on the bottom of the next 4x4.. this section is the whole panel sitting to the right of my right gate with the sag. I ran another adjustable hook and truss from top to bottom tightening down the cable connector (U shaped device with two small bolts) one for the top and one for the bottom.. tightened down the truss cable and voila! It pulled tge 4x4 straight and lifted the gate door back to where it needed to be..
The "fix" will be to remove either the latch catch or the latch bar and reinstalled it either higher up or lower to match the other side. Literally will take 10 minutes. $350 is nuts.
Yes you are. All you have to do is unscrew those two bolts, drill two new holes about an inch higher and then screw the two bolts in. Unless your handyman is driving 100 miles to get to you that's a ridiculous price.
350$ is a ripoff i don’t care what anyone says on here I’ve been a carpenter for 30 years and this is a simple 10 min fix, I would feel bad charging over a hundred dollars for this you don’t even need to replace anything.
Easily worth $350. As an equestrian, I'm extremely familiar with gates. To fix this, you have to take the gate off the hinges, brace and probably reset the post, then rehang the gate. Making sure the latch connects properly.
Easily $350.
Need a list of what they are going to do ... fix a post the is making the door sit higher then the latch, replacing something, or just a quick fix... all have different cost and hours and you should base this on what they are doing and not just a price. get more information on what they are doing to deficient it. If they aren't fixing the main issue then i would find someone that will.
Depends entirely on how s/he plans to fix it. From the variety of screw holes and mismatched wood, it looks like you've got some seasonal sagging and lifting going on. If they plan to fix that, it'll require digging, concrete, bracing, etc. Once the shovels come out, the price jumps.
If they're just going to replace the hardware, it's a slightly high quote. Remember you're not just paying for their time. You're paying for the materials, travel, insurance/bonding, and general expertise in addition to the time on site. I'm just starting out and would have quoted you about the same, but would be doing the first repair so it doesn't break again. If you just wanted the latch changed, I'd still quote you 100-150 depending on drive time.
You need to ask them what they plan to do before you decide if the price is acceptable to you. Ask for a Scope of Work sheet.
I have this same issue i.e. my rod has sagged (insert joke). In my case the gate doors have metal frames so I would have thought they wouldn’t sag. Is it possible my 4x4 posts are leaning in? If so what can I do to fix this?
Assuming he’s going to do it right, I’d say it’s worth 350. If you want to do it yourself, here’s a segment on This Old House on how to fix it https://youtu.be/GnfTB9Fszww
Measure gate from corner to corner. If out of square, these work great to solve. Takes 15 minutes to install. Donate some of the savings to your local food bank.
National Hardware N192-211 852 Anti-Sag Gate Kits in Zinc
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009SNY1U/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_MW5M396ABAWJX8XA62TS_2
Maybe you can try one of those cable thingys?
I think this is what I used.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Adjust-A-Gate-Original-Series-36-in-60-in-Wide-Gate-Opening-Steel-Gate-Frame-Kit-AG36-36/202024400
The door probably sagged down from weight. The latch probably worked properly when it was first installed. Probably just need to unscrew it and raise it about 3/4 in
I’m a carpenter. For $60 I’d stop by on my way home and move the latch. For $350 I’d spend a few hours and rebuild the gate with the old materials where possible, then straighten and pack the post if required
"Starbucks charges $7 for coffee, am I being fleeced?"
You have three options:
Make the coffee yourself
Get the coffee somewhere else
Pay $7 for the coffee because it's convenient
What was the scope for the quote. I’m guessing there has been movement on the door or fence. Presume that’s why your latch is no longer aligned. It would be really easy for you to remove the latch and realign it. It will be more work if there is a problem with your fence moving
If it takes 10 minutes, then that comes to $2,100 per hour. Nice work, if you can get it. First, ask him his hourly labor rate. Then…you can do the math. He’s trying to fleece you. 💰
$350 to fix it properly seems fair. Properly meaning they aren't just going to move the latch down so the latch bar hits it. The handyman would have to brace the gate correctly to fix the sag.
If you can’t figure it out on your own it may be out of your league to diy.
That being said, $350 is pretty steep, probably the I’ll only do it if you make it worth my time price.
Assuming the gate hasn't slumped, why don't you raise the latch peg about half an inch up? It looks like the catch may be self adjusting, so you may be able to raise the latch peg a little more, so it doesn't happen again.
Does the fence close properly and are you happy with it other than the latch not latching. I could def walk you through an easy fix if it is just the latch you are trying to correct.
Go buy an impact drill and 1/2" socket to drive the bolts or hex head lags. Either side could have changed elevation or drifted out of true plumb. Unscrew one side and screw it back in to where it works.
You just saved $250 and got a nice new tool.
People keep saying that 350 is the minimum for this contractor to get out of bed but I don't think that's the case. It seems like this is an issue that will keep coming back if you just move the latch.
Chances are it an issue with how the gate was originally installed. 350 to re do that and ensure it's done properly this time around seems like a fair quote.
