Added another ring to my grain bin---cost too high?

I had an extra ring added to my 24 foot grain bin (went from 5 to 6 rings) for extra capacity.

I had called the original installer, but couldn't seem to get them to come out or get serious about getting this done for me. I talked to several other dealers in the area, and just seemed like all they were interested in was selling me a new bin. But I just needed another 20% for my EXISTING bin to have plenty or room for storing my crop. Bin was only about 5 years old, so I didn't need to replace the whole thing.

Finally got ahold of a nearby grain bin dealer who would do it for me. He was kind of vague about the cost, talking first like $3000 and then mentioning $4000.

Well--got the bill the other day and they charged $5110 for puting this extra ring in. Took 3 guys about a day to do it. I'm kinda pi**ed because I think they overcharged me, and maybe more at myself because I should have nailed them down closer on the price.

Do you think that this is too high a price for something like this? Why is it so hard to get something like this done? I see lots of bins in the country that look like they have had extra rings added.

You may have problems down the road. Usually, but not always, the base ring needs to be of a heavier gauge and there need to be more floor supports. This is because of the increased weight of the added grain. Don't be surprised if, down the road, you have problems with the base ring or floor collapsing. The slab may not be heavy enough either. Hope it works out.

As mentioned , the sheets get thicker as the bin goes taller. Hopefully they used the correct sheet.
Buying "parts" instead of a whole structure seems to really hurt. Especially now with steel up, and so much demand for storage, they don't need little jobs at all. I just had a bin delivered and the hauler said the bin manufacturer said they have never been so swamped with orders.
So I would say you paid a premium price just to get them out there.

You can buy the whole bin used for around 1000 dollars.I've seen several at auction.

I have learned that I do not get an estimate anymore. If it is a job where they should know the cost, I want a quote/bid. I want it on paper.

Had a roofer quote two jobs for me. The shed would be $3200 and the house $7200. Wrote the numbers on his business card.

Did only the shed after a long, long time. Billed me $7200.00. I told him to pound sand. Argued and finally sent him a check for $3000.00. He cashed it and never heard another word.

I was ready for court or what ever it took.

Get a good quote.

We have extended several bins about 25% (1 or 2 extra rings. on one brand we had heavy enough bottom sheets according to the company rep.

In the other brand, we has the crew add external stiffner channels to support the lower rings.
Do not install stiffner channels inside the bin, they look nicer, but you have a lot of problems with grain hanging up between the bin wall and stiffner channel. Impossible to clean a bin like that.

Guy that works for me was telling me that a neighbor gave him a 24ft. bin. He is taking it apart now and moving it home. Doing it by himself.

An Amish guy left a note in my mail box that he would like to buy my concrete stave upright silo.
It is 16X40, with aluminum roof, unloader and all intact. He probably wants it for nothing. It serves as a good platform for me to climb up on once a year and look down on the neighborhood. Think I will keep it.

Gene

I remember way back when my dad was putting up a steel bin. He somehow got an extra ring with it so he put it in. He came out to the site one day after filling it and it was leaning pretty good. The lower rings had started collapsing. We put stiffeners on the side and it didn"t go any further but he wasn"t to happy with it.

(quoted from post at 14:13:51 03/04/11) I have learned that I do not get an estimate anymore. If it is a job where they should know the cost, I want a quote/bid. I want it on paper.

Had a roofer quote two jobs for me. The shed would be $3200 and the house $7200. Wrote the numbers on his business card.

Did only the shed after a long, long time. Billed me $7200.00. I told him to pound sand. Argued and finally sent him a check for $3000.00. He cashed it and never heard another word.

I was ready for court or what ever it took.

Get a good quote.

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Am I reading this right? You got a quote for $3200. Waited "a long long time" and then still expected to get the same price for the job? While $7000 may have been excessive depending on the time elapsed you do realize that materials, labor and insurance prices do go up and never down right? If the guy wrote it on his business card and not a formal quote (which by the way certainly would have had a 15 or 30 day clause) I am guessing that he was a small operation. You had him eat $4200 worth of costs and you are bragging about it on a message board?

Please tell me I read this wrong.

Doesn't seem you had a firm price,so you are fair game.hope the structure will stand the extra weight.?

I have bought some sheets to add to bins. Maybe 7 sheets around on a 24 right??? A bin without stiffeners would take thicker sheets as you go down. Steel prices are raising also. Another factor is if you were charged manufactures retail price? Big difference if he could have charged you $200 a sheet which might be nearer cost and actually charged you $400 which might have been manufactures retail. I assume they ordered the sheets and drove to pick them up. Probably charged you full retail based on manufactures pricing. Three guys at $15 an hour each for a day could be short of $400. The sheets could be nearly $3000. Labor and sheets could be close to $3400. $50 for bolts. If the bin had a floor that would have been a hassle to take out and put in. Drag in the jacks. Run a couple of trucks to the site. Load the jacks. Cover the overhead he might have. I could see it being $5000 since you really didn't tie him down as to what things were going to cost. You probably should have made it a 7 ring bin while he was there. Things are expensive. I just don't want the shock so I always at least ask first so I have an idea and also have something to fall back on if things get out of hand. Mark it up to an education and move on. Don't "black ball" this guy, it wasn't all his fault. Next time have them itemize and then compare. You are not the only guy it happened too. I had a $13,000 pond turn in to a $22,000 pond. We worked it out and are still good friends. He still does work for me. He had hired an employee to run a dozer for the first time. He charged me dozer time of $130 for all the time the guy was on the job even if he was holding a rod or off the dozer taking a leak. Honestly he was off 25% of the time I was billed. Like I say everything worked out.