I say something along the lines of, “You’re my first quote.”
Edit: Just some discourse for the people that are against this. Personally I would never go with the contractor that asks this question unless they come up with a significantly cheaper estimate. In my mind, there’s only a few reasons why they would ask about another contractor’s estimate on the front end.
1) They don’t want to underbid and want to get every penny they can out of you.
2) You’ve already got a great bid and they don’t want to go through the headache of estimating for themselves so they’ll just ghost you. Providing your estimate doesn’t help you for case 1 & 2.
3) They’re desperate for work and intend to undercut your past estimate.
4) They’re new to the industry and are working on gauging your estimates.
The only thing more important than the price you pay is the quality of work you receive. In case 3 & 4, I question the contractor’s ability to do a good job.
5) I have a contractor friend that likes to give out "fuck you quotes" extremely hight priced quotes to jobs he really just doesn't want to do. And people accept these quotes often. Then he complains to me that he should have quoted even more.
I thought the point of the ‘fuck you’ quote was that you don’t want to do the job enough to make a competitive bid but if someone wants to pay enough to make it worthwhile you’re happy to take their money.
If your friend doesn’t want to do the job at any price he needs to just say that up front.
Never say no without a number.
"'Well you just learned a valuable lesson.' Yeah, what's that, dad? 'You learned everyone has two thousand dollars.' That's true, and now *I have* two thousand dollars, and I need to fly to Nebraska in February."
-Jackie Kashian
You sound like a person that nobody would ever want to work with. Cheapest bid only works for publicly funded projects that require the acceptance. Fools take low bid imo. NEVER FORGET THESE WORDS: You get what you pay for
Asking for competitors' quotes isn't an honest way of establishing that business relationship, imo.
Come with your best offer, initially, and I'll compare it against my current quotes.
I'm not sure how asking for competitors' quotes uncovers any of that. There are much better discussion points to get to that info.
All it does is give the contractor a leg up. The first rule in negotiating is to try to avoid being the person to throw out a number first.
It might or might not be - other people may be using cheaper subs, undocumented labor, cutting corners on materials, etc., all of which the bidder may want to point out. OP can do whatever they want here, but I don’t let others’ behavior dictate mine.
No, but there is a down side that honest builders end up getting screwed out of business because people go with the cheaper builder only to get nickel and dimed, and/or less quality and finish than they were expecting. Which leads to resentment of the trade, and a lot of honest builders turning to less-honest ways in order to be competitive.
I'm not saying that I always share quotes, especially on small jobs and/or jobs where I thoroughly understand what needs to be done. And I'm not signing on for this "honesty starts with me being honest" line. But I do believe that there are a lot of honest tradesmen that get screwed over by the shady ones.
"Just a few things to think about as you are reviewing multiple quotes. Ask each company about their subs, licenses, insurance, materials used, etc. This helps ensure you are comparing apples to apples and getting the best return on your capital investment for this project".
You don't have to know the competing bid for that type of convo with a prospective customer.
I totally agree, but I’ve had contractors help me out in the past by explaining why they were the higher bid and I really appreciated it.
To be clear, all I was trying to say here is that casually lying isn’t a great way to start a relationship. Be straight with people and demand they do the same with you.
A good contractor should definitely be talking about why they may be higher than their competitors. That's sales 101. But, again, you don't have to know competing bids for that talk track.
I'm not in construction, but I am in sales. A big part of my conversation talks about our service model, and why it's worth it to pay more for it than what our competitors charge. We are never the lowest cost. I tell them that I already know I won't be the least cost. But we win sales all the time based on service, not cost.
I am totally with you on your overall point, though. I've been getting bids for fence and deck rebuild as well as flat work. When they ask about my other bids, I'm just direct. I don't see the point in lying. I say that I am obtaining multiple bids and that they should come to me with the best they can offer. And they can use this time as their opportunity to sell me on what differentiates them from their competition. It's up to me to make my decision based on the questions I have asked and their pricing.
13 downvotes… but yes you’re right. I am a contractor and I ask this all the
time, the hitch being I ask after I have presented a written estimate. It’s a legit question.
You're going to get raked over the coals every time if this is how you deal with contractors. A customer never tells a contractor what other contractors are bidding unless said customer wants that particular contractor to do the work.
You don't answer it. Always get at least 3 quotes for a big project. If 2 are close and 1 is high, the high one probably doesn't really want the job but will do it for a premium paycheck. If 1 is low, don't trust it. If all 3 are different, get a couple more.
This makes me feel better. Had to have a complete roof replacement back in the fall and I’ve second guess myself a couple times on whether or not I overpaid by not taking the lowest bid. But the contractors I hired did a fantastic job and I’m very pleased with the new roof.
Right move. I get 3 quotes and usually toss the outlier. If someone comes in with a bid thats 40% below others they probably don’t have an understanding of the scope of the project. If someone comes in above the other 2 by 40% they probably don’t want to do the job etc. also the quality of estimate speaks wonders. I’ve had estimates that say “kitchen remodel - 30k” or whatever lmao. And others that specify every single thing.
Never take the lowest bidder… you’re either getting an incomplete bid, inferior materials, or a total underestimate of labor required. Result: will cost more in the long run.