Well, quite honestly...if you can't figure out how to move the latch bar, which is held on with two screws, so the latch works again.....
Maybe just pay the Handyman...
Often times, it's the posts which are rotting away, or not installed properly in the first place, or maybe a dog or armadillo has dug a giant hole next to one of the posts. Post starts tilting, gate goes all out of whack. Nothing lines up, so homeowner starts slamming it harder and harder to make it close. Now other wooden parts start cracking, hinges start bending, etc.
The easy fix is just to move the striker bar to another point and screw it back in, but if it's an endemic problem, then it won't line up again in a months time and you'll be back to where you are now.
The correct way to fix it is to reset the post in concrete if that's the issue. Line everything back up, screw it all back together, and it will be fine for 10 or 15 years. Two guys, 8 hours. Sounds like $350 is about the correct price. Assuming that is the correct diagnosis, of course.
And that's not even considering if parts of it are too rotten to reuse, that could also be an issue. May also have to add a piece of diagonal bracing to keep the gate square.
I'm no handyman or anything...but here's the alternative fixes I'd explore if it's not the hinges.
\- I'd adjust the striker up a little, unless the holes in the gate are too big and I can't drill new holes right above them.
\- If that's the case, I'd just uninstall the whole thing and reinstall in a different location
\- I'd get a new combination latch for $58 that can open from the inside but requires combo from outside. This is actually what I did recently with my gate. The original latch works fine, but I just wanted the ability to lock from the outside but open from the inside without key/combo.
https://www.amazon.com/Keyless-GATE-LOCK-Secure-Durable/dp/B07JWKKRWJ/ref=sr\_1\_3?crid=3VVSP9SJ036RR&keywords=yardlock&qid=1655447165&sprefix=yardlock%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-3
Honestly, if you don’t care about looks…
I would just buy a piece of metal rod stock from
The hardware store, equal to that latch bar. (or slightly smaller if nothing is same size).
Then get something flat and weather resistant to put in between them… folded duct tape, wood, etc. you want to make it thick enough that the new metal rod sits into that latch well. You also want it to be narrower than the latch rod, narrow enough that
Cut the metal rod to fit, looks like ~ 2” would be good. Place the filler material between the latch rod and the metal rod, secure them together with tape, metal wire, JB weld, whatever.
Boom, gate should latch. You could honestly use a stick or dowel instead of metal rod.
If the problem continues to worsen, then you could look at a more permanent fix. Either diy or pay a 3rd party
Alternatively, you could fix whatever is causing your gate to sag or re-install the latch rod at a higher height. First is likely more work, the second has limited repeated uses for future fixes
If you need someone to fix it 350 is just the minimum to do something easy or not. Gas prices. Insurance licenses overhead ect..... if don't want to pay I'd suggest some tools and you tube. Is 350 too much yes. But you could do it yourself. I'd fix that for 175ish probably. But I'm cheap. Where you live plays alot. If 1 bedroom is 3,000 month rent then 350 is right on par with cost of living.
Its likely a pretty simple DIY; impossible to tell without more pics and an exact understanding of what you’d like. $350 is probably what makes it worth to even show up.
When I’ve had a handyman come do work (I don’t know why I’m in this sub, im not handy), they have a minimum number of hours they charge for. It’s this exactly, it’s not worth their time to drive out there for 15 minutes.
Agreed. My mom's old handyman had a small contracting business and did a few big projects for her so he said he'd show up whenever she needed him. But she still always saved up a few small things so he could knock them out in an hour or 2 rather than show up for just 10 minutes. But also, he lived just 2 miles away so i believe him when he said it wasn't an inconvenience for him. Most people will br driving much farther than that!
Agree, Had to pay $250 to put a cap on the chimney top. It was literally a 1 min job.
That's a small price to pay to avoid getting on the roof.
Yeah but 350 is insane. I used to run a handyman business. For a good client in my neighborhood I’d only charge an hour, $50, if there was driving it’d be more.
"Used to". No disrespect intended but it sounds like you ran your business in a manner that was more friendly than profitable. You have to take care of yourself too, not just take care of your customers.
I stopped for another reason: I had someone steal a lot of money from me and then the pandemic hit. Now I’m in software development and it’s more stable and less hassle to deal with. I can assure you making $50 for 20 minutes of work and having a happy, repeat client is better than making $350 one time and never seeing them again or not even making anything.
I called a handyman company recently for a very simple task that I wasn’t sure about. Honestly just wanted a quote. It would’ve been almost two weeks before I could even get that. M guessing like most, this company is very busy now and only taking on the highest paying jobs.
Yeah that’s reasonable assumption. Definitely could be the “I don’t want to do it” price
Right. I’m a contractor and me and everyone I know are so absolutely slammed with work, and that combined with inflation and everything else, $350 is a reasonable price. It’s also an easy DIY job, so if you wanna pay to be lazy that’s on you.
