Chapter 450 The Zhang Brothers
Palisades Community.
After lunch, Luke rushed to the Palisades community.
He has already got the key of the house, and when he comes here again, his identity has changed from the housekeeper to the owner of the house.
Luke unlocked the door and entered the house, searched the house inside and out, but found nothing this time.
He stood by the window on the second floor and saw someone walking into the yard. It was Li Zhaofeng and two strange Chinese men.
Luke went downstairs to meet the three of them.
Li Zhaofeng pointed to the two Chinese men beside him, and introduced, "These two are the general manager Zhang Jianguo and the vice president Zhang Jianmin of the Zhang Brothers Construction Company.
This is my son Luke. "
The older Chinese man took the initiative to shake hands with Luke, "Captain Li, I have known you for a long time, you are the light of our Chinese people. My name is Zhang Jianguo, please take care of me in the future."
Luke said with a smile, "You are welcome, I have to ask you two to take care of this house in the future."
"Our company started from scratch, relying on the word-of-mouth of old customers to do it step by step. They are all old workers who have been working for several years. They are skilled, serious, responsible, and know the basics. They are guaranteed to satisfy you.
Moreover, we are old acquaintances with Accountant Li, so we will definitely give you the best price. "
"Let me show you around first." Luke led the Zhang brothers around the house.
While watching, the Zhang brothers tapped with their hands, and even took away a wall brick and board.
The younger Zhang Jianmin shook his head, "This house has not been repaired for many years, and these should have been replaced long ago."
Luke didn’t respond either, so he took them around outside, and then led them into the house to see. Luke had seen the structural diagram of this house, and basically figured out the situation inside and out.
After walking around the house, Zhang Jianguo asked, "Captain Li, do you want to repair this house, or tear it down and rebuild it?"
Luke asked back, "Which one do you think is more suitable?"
"Are you investing or living in?"
"live alone."
"How much is the budget for repair or reconstruction?"
"I haven't figured it out yet." Luke remembered that when he chatted with real estate agent Tom Akram yesterday, he mentioned the price of a house of the same type, and he probably knew it in his mind, but he still didn't say it.
"If you have enough budget and plan to live in yourself in the future, I suggest you push it to house reconstruction." While speaking, Zhang Jianguo deducted another piece of wall covering to reveal the wooden structure inside.
"This house has been built for at least 20 or 30 years. If it needs to be repaired, it must be overhauled and it will cost a lot."
Li Zhaofeng asked, "Is it more expensive to demolish and rebuild?"
"That's for sure, but the advantage is that they are all new, and there is no need to consider maintenance issues within a few years.
If it is just repairs, it is impossible to repair all the places, and there may be minor problems. The house has been built for a long time, and the decoration concept is also very backward. The pipes and lines are also aging, and repairs will be very troublesome.
I took a look at the foundation, which is also a wooden structure, which is rare now. The current foundations are steel and concrete.
If it needs to be repaired, the foundation should also be inspected as a whole.
The foundation of a wooden structure is easier to clean up if it is to be knocked down and rebuilt. "
Luke looked at the house, feeling a bit dilapidated, "If it's knocked down and rebuilt, how much will it cost?"
"It depends on the style and area of the house you build." Zhang Jianmin took out the tablet computer from his backpack and looked around for one. There was thick dust everywhere, and there was really no place.
Luke suggested, "Let's go out and talk."
A group of people left the house and simply sat on the lawn outside. Zhang Jianmin turned on the computer and opened a software. They are all finely decorated.
In addition, if you have additional requirements, you can also mention them. "
Luke asked while browsing the house styles, "How many house types are there?"
"Hundreds of types." Zhang Jianmin pointed to the computer screen and said, "You can enter the requirements of the house, such as the approximate area, several floors, and the requirements for the basement.
The house styles that meet the requirements will appear below. "
"So many styles are designed by your company?" Luke was a little surprised. Didn't it mean that the company is not big?
“The wooden structures and parts of these houses are all customized in factories, and we assemble them after they are shipped. In fact, those big construction companies are also customized from these factories, and there is no difference in materials, craftsmanship, and technology.”
Luke entered his own requirements in the software. The construction area is between 13,000 and 15,000 square feet, with two floors above ground, one basement, and a swimming pool.
Soon, the housing styles that meet Luke’s requirements came out. There are 42 types in total. The first is the external structure of the house. After clicking on it, you can see the internal structure and unit type. They are all well-decorated model houses, which look very good. pretty.
Luke read it first, and used the method of elimination to remove some disliked styles and structures.
The second pass is to screen out the house styles you like, and compare the prices with your own needs.
In the end, Luke chose his favorite house, and the construction cost was as high as 1.5 million US dollars.
Luke asked, "What does this $1.5 million fee include?"
Zhang Jianmin said, "This is our contract price, including labor costs, material costs, transportation costs and interior decoration, and you can move in directly after completion."
Li Zhaofeng said, "Is the contract price too high?"
