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About 4 years ago I decided to install a small wall in my back yard. I wanted to fill in a large bermed area so I could plant some trees and build a garden. The proposed wall was only 2.5 feet tall and it is 66 feet long. It is made out of a fancy sort of cinder block. Sort of a brownish color with a bit of shape to it. I guessed that it would cost about $4,000 - $5,000. I got a few names and asked three contractors to come out for an estimate. I live in a nice neighborhood which, at that point was brand new. All brand new construction.It’s not uncommon for services and contractors to charge more in nicer neighborhoods. I have always lived in marginal neighborhoods and I notice the increases all the time. For instance, the original quote for a security system install was 6x the cost of the install on my previous system. Its a bigger house but not that much bigger! Once I had a plumber out to setup a sink in my laundry room. Pre-plumbed and all in place. Literally just had to connect the H/C water and the drain. He wanted $415. I said “I could absolutely do this myself and I know it’s not more than. $100 job. $150”. He wouldn’t budge and I asked him to leave. Paid a $65 service call and in the memo line of the check I wrote ‘DICKS’. They sent my check back to me! Got it done for $115 from someone else. I bet I’ve gone through this sort of thing 15 or 20 times. It’s pretty lame and it happens all the time.So anywayThe first guy I called about the wall comes out, does some measuring and says $11,500! I say “wow. That’s pretty hefty and way out of my budget for this. How close can you get to $4,500?” And immediately, without flinching, he comes down to $5,500. So that extra $6,000 was 100% thirst for cash. He didn’t come down to $8,000 and then $7,000 and then $5,500. He just dropped the cost by more than half. Greedy MFer! And desperate obviously. I didn’t really like this guy and when he came down by $6K Two things happened: 1st I knew that this was a less than $5,000 job and 2nd I knew I would never hire this dude.Guy #2 comes out and says $8,800. I tell him my budget constraint and he won’t budge. I’m not sure how I feel about this. Should I admire him for standing his ground? There’s no way this is a $9,000 job but he just sat there and stared at me. Didn’t flinch. I wait a few days to see if he’ll change his mind and he does not. I liked this guy and his work samples were great. I still felt like nearly $9K was a bit much for a 2.5 ft wall. Then I started to have doubts: maybe this is a $9,000 job. Shit. Living here is going to be pricey. Then I talked myself off of the ledge and remembered what happened with the 1st dude.A week later another guy comes out and says “$4,300 and I can start tomorrow.” SOLD!!!! I was so happy with the finished product that I tipped each dude on his crew $100. Now every time I look at that wall I think about how that first guy was trying to fleece me for $6,000.

You need to contact a licensed contractor who can assess the structural integrity of your room where the tub is located. They should inspect the building plans which should be in file at your town hall. They should do an analysis of weight distribution on the floor of the room with the weight of the tub itself, the weight of the tub when filled with water and the weight of at least two adults. An inspection should be done to look for correct support beams or any rotting wood.Always get two separate contractor quotes.

I have found good home improvement contractors by one or more of these methods.Angie's List | Join for FREE to see 10 Million Verified ReviewsPersonal referrals from friendsProfessional referrals from my Realtor.Professional referrals from people in the home improvement trade. For example, I found a good painting contractor by asking the staff at my local Sherwin-Williams paint store.One good way to get answers that are more likely to be unbiased is to ask, “other than yourself, which [fill in category of service provider] would you recommend, and why that one in particular?”Ask for a list of their past clients to contact for references /testimonials and call them.Ask for at least three bids from different contractors on the short list that you have created after using the methods listed above. The rule of thumb is that you will find that one will have quoted high (may be a high-quality provider, but may also be someone who thinks that they can price gouge), one will have tried to low-ball the bid to get the business (beware of cut corners or sloppy workmanship), and one who will be in the middle (usually that is the one to choose).Most importantly, read up on the subject before hiring a contractor. Your best protection is knowledge.