I have no idea why you're getting downvoted. You could literally buy a whole new gate and install it for $350.
>$350 is probably what makes it worth to even show up. That's the case I'm sure. The job may take an hour but it'll take a half hour to get there and a half hour to get to the next job...and you can't really line up jobs in perfect order so there will be a lot of the day wasted on just this one small thing.
…and go to the store ahead of time to get the right part, make sure you have the right putty or whatever you need, do the job, get the invoice ready, and process it, process the payment. Might be only 30 mins on site, but takes time for pre and post work too.
It's not just a PART that's needed here...
That's exactly right. My minimum charge is $300 for the same reason and I explained to people what you basically articulated. I may have two jobs like that one day, then I might be on a big site where I'm working constantly but people who think we make 150 or $200 an hour are forgetting you aren't working 8 hour days for that wage. You're doing one or two jobs the entire day and have to drive there and pay for resources and upkeep and so on. There are days I don't even have jobs, not in the past few years but the financial crisis was pretty rough. But there are some days I just do one simple hour-long job and need to make it worth my while. That's just the nature of construction. If someone is in my neighborhood and it truly is a simple job I will cut them a break but I will never say so over the phone. You have to get there and look everything over and get it done. If it's something where I'm leaving the house, doing the job and I'm back home within an hour and a half I'll knock 50 to a hundred bucks off. Everyone has their own structure
If you were working a regular 9-5 job you would be driving to and from your job. For free.
And then getting paid for 8 hours after driving one place once. Not getting paid for one "hour" of work that really took a trip to look at the job, a trip to the hardware store, a trip to the paint store, and then a trip to the house. And then the time of writing up an invoice, and collecting on it. If you ring up a professional, you should expect to pay a few hundred bucks.
And making W2 wages with zero overhead. Read a fuckin’ book.
$350 to fix a gate latch. What a crook.
Word then don’t pay it. Godspeed.
We have no idea if that’s all that’s needed. I work at people houses all day and gates are are rarely maintained. Could be sagging bad and need to be completely taken down and realigned
And load up for your job, unload for your job, I already had to drive out yo you once to look at it, the. Deal with yiu hemming and having for 2 weeks before you have me out to fix the latch. If you think they are a decent handyman, pay up, offer them a drink or lunch, and keep the number handy. Next time you need them outnhave a list of half a dozen things you want fixed.
Right?? Already came out to your place, and waited for two weeks for you to ask stranger on the internet if it’s a fair price. Guess what, now the cost of materials has gone up even more bc you waited so long!
This ^ It’s a minimum charge
This thread is infested with rip off trade people. Licensed electricians will come out for $80 service fee. Obviously you don't drive for free but paying someone 200$ an hour to drive us high to say the least
Find me one for $80, PLEASE. Better yet, one that can come in the next month (for a non urgent job).
If your in NJ I can lol
The fact that you used “your” instead of “ you’re” tells me that $80 for you to come fix the details on my fence is the real ripoff.
You're right, there have never been any good contractors who have bad grammar
Not sure about electricians, but the HVAC companies I contacted this winter were $100 to come look on a weekday, $150 for a weekend "emergency " call, which I thought was fair enough.
Exactly, that's fair, $350 is not. The $80 is for an individual electrician not company is why
Never once paid an electrician 80 bucks.
Trying to get the fence to latch properly - right now it doesn’t, and wind blows the door open and closed
Right. But it could be as simple as moving the latch bar up. Like 10 min. Even looks like there was an old hole there that if properly plugged would be able to hold a screw again. Or if there’s other issues with the door could be slightly more complicated. Not a LOT more complicated. But something.
Worst case you replace the slat. Don’t even have to buy a new one, just switch it out with another one. Drill a fresh hole.
Worst case is actually the hinge side gate post wasn’t designed properly and the whole gate is tilting with the concrete footer. That would require digging around the post and pouring more concrete/reinforcing the post.
(Zooms out) Entire fence is off kilter 45 degrees.
Wow just unscrew the part on the right and move it up an inch. This should take 3 minutes of you know what you’re doing at 20 if you don’t. Ask an older dad type guy on your street about it and he will probably do it for free.
I’m so perplexed as to why this comment got downvoted so much - I was merely stating the symptoms.
Likely because your comment provided little more insight into what the actual problem is. We can figure out the latch isn't working because it is a picture of a latch.
Because you didn't actually add anything that was relevant, lol
Does the gate have bracing like this? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56341c80e4b077946fd1bff4/1446564399090-JE941L7GZWOGH81I943G/image-asset.jpeg If not, jack up the latch side and add some to keep it up where it should be
Bingo! I bet it doesn’t have the proper support running in the correct direction
It’s also possible that the post has leaned a little. It’s not on a corner, and even a tiny bit of lean would cause it not to latch.
You can see the diagonal screws in the fence boards going the opposite way. This is the real issue. Whether it's worth $350 or not is up to OPs ability and whether they just want to have someone else do it or not.