Zhang Jianmin explained, "All the materials in this house are the best, the area of the house is large, and the labor cost is also expensive now. The average worker costs two hundred a day, and the water and electricity technicians are calculated by the hour. Those outside are 2,000. The contract price of a small villa of 1000000000000000000000000000020000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 items, your price is not high."
Li Zhaofeng said, "Can the price still be negotiated?"
Zhang Jianguo was a little confused, "It can be possible...but we can't talk about it too much."
"Mr. Zhang, we are old acquaintances. Tell me a base price. You will be happy, and I will be happy too."
Zhang Jianguo looked at Li Zhaofeng, then at Luke, gritted his teeth and said, "Well, we have been friends for so many years.
I'll give you a base price, $1.47 million. "
Luke asked, "How long will this house take to finish?"
"If you can make a decision now, we will hand over the order to the factory to start customizing the wooden structure and installing parts. We can also start cleaning up the old house here, and it should be completed within five months."
Luke asked, "How will it be paid for?"
"The fee will be written in the contract and can be paid in stages. However, because the installation parts need to be ordered from the factory, the initial deposit cannot be less than 100,000 US dollars."
"In addition to the house, is the swimming pool also included?"
“Yes, hydro, gas, and even pre-clearance of construction debris are covered.”
Luke tentatively asked, "Can this price be lower?"
"How much money do you think is appropriate?"
According to what he said, Luke felt that the price should still be negotiable, but since he knew it, Luke didn't need to say hell, "I'll think about it again."
Zhang Jianguo nodded, "Captain Li, I have known your father for a long time, and I also want to be friends with you.
Currently, the cost of building materials and labor are very high, and I can't afford too much in terms of price.
However, what I can guarantee is that as long as you sign the contract with us, we will definitely build the house for you wholeheartedly.
Even within two or three years, if there are some minor problems in the house, we can repair them for free. "
"I see." Luke still didn't let go, free things may not be good, you pay, people provide services, everyone is happy.
It’s really going to be free, but the workers are procrastinating and unwilling to do it, but everyone is unhappy.
The contract price is as high as 1.47 million US dollars, which is not a small matter, and it is impossible for Luke to decide immediately.
After chatting with the Zhang brothers for a while, Luke sent the Zhang brothers away.
After only father and son were left, Luke asked, "Dad, what do you think?"
Li Zhaofeng said, "I feel that he shouldn't lie to you, and he doesn't have the guts. He is a smart man. After knowing your identity, he should think about building a good relationship.
However, if there is any moisture in the price, it is best to find a knowledgeable person to ask. "
Luke nodded, "Dad, you are the one to contact the Zhang Brothers Construction Company. I also have a friend who was also a builder before. I invite him to come and have a look and listen to his opinion."
"You have a house to live in now, and you are not in a hurry to move in. The house can't be built in a day. Don't worry about signing the contract, take your time." Li Zhaofeng will return to New York the day after tomorrow, and he is worried that his son will sign the contract in a flash , it will be too late to regret it.
"I know."
Luke took out his cell phone and called the old rookie patrolman John.
"Hey buddy, didn't bother you to catch the suspect."
Luke heard his voice a little low, "What's bothering you?"
"Yes, it is indeed an annoying matter, and I just want to talk to someone."
"I happen to have something to ask you, so I'll send you an address."
"OK, see you later." John hung up the phone.
Luke sent him an address, ordered a takeaway from nearby, and took out a bottle of whiskey in the trunk.
Half an hour later, John drove to the Palisades community, saw Luke standing on the side of the road, stopped the car and asked, "Man, why did you ask me to come here?"
Luke pointed behind him, "The villa behind has been unoccupied for a long time, don't you think it's a good place to kill people and hide corpses?"
"Haha, you are such a humorous guy." John stepped out of the car and opened his arms, "comeon, do it.
You have solved so many murder cases, you should know **** without pain. For the sake of my friends, give me a good time, I have long wanted to talk to God. "
Luke patted him on the shoulder, "John, what's going on? This isn't like you."
John took a deep breath, shook his head slightly, and pointed to the yard next to him, "Is this the home of some big man?" John seemed to have guessed something,
"Could it be Director Frank's home? Comeon, don't tell me I guessed it right."
Luke waved his hand, "This is my home."
"What? You are not joking, are you a hidden rich second generation?"
"Come in, I'll show you." Luke led John around the yard, "The house is a little run-down, so I won't invite you in."
John still couldn't believe it, "This is really your house."
"Yes, I just bought this place, but the house is so run-down that it needs to be repaired or rebuilt.
I made an appointment with the builder to see the house today. They suggested that I tear down and rebuild. I chose a house style, and the contract price they offered was 1.47 million US dollars.
I know you've been a builder before and would like to hear your opinion. "
"Man, thank you for your trust, I'm just a less than successful builder.
However, although my business is not very good, I have worked in architecture for more than 20 years, and I still have some experience in this field.
