How quotes work
“Message us a photo — we’ll get you a number.” That line from the company’s own posts is the starting point. This page covers what to send, and what tends to move the number on a southern New Hampshire house.
Start with a photo
A phone photo, taken wide enough to show the whole wall or floor, tells a contractor more than a paragraph does. Add one close-up of the damage or the detail you care about, the town the house is in, and when you would like the work done. Text it to (603) 722-3344 or email crimson.maple.construction@gmail.com.
The company describes itself in its posts as “Local crew. Clean sites. Straight quotes.” A straight quote is only possible when the scope is clear, which is why the photo comes first.
What moves the number on an older house
In southern New Hampshire, much of the housing is old. Devin’s own description of where he works is “There mostly town-houses older 1800-1900s homes.” Old houses add cost in predictable places: floors that need leveling or a new subfloor before anything goes over them, walls that turn out to be plaster and lath, openings that are out of square, and paint that may contain lead in anything built before 1978.
Lead rules matter to the price. Federal rules require certified firms and specific work practices for paid work that disturbs paint in pre-1978 homes, and that takes time and materials. The guide to lead paint in older homes explains the rule.
Scope, materials and permits
The material is the obvious variable: a luxury vinyl plank floor, a porcelain tile and a hardwood-look laminate price very differently, and so do stock and custom doors. Less obvious is the scope around it. Does the quote include removing the old floor, the trim, the transitions, the paint afterwards? A good quote says what is included in plain words.
Some work needs a permit from the city. The Manchester Building Division handles permits for building, electrical, plumbing, heating and demolition work, and decks need construction details. The permit guide covers the basics.
Small jobs
Drywall repair and paint are the jobs Devin says people ask for most, and the company’s posts invite “the little jobs that keep getting pushed.” Grouping a few small repairs into one visit usually makes more sense for everyone than booking them one at a time.
About estimates
- Is the estimate free?
The company’s own Facebook reel says “Reach out today for a free estimate.” For a bigger job that needs measuring or opening up, ask on the call how the visit works, so there are no surprises on either side.
- Can you give me a price over the phone?
For a small, well-described job with good photos, often a rough number is possible. For anything where the condition underneath matters, such as a soft floor, a water stain or an old window opening, an honest quote needs someone to look at it first.
- Why do two contractors’ quotes for the same job differ so much?
Usually because they are not quoting the same job. One includes subfloor repair and one assumes it is fine. One includes trim and paint and one stops at the drywall. Put the two scopes side by side, line by line, before comparing the totals.
Where to check this yourself
Manchester, NH
Send the photo
Call and describe the job. If it is on the service list, ask how it would go. Foundation work and concrete pads are not on it.