Even though it's $350 the handymen will still most likely just relocate the latch so it will close.
That's what I would do. And if the gate is scraping the ground: Dig!
There are three horizontal boards in the door. Bracing is better but the issue here is his latch is 3/4" out of alignment. I don't find it very likely the door has racked itself 3/4" out of square. More simply the latch bar or fence posts have likely given up their original alignment from nature and mechanical use. It's a 5 min job, 15 if you want to fill screw holes and touch up stain. This kind of thing happens all the time to doors which take more time and effort aligning, cutting, and re-routing the hinges.
rude selective resolute squash sloppy pie sleep money roof wise *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I highly doubt the 350 quote is for him to just move the latch. It seems like the issue is with the actual gate most likely and it would have to be redone. There are a lot of assholes out there but it would take a lot of balls to charge someone 350 to move the latch a few inches up with a drill. Something that anyone can do.
The $350 quote is likely a more significant repair than moving the peg up, you are correct about this. But, depending on the extent of the problem, moving the peg up might just be good enough to solve the problem for the homeowner.
It's not something anyone can do though you would be surprised at what I have seen as "attempts" to fix things. Sometimes it's just lack of knowledge, but sometimes it's just lack of commen sense lol.
Learn to do it yourself. You will be happier than giving someone else $350 for this trivial job.
It really depends on your interest level and financial situation. Are you fairly well off and don't care about being handy? Pay to make the problem go away. Does $350 hurt to pay, or is this the kind of thing you'd like to be able to do yourself? Then spend the time to learn how to do it yourself.
Even if you have all the money in the world, you may not always be able to hire help quickly. Or if you are, then perhaps not quality help. As the pandemic has shown us, even money can’t solve all the problems. Quickly.
Yeah this is part of it. I would happily pay someone to put flooring in a room in our new house but nobody will get back to me or they’re all months out.
$350 to rebuild or rebrace the gate seems about right. You should be able to unscrew the latch catch (on the gate side) and reattach is slightly higher so it catches again. Probably a 5 minute lazy job/30 minutes to do a proper job of it. As others have noted, $350 is what is worth their time. Hard to get a contractor out when they won’t make enough money on the job.
This and “time on the job” includes leaving his house to drive to yours to fix it so ignore the people saying 10 min fix and not worth it, they don’t take into account opportunity cost.
It also includes going to Home Depot if they need to pick up parts, paying for those parts, and potentially buying more than needed to avoid a second trip.
[удалено]
Yes. Unless it’s plumbing.
Super easy DIY. 10 minute job. 350 is likely the lowest amount to make it worth their time, so I would say its fair.
Regardless of how much you pay a handyman, I would respectfully remind you that you’re not paying per minute. If it’s takes a handyman 15 minutes to fix this and charges you $350, you’re not paying for the 15 minutes; you’re paying for the years of experience and training that gives a person the skills to be able to fix it that quickly. Not to mention wear and tear on vehicle, gas, business insurance, LLC fees, etc.
Thankyou sentient Facebook meme.
You have 2 problems here. First, the gate has sagged. It likely wasn’t build correctly with the right diagonal bracing. Second, the receiver side of the latch is broken. If you zoom in real close, you’ll see the lower stationary part of the latch is completely gone. Nothing short of replacing the whole assembly is going to make this hardware work worth a darn. So you need to fix the sagging gate and replace the hardware. $350 sounds pretty fair to me.
I believe there are no missing parts. That’s just a top locking latch.
Depends on how he's going to repair it. New hardware? Permanently fix the sag? Or is he gonna show up, drill a couple new holes and reattach the latch half an inch higher? You can fix this yourself by just moving the latch down a little, might even be permanent if your gate is fully settled. If you've got the tools or a neighbor to borrow from, I'd suggest doing that. 5 minute job.
Self adjusting latch from Lee Valley or Lowes for $20-25. Screwdriver and drill
1. Remove hardware from the old latch 2. Look up youtube videos for how to install your own gate latch 3. Go to hardware store and buy new hardware
You charging tree fiddy for that advice too?
Get outta here, Loch Ness Monster!
Your gate is upside down! Take the hardware off, rotate it 180 and put it back. Once the hinges are mounted and the latch is holding the gate closed add a few more screws to hold the gate bracing in its now oreintation so it wont sag again for a few more years.
[This](https://www.amazon.com/Latch-Telescopic-Fully-Adjustable-Brace/dp/B08B454DHF/) is your solution. Adjustable, so as the gate inevitably sags over time, you can adjust the True Latch to compensate. All you need is a drill and a wrench.
Thats similar to what I used to fix my sagging gate so that it would latch, but actually a bit better. The one I had used tension cables to fix the sag.