You picked the right person. "
Luke snapped his fingers, "Come on, let's chat while drinking."
Luke took him to the lawn, next to a bottle of whiskey, and four boxes of takeaway that had just been packed.
Peanuts, cucumber salad, fried fish, beef sauce.
Luke took out two plastic cups from the takeaway bag, poured two glasses of whiskey, and pointed to the four boxes of side dishes on the ground, "This is Huaguo's appetizer, try it."
"As long as there is wine." John took the glass and drank a drink with Luke.
Luke dug out the information about the house he had chosen from his mobile phone, and handed it to John, "This is the house style I chose, with two floors above ground, one floor below ground, and a swimming pool, including the demolished construction waste."
John took the phone and looked through the information for a while, "Not bad, a very beautiful house. I have also participated in the construction of similar houses before, but I was only responsible for part of the project.
I have not been in contact with this industry for two years, and the labor and material prices will change. I can't give an exact contract price, but based on my many years of experience in the industry, it is estimated that the price of 1.47 million is still reasonable.
Have you looked for other builders? "
“No, I only found one so far, and it was recommended by my father.
This is not a small amount of money, so I feel a little uneasy. "Luke picked up a piece of beef stew.
John continued, “In fact, the most important thing about self-built houses is two points, the first point is quality, and the second point is price.
So I have two suggestions for you.
The first suggestion is to find another contractor to inquire about the price, even if it is not the same house style, similar ones are fine.
With a comparison, we can more accurately judge the recent market price.
Second, ask me to be the supervisor.
Although I am not a successful builder, I have been in this industry for many years. I know those building material brands and quality are better, and I also know whether their construction is attentive and up to standard.
These are best written in the contract. "
"Good idea, how do you charge for this quality supervisor?"
"I don't need to be here every day, as long as the project is completed at a certain stage, it is enough to check, let them know that there is a knowledgeable person watching them all the time, and they naturally dare not cut corners.
As for the reward, every time you come to treat me to a drink, just this kind of whiskey will do. "
"make a deal!"
Luke stretched out his right hand and gave him a high-five, "However, why do you feel that you have the tendency to become an alcoholic? What happened?"
John sighed, "My son is married!"
"What!" Luke showed a surprised expression.
"Yes, my son called last night and said that he and his girlfriend were officially married, and my expression is the same as yours now."
Luke feels weird, I count you as a friend, and you tell me that my son is getting married!
John shrugged, "I feel a lot older in an instant."
Luke didn't look like he was joking, "How old is your son?"
"Still in college, his girlfriend, no, is now his wife, and also his classmate."
"You got married early enough."
"It was an accident, my ex-girlfriend was pregnant with my child, I dropped out of school, I don't like the construction industry, but I need to raise children.
Last year, my son brought his girlfriend to visit me, and he expressed similar thoughts at that time.
I have been advising him not to be impulsive. Marriage is happiness, but it is also a responsibility.
I support them in falling in love and being together, but marriage can be delayed until graduation from college.
I thought they were listening..." John sighed and took another drink from his glass.
Luke also took a sip, "Maybe things are not as bad as you think, why not think about the good."
"What worries me is not that they get married, but that they have children.
Really scared.
They are simply not able to raise a child at their current age, and don't want him to be like me...
Dropped out of school for family and responsibilities, and had to work a job I didn't like.
I don't want him to repeat my life. "John said helplessly.
Luke didn't know how to comfort him. He felt that John's worries were not unreasonable. Some children kept saying that they hated certain behaviors of their parents, but when they grew up, they lived like their parents.
From John's character, it can be seen that his son is also a responsible person with a high probability. If he is really pregnant, he will probably drop out of school to support his family.
John, as the child's grandfather, will also be in a dilemma.
If he doesn't help, his son's studies will be ruined, and his future life will also be affected.
Help, he doesn't have that much ability himself, so it will be very hard.
The two drank until very late before leaving.
The next day, Luke contacted another builder, who was very efficient and sent someone to check on the site in the afternoon.
Luke also chose a similar house style from their company. They offered a contract price of 1.55 million. Luke tried his best to push down the price, and finally only talked about 1.5 million US dollars.
It seems that the price of the Zhang Brothers is cheaper.
Luke also has a general understanding of the market price of the contract price.
However, Luke still didn't sign a contract with the Zhang Brothers immediately. He was going to let the other party know, maybe the price could be even lower.
In addition, Luke and Walker made an appointment to start the treasure hunt tomorrow, and he wanted to wait for the treasure hunt to come back before formally signing a contract with the builder.
One is to ask John to help check.
Another one is that he only has 100,000 US dollars in his hand, which is only enough to pay the contract deposit, which is far from the contract price of more than 1.4 million.
Luke hopes that this treasure hunt can bring in more money, so that he can have the confidence to sign the construction contract and the house can be built earlier.
Treasure hunting begins in the next chapter
(end of this chapter)