Why do contractors charge so much? $. Insurance, as a homeowner, you usually don't buy insurance to work on your own house, but a contractor needs and should have insurance. $. Tools, cost a lot of money and the right tools often make the difference in how long it takes and even more important, how good it looks. $. Depreciation.....Commonly called wear and tear on equipment... $. Ease, is only one factor. How dangerous is it to the person working on it? How dangerous is it to the people using it? How dangerous is it to the surrounding home or furnishings? How likely will it be completed to the homeowner's satisfaction. Remember, PERFECTION is unobtainable. QUALITY is not. The closer to perfection you expect ...The more you should expect to pay, and generally the more you will pay. $. Travel, to the job, but also to get necessary materials. $. Cost to replace materials. As I said before, a good contractor will correct their mistakes. Where does the money come from? He has to charge enough to cover any mistakes. $. TAXES....Yes contractors have to pay those too....and typically only get to keep two thirds of their profit. $. Murphy's Law, Things always take longer than they should, especially in older homes, when uniformity and building codes practically didn't exist. $. Supply and Demand also apply. All of these as well as others I am sure that I forgot. Just as an example, a customer got really mad at me for quoting a lot of money to "replace just one board". They didn't take into account the cost of the board, that it needed to be primed, painted, caulked and nailed and did I mention that it was about 17 feet in the air? How much is risking your life worth to you? Your Best choice is to call.