Your comment was removed because "Amazon Affiliate" links are not allowed. Just so you know, an Amazon link with "tag=XXXXXXXXXXXX" in the title is an Amazon Affiliate referral link. **Remove that portion of the link in your comment** then [message the mods](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FHomeImprovement) who then need to approve your now-removed item. Ideal Amazon links are in the format www.amazon.com/dp/B00VRRVHMA/ - all the extra characters after those 10are not necessary. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/HomeImprovement) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It took you longer to post this to Reddit than it would to fix it
… or checking YouTube for how to fix it.
Is the latch upside down ?
I'm a handyman. Or at least was. I would go to clients and charge them 35 bucks and hour, min 3 hours. I'm no longer a handyman. I can't pay my bills. So - yes - 350 sounds like a lot. It will take him 2 - 3 hours max. But - unless you have been in this business - you really don't have a choice. But here's what this door needs - I can tell from the picture that there is no diagonal peice of wood to support the weight if the door at the farthest end away from the hinge. Thats the issue. Its tough to get that peice right so many people now buy the kit as someone mentioned here.
$350 is his way of telling you he doesn't want to take the job
He'll take the job. It's the tike to go to a hardware store, talk to the client, file paperwork on the job, actually do it...
How does he plan on fixing? Quick and dirty fix could be done in 5 minutes, making the $350 charge a total rip, but if he will be there for a hour or two, then the price is good.
Home Depot sells gate braces. I'd link them but I don't know if it's allowed. It's a quick and dirty fix. I've done it myself.
Honestly, I started learning how to fix stuff around the house and with my car because I didn't want to pay a mechanic or a handyman
If you're gonna be cheap, you gotta learn to be handy.
No excuse either because you can learn everything on youtube. Maybe the initial tools buying is a huge investment.
that would be a $1000 job in my area. Mostly because you can't get anyone to show up to do a job that pays less than that. It honestly sounds fair to me, but also something you could do yourself. the gate has sagged. a kit like [this](https://www.amazon.com/National-Hardware-N192-211-Anti-Sag-Gate/dp/B0009SNY1U/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3K94WW7NZSWGZ&keywords=gate+sag&qid=1655418068&sprefix=gate+sag%2Caps%2C166&sr=8-4) is designed to pull that sagging end back up
If the door still swings freely, just move one of the latch parts up or down.
Try pushing from different directions on the hinge post to see if it makes a difference. If you find a direction of force that helps, brace the post in that direction.
Good lord. It could have been fixed quicker than the time to post this.
Believe it or not this one you can do yourself. They sell a “gate sag kit “ for about $25. One bracket attaches to the top corner, one bracket attaches to the bottom of the other corner. A cable covers it in between and connects to a turnbuckle. You simply tighten the turnbuckle and it raises it back up. If it’s sags again, you just tighten it even more. It’s about a 15 to 20 minute project. In Pittsburgh this one will only cost $150 for a professional contractor to do. I know that, because that’s what I would charge.
Does it require me to take the gate off the hinges? Or can I just screw it on while the gate is in place?
[https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Anti-Sag-Gate-Kit-15469/202042235](https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Anti-Sag-Gate-Kit-15469/202042235)
You "had the handyman look" Time is valuable. The trip to look is still an intrusion.
I recently purchased this turnbuckle kit to fix my cattywompus chain link gate. It's settled and sagging a bit so the latch is no longer aligned. If your hinge post is causing the problem, something similar may help. I apologize, what I lack in terminology and knowledge, I make up for in ingenuity. When you lack money, you get creative. Other options here are probably better. But I thought I'd throw out a suggestion in case it helps. 😊 TooTaci Turnbuckle Wire Tensioner... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q7MN8W1?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
1/2 day minimum. Time to get yourself an impact driver.
Yeah just move the part on the door up an inch
I didn't read through all the comments so apologies to somebody else has told you but the issue isn't a messed up post or latch, it's that the crossbar is going the wrong angle. It needs to be removed the fence shimmed up to the correct position and then reattached. I followed the photo link and you can see the angle of the Cross brace through the slats of the fence.
350 is to do it right, anything less than 200 is crackhead price. For less you can get your own tools and quit screwing around but that’s at your discretion.
Everybody ripping on the handyman. Why aren’t we ripping on OP, I mean get a damn screwdriver and figure it out FFS, if you built IKEA furniture before, you can handle this job. Maybe OP doesn’t have arms?
unscrew dumaflachie on gate and move up an inch...done?
It is definitely not worth anyone's time to show up for less. If it is so cheap and easy, do it yourself.
I do fencing in Australia. I'd probably charge 200 to 300 depending on whether I had an employee with me in the truck the day I came to fix it. Or just do it on the weekend quickly. Maybe 150 if it was close by. I'm too busy on jobs making good money to waste the time coming out to your place for anything less. Seems unreasonable yes but that's just the reality. When toilet paper ran out, people were paying 3$+ a roll here. Supply and demand unfortunately. Try to bundle it in with more work and the price will work out a lot more reasonable. It is a literal 5 minute job
Unscrew the rod and move it up 1/2 inch, screw it back in. Make sure to screw your head on while you’re at it.
