You Forgot to Consider Labor Costs
“If an HVAC unit has a defective part that needs replacement, most of my clients will immediately ask how much the replacement part costs,” says HVAC technician Tamer Sayed. “I always tell the current market price and the misunderstanding often starts here. A few clients forget to take into account the labor and consultation fees. They assume they only had to pay for the replacement part.”
The same thing can happen with plumbing and electrical jobs. The part needed to get things working again may be small and inexpensive, and it may only account for a small portion of the quote. Sometimes the labor quote seems excessive, and that’s usually because the client doesn’t understand what’s involved with the repair.
You Underestimate the Scope of the Project
Jake Vincett, a builder from the UK, makes this observation: “A lot of the time, the customer is comparing quotes for everything back together.”
In such situations, a higher-than-expected quote that you can reject is far better than a higher-than-expected bill you have to pay because the work is already completed.
You’re Relying Too Closely on Online Pricing Guides
Joshua Kurz founded NumeralQ, a home improvement pricing guide, and he cautions against comparing a bid you receive from a contractor to information you find online. “Owners often find an estimate online, and rather than waiting for a bid, they assume that number will be the actual cost. These estimates are helpful when determining a budget, but they are not interchangeable for actual bids. A 1,500 sq ft roof in one market will not necessarily cost the same in another market, and bids can even differ for neighboring houses.”
The Contractor Needs to Redo Previous Work
If you find a guy on Facebook who charges a low price to do a repair, there’s no guarantee that the repair will last or be up to code. When that person makes a mistake, a licensed contractor working on the same system at a later date might have to fix it, especially when inspectors are involved.
“Over a 40-year career,” says Cullen, “I’ve found many surprises: unsupported headers, no king or jack studs, undersized headers, poorly installed headers that aren’t flush and have gaps, termite damage, carpenter ant damage, water damage, mold. That’s not every job, but you never know when a homeowner bought a house in which a Rube Goldberg did the work on it.”
The Contractor Doesn’t Want the Job
Sometimes a house is in such poor condition that a small repair, such as stopping a plumbing leak, can turn into a major project that involves replacing pipes, walls or subfloors. Rather than simply declining the repair, some contractors will offer a ridiculously high quote to avoid falling into a sinkhole of extra work. If the customer accepts the quote, the contractor won’t lose money by taking the job. A customer who rejects a bid can keep shopping with no harm done.
About the Experts
- Tamer Sayed is the owner and lead project manager at
<li><strong>Jake Vincett </strong>is the co-director of
