An Estimate vs. Quote

As leaders in the home remodeling arena, we feel it is our duty to educate the public on any potential remodeling scams that may be going on in the community. There is a slew of what we call, “fly by night” contractors floating around our neighborhoods. Their mission is simple: to make a quick buck—no matter what!

 

Many of these décor dodgers, in order to get the business, will try and pass off estimates as firm price quotes. You might be thinking: “How would that benefit them?” Well, estimates are basically rough guesses and are almost always lower than the end price. If they can masquerade as the more cost-efficient contractor they can gobble up a bunch of quick work.

 

There is one major problem though: the end price is going to be higher than what you were promised, thus costing you time and money! In order to ensure this doesn’t happen to you, here are a few things to look for when receiving a price quote.

 

#1 Get it in Writing: When the contractor gives you a price quote, ask if you can have it included in the contract. If they refuse, then you don’t want to do business with them.

 

#2 Building Plans: Before construction even begins, ask for a detailed set of building plans. Any reputable contractor will have a detailed set of building plans together to ensure their quote is accurate.

 

#3 Cheaper isn’t Always Better: “You get what you pay for.” This old adage certainly rings true in the home remodeling industry. If a contractor is significantly lower than the competition it usually means one of two things: they’re purposely low balling you to get the business or they’re inexperienced and don’t know how to properly calculate a quote.

 

Thinking of remodeling your home? Look no further than the experts at RIGGS Company & Design. We offer superior design, planning and remodeling solutions that are second to none. Drop us a line today!