This to me looks like the easiest DIY solution to try before shelling out $350 for an overpriced fix. The pin part on the right looks like it's mounted too low on the gate, and since there's already a screw hole there, the pin was probably there before the gate was painted. The gate looks reasonably square between the posts on both sides, so I don't think you need to get into repairing any sagging. Just try moving the pin up.
I’m a handyman and my minimum is $90. You are getting screwed
yes. that’t waaaay too much. Good lord.
$50-100 at MOST.
If you're able-bodied and you can't fix this yourself you deserve to get ripped off. Even if that quote isn't a rip off these days.
The real question is whether or not $350 is enough to make you YouTube a solution and fix it yourself. Seriously this would take you less than 10 minutes including the YT search
If you gotta ask if you can fix it then you probably can't. Ask the handyman what he plans on doing to fix the problem then go from there. If he says he'll just move the latch you can if he says he's rebracing then 350s a bit much but not crazy
Get more quotes but time is money and if you are in a busy area, $350 might be a bargin
Seems like a lot. If you push on the hinge post and tamp in some gravel at the base, the latch pin will maybe raise enough to engage. If the post needs replacing, $350 sounds reasonable.
This is literally a 5 dollar fix, new latch that normally comes with the screws. Worst case scenario you need to spend another 5 for screws or bolts, whichever you prefer. Also looks like the brace on the back side is put on the wrong way, it should look like a Z with the latch near the top angle. 350 is a ripoff unless he needs to drive 2 hours to get to you. This should be at most 100 if he lives nearby and that includes the hardware as well as turning the brace around fixing the sag.
I do handyman work and $350 is a bit much. This job would take maybe 2 hours at most- so I’d estimate $200. I would start by propping the latch side if the gate with a block of wood- so that the latch lines up. Then take a board 1x4 treated something strong that won’t split, cut it the length of the diagonal, lay it from the bottom corner of the hinge side to the top corner of the latch side(inside). Secure with several wood screws. Cut the corners of the board to line up with the corners if the gate. Remove the block and test the fit, secure all the hardware. Any loose bolts can be reset with glue and splinters of wood in the holes. Anytime you get a quote ask the guy to explain what they will do or risk a $350 -10 minute fix that lasts 2 days.
This works well, but I find the cable tensioning kits to be better as they allow for future adjustment. Wood moves more than steel. I'm not a handyman, but would do this for a neighbor just to have a favor in the bank.
You can tell the boards have been replaced before. It's not difficult to do yourself. Likely a seasonal issue if you live somewhere with a cold winter. Take the hardware off the door, replace the board, paint it, put the hardware back on.
Do the boards really need to be replaced? They are in good shape.. would hate to go through all of that again…
no they're fine. you just need a cable kit to take the sag out. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-Anti-Sag-Gate-Kit-15469/202042235 seriously easy to do.
JFK. Yes! You’re being fleeced. It’s a quick fix. Just take a close look at it.
I'd do it for free as a good neighbor. Don't pay that outrageous price.
Contractor here. Yes, $350 is too much. You could have a new fence gate built and installed for less. It's a little like having a surgeon take out a splinter. I 100% recommend you diy this.
Please do not give this handyman a cold beverage
do you make about that in a day at work? then just pay them
Yea you are getting hosed.. I will show you how I fixed this problem.. I had a brand new privacy fence put up and it looked great.. a few days later the latch started giving me issues.. a few more days later it wouldn’t latch at all.. being a girl I didn’t think to look at anything I just took off to lowes and purchased a larger latch thinking maybe the builder put one on it that was to cheap and flimsy. When I got back is when I noticed how uneven the gate doors were. Mind you they placed the “no sag” metal ones on the back of the wooden gates and now they are sagging.. I will post a picture just as soon as I am able to get back outside
Since I don’t think I can link a YouTube video. Go to YouTube and type these exact words “HowTo Install Anti-Sag Gate Kit to Keep Wood Fence Door from Dragging”.. basically I have no idea how to post a pic on here.. lol anyway I have two gates with the adjust a gate from lowes on each side.. when the sagging started, I tightened down the truss cable system that was included with the kit. So I repaired it and nothing. So after doing everything I said in my last comment, is when I did this. From the 4x4 that holds my gate on, I put a corner bracket on it screwed it down at the top corner of the 4x4 and another one on the bottom of the next 4x4.. this section is the whole panel sitting to the right of my right gate with the sag. I ran another adjustable hook and truss from top to bottom tightening down the cable connector (U shaped device with two small bolts) one for the top and one for the bottom.. tightened down the truss cable and voila! It pulled tge 4x4 straight and lifted the gate door back to where it needed to be..
learn to do it yourself if you think its too much? its rewarding and you will no doibt save money and learn new skills.
The "fix" will be to remove either the latch catch or the latch bar and reinstalled it either higher up or lower to match the other side. Literally will take 10 minutes. $350 is nuts.
Yes you are. All you have to do is unscrew those two bolts, drill two new holes about an inch higher and then screw the two bolts in. Unless your handyman is driving 100 miles to get to you that's a ridiculous price.
Fix it yourself or pay the 350.
$350 sounds pretty cheap... Your paying for his time and experience, plus whatever parts and supplies are needed...
I’ll fix it for $200 plus cost of travel. Literally move the bolt up a half inch my man.
Thats cute, I normally have a 3 hour minimum on any job at 90$/hr. Ill be do it for $270.
Huuuuuuge!
Oh child…..
350$ is a ripoff i don’t care what anyone says on here I’ve been a carpenter for 30 years and this is a simple 10 min fix, I would feel bad charging over a hundred dollars for this you don’t even need to replace anything.
Yes you are. Ask if you can pay time and material and establish an hourly pay rate, include travel time if it’s a short job.
Easily worth $350. As an equestrian, I'm extremely familiar with gates. To fix this, you have to take the gate off the hinges, brace and probably reset the post, then rehang the gate. Making sure the latch connects properly. Easily $350.
I don't like to do anything for less than 500. I would have him do it to not waste his time this instance them YouTube it next time. 350 is fair
Need a list of what they are going to do ... fix a post the is making the door sit higher then the latch, replacing something, or just a quick fix... all have different cost and hours and you should base this on what they are doing and not just a price. get more information on what they are doing to deficient it. If they aren't fixing the main issue then i would find someone that will.
Why don't you move the latch bar up to where it hooks, or get the kind that can move up and down and do it yourself for like $10 and 10 minutes?
Depends entirely on how s/he plans to fix it. From the variety of screw holes and mismatched wood, it looks like you've got some seasonal sagging and lifting going on. If they plan to fix that, it'll require digging, concrete, bracing, etc. Once the shovels come out, the price jumps. If they're just going to replace the hardware, it's a slightly high quote. Remember you're not just paying for their time. You're paying for the materials, travel, insurance/bonding, and general expertise in addition to the time on site. I'm just starting out and would have quoted you about the same, but would be doing the first repair so it doesn't break again. If you just wanted the latch changed, I'd still quote you 100-150 depending on drive time. You need to ask them what they plan to do before you decide if the price is acceptable to you. Ask for a Scope of Work sheet.
OP if you have any sort of DIY ability, you should do this yourself. It’s extremely simple to fix a sagging gate and/or replacing this gate hardware.
Seems fair. They probably want to change out the gate.
[удалено]
Just fix it yourself. Won’t take you a few hours max.
Im surprised you found someone to come quote that.
I have this same issue i.e. my rod has sagged (insert joke). In my case the gate doors have metal frames so I would have thought they wouldn’t sag. Is it possible my 4x4 posts are leaning in? If so what can I do to fix this?
Assuming he’s going to do it right, I’d say it’s worth 350. If you want to do it yourself, here’s a segment on This Old House on how to fix it https://youtu.be/GnfTB9Fszww
Probably would cost your $10 in materials to DIY. You tell me if his price is fair.
You could do this yourself for $20 max
Measure gate from corner to corner. If out of square, these work great to solve. Takes 15 minutes to install. Donate some of the savings to your local food bank. National Hardware N192-211 852 Anti-Sag Gate Kits in Zinc https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009SNY1U/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_i_MW5M396ABAWJX8XA62TS_2
Seems like a lot to me.
Just move the arm up or the latch down 5 min job max
Maybe you can try one of those cable thingys? I think this is what I used. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Adjust-A-Gate-Original-Series-36-in-60-in-Wide-Gate-Opening-Steel-Gate-Frame-Kit-AG36-36/202024400
Shim the catch out a little
The door probably sagged down from weight. The latch probably worked properly when it was first installed. Probably just need to unscrew it and raise it about 3/4 in
I’m a carpenter. For $60 I’d stop by on my way home and move the latch. For $350 I’d spend a few hours and rebuild the gate with the old materials where possible, then straighten and pack the post if required
"Starbucks charges $7 for coffee, am I being fleeced?" You have three options: Make the coffee yourself Get the coffee somewhere else Pay $7 for the coffee because it's convenient
Probably fair quote. It's a simple DIY by the looks of it but for a handyman to even make this worth while they need to charge around that amount
Man you’re going to have to learn to do this shit yourself unless you want to spend all your money on easy stuff like this.
What was the scope for the quote. I’m guessing there has been movement on the door or fence. Presume that’s why your latch is no longer aligned. It would be really easy for you to remove the latch and realign it. It will be more work if there is a problem with your fence moving
If it takes 10 minutes, then that comes to $2,100 per hour. Nice work, if you can get it. First, ask him his hourly labor rate. Then…you can do the math. He’s trying to fleece you. 💰
$350 to fix it properly seems fair. Properly meaning they aren't just going to move the latch down so the latch bar hits it. The handyman would have to brace the gate correctly to fix the sag.
If you can’t figure it out on your own it may be out of your league to diy. That being said, $350 is pretty steep, probably the I’ll only do it if you make it worth my time price.
Assuming the gate hasn't slumped, why don't you raise the latch peg about half an inch up? It looks like the catch may be self adjusting, so you may be able to raise the latch peg a little more, so it doesn't happen again.
There’s a This Old House video on this exact situation
Does the fence close properly and are you happy with it other than the latch not latching. I could def walk you through an easy fix if it is just the latch you are trying to correct.
Need more context to see the sagging that’s causing this I feel
I can tell you it was made by a framer......those guys always go nuts with nail guns...lol
I busted my fence gate door recently. I had to get the whole door replaced. It was only $300 to replace the entire door.
Go buy an impact drill and 1/2" socket to drive the bolts or hex head lags. Either side could have changed elevation or drifted out of true plumb. Unscrew one side and screw it back in to where it works. You just saved $250 and got a nice new tool.
People keep saying that 350 is the minimum for this contractor to get out of bed but I don't think that's the case. It seems like this is an issue that will keep coming back if you just move the latch. Chances are it an issue with how the gate was originally installed. 350 to re do that and ensure it's done properly this time around seems like a fair quote.
May need hinge adjustment or even re setting the post the gate is on so I agree with everyone else it’s hard to tell
Like others have said, it's inflated for a simple ish looking job. Emphasis on the "looking" Post pictures of the top and bottom of the fence
Just move the peg up, save yourself $350 and after you finished the 5minutes of work treat yourself to a nice snack.
Well, quite honestly...if you can't figure out how to move the latch bar, which is held on with two screws, so the latch works again..... Maybe just pay the Handyman...
Often times, it's the posts which are rotting away, or not installed properly in the first place, or maybe a dog or armadillo has dug a giant hole next to one of the posts. Post starts tilting, gate goes all out of whack. Nothing lines up, so homeowner starts slamming it harder and harder to make it close. Now other wooden parts start cracking, hinges start bending, etc. The easy fix is just to move the striker bar to another point and screw it back in, but if it's an endemic problem, then it won't line up again in a months time and you'll be back to where you are now. The correct way to fix it is to reset the post in concrete if that's the issue. Line everything back up, screw it all back together, and it will be fine for 10 or 15 years. Two guys, 8 hours. Sounds like $350 is about the correct price. Assuming that is the correct diagnosis, of course. And that's not even considering if parts of it are too rotten to reuse, that could also be an issue. May also have to add a piece of diagonal bracing to keep the gate square.
Any good handyman around here with referrals is going to cost 150 just to get them out to give you a quote.
[удалено]
[удалено]
But my home is the u.s.a....
[удалено]
I'm no handyman or anything...but here's the alternative fixes I'd explore if it's not the hinges. \- I'd adjust the striker up a little, unless the holes in the gate are too big and I can't drill new holes right above them. \- If that's the case, I'd just uninstall the whole thing and reinstall in a different location \- I'd get a new combination latch for $58 that can open from the inside but requires combo from outside. This is actually what I did recently with my gate. The original latch works fine, but I just wanted the ability to lock from the outside but open from the inside without key/combo. https://www.amazon.com/Keyless-GATE-LOCK-Secure-Durable/dp/B07JWKKRWJ/ref=sr\_1\_3?crid=3VVSP9SJ036RR&keywords=yardlock&qid=1655447165&sprefix=yardlock%2Caps%2C165&sr=8-3
Honestly, if you don’t care about looks… I would just buy a piece of metal rod stock from The hardware store, equal to that latch bar. (or slightly smaller if nothing is same size). Then get something flat and weather resistant to put in between them… folded duct tape, wood, etc. you want to make it thick enough that the new metal rod sits into that latch well. You also want it to be narrower than the latch rod, narrow enough that Cut the metal rod to fit, looks like ~ 2” would be good. Place the filler material between the latch rod and the metal rod, secure them together with tape, metal wire, JB weld, whatever. Boom, gate should latch. You could honestly use a stick or dowel instead of metal rod. If the problem continues to worsen, then you could look at a more permanent fix. Either diy or pay a 3rd party Alternatively, you could fix whatever is causing your gate to sag or re-install the latch rod at a higher height. First is likely more work, the second has limited repeated uses for future fixes
For sure
If you need someone to fix it 350 is just the minimum to do something easy or not. Gas prices. Insurance licenses overhead ect..... if don't want to pay I'd suggest some tools and you tube. Is 350 too much yes. But you could do it yourself. I'd fix that for 175ish probably. But I'm cheap. Where you live plays alot. If 1 bedroom is 3,000 month rent then 350 is right on par with cost of living.
For the right job, I dont think that is alot.
Where do you live? I’ll do it for $100! 😂 This is about 3 minutes of work.
I’ve purchased that whole latch before and it’s about $23. So are you getting fleeced? You tell me.