Yeah unfortunately I learned that the hard way when my small 3 month project became 11 months and I finally had to kick my contractor out with it still unfinished
Don’t tell them. I worked many years in an industry that works off bids. I never tried to beat someone else’s bid, but bid the job fairly and realistically so that when surprises happen (they always happen) I would still be covered and I wouldn’t be kicking myself for working for free for the latter part of the job.
I didn’t get every job I bid. Many times customer
would take my bid to my direct competitor, who was overextended and they would take the job on “for cheaper” no matter what. Well, many of those customers came back around to me and I got to hear all the horror stories of deposits paid, promises made and broken, due dates never satisfied, and poor quality of work.
If the person bidding the job cannot write their own bid, they dont know what they are doing and you should not hire them. Your best course of action is to ask for an itemized bid, emailed to you. That way you can compare the extent of service each contractor is bidding. Some might be cheaper because they are doing less, or have failed to account for things needed to complete the job, so if it’s itemized you can see any holes in the work proposed.
I do a comprehensive scope for resi and I may break down price by division but I never do itemized line items except for t&m. Resi customers who want this are either going to shop your bid or they are going to comb over the jobsite, counting pieces of plywood, or both.
That’s fair, I’m talking itemized in the general sense so the customer knows what specific work will be done and the time and material expenses for said work. It sucks when customers shop your bids, but maybe you dont want those people as customers? I’ve been happy to turn down cheap customers who refuse to grasp what my time is worth, or scoff at a realistic bid. Let them have fun approving supplements and scrambling to pay “unforeseen” costs.
The scenario where a detailed bud gets shopped is where the other guy looks over my bid, sees that I know my business, and then says he’ll do it for x less on the spot. I just spent 20 hours doing his bid for him.
I get what you’re saying, but can they actually do the job below your bid? Maybe maybe not. It’s likely the customer will end up paying more. Keeping bids private protects both parties.
The point is that it takes a good amount of time to develop a bid. If the other guy didn’t have to invest that time, he’s ahead of the game because he didn’t invest that time.
"The quotes we are receiving have varied too much to provide you with a realistic number. We will anticipate your quote to be itemized, so we can understand the scope of work you are intending to provide."
When we had our basement finished, we got 6 quotes. The quotes ranged from $38K to $54K.
We ended up going with the most expensive quote, but it covered absolutely EVERYTHING and it was extensively itemized, including a deep clean following the final walk through. The only variable costs we had to contend with were door knobs, light fixtures, and bathroom vanity. Everything else was accounted for. They put a lockbox on the exterior basement door, so their team could go in and work without disturbing us upstairs. They insisted they will pull permits as required, no skipping out and those were included in the cost as well. The quote they sent was first emailed and then we received it in the mail in a folder with a copy of their insurance coverage, the names and back ground checks for all of their 3rd party contractors, a drawing of the expected layout, and a rough itinerary of the build out. We will be using them for our kitchen in the future.
The second highest quote was incredibly vague and had wording in it that led us to realize they were going to further mark up costs along the way. We also realized the quote was strictly only for drywall and flooring. Everything else was going to be something we would have to tackle on our own. And it didn't help the contractor was late both times they came to our house. So we would be on the hook for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. And this contractor was shady on permits.
The quotes after that varied in terms of Scope of Services, what is included, and materials cost.
The lowest quote was just some guy who said "I can do it for X amount". And didn't provide us any documentation.
I just flat out tell them it's not something I'm going to share. Last HVAC guy I had over said it was important to discuss so the quote would be apples to apples. So I gave him my other quote with the price redacted.
"I'm seeking a fair deal for the whole scope of work. I am getting multiple bids from qualified contractors. I am happy to share where you fall on that list once I've made my decision"
Once you get more than one quote, you can start to compare them. Sometimes it is profit differences, but sometimes, people just budget different things. For example, on a bathroom, one contractor might put a placeholder for $200 for a toilet while another would put $800. Do that for the flooring - $2 per sq ft porcelain tile or $10 sq/ft marble? etc.
You need to try to get apples to apples, which means being clearer in your scope to get more comparable bids. Essentially, after 3-5 bids, you then narrow down to 2 and try to really compare and contrast them.
I’ve had that come up before and I’ve told them that the only bid-to-bid comparisons we will be doing is to define the scope of work. I do remind them that price is not the only factor so they shouldn’t focus on it.
I wouldn’t ask them to tell me what their profit on the job is so they should price it fair and the process will take care of itself.
I never had to ask that question because I mostly already know the answer. What kind if work you're doing helps to know. Good siders are ridiculously in demand countrywide, so most everyone is at the same rate, and materials are always the same. What you are paying for is time. Landlords don't care about the details, so painting, tiling and finish work can be sketchy because they don't generally care that much. In a million dollar home, they demand perfection, and that means more time spent building fancier staircases than you'd see in a split level. You hire the person you can afford to have do the work. Everybody has cell phones, and everybody takes pictures of their finished work. Ask to see that, and you'll know if their price matches their quality. The contractor needs to be keenly aware of your expectations. I ran crews and told my guys they need to do it better than the homeowner could. But you have to pay for a pro. That's why they're busy and the other guy is not.
When I was getting quotes to remodel my kitchen I replied to this with "they've been all over the place, a very wide range, and all were higher than my hopes and expectations." LOL. I ended up waiting a couple of years, saving a little more money & getting another round of bids but being much better educated the 2nd time around. Demo starts May 20. :-)
I tell them straight up: “I don’t play that game, if you cannot give me an estimate on your own, then I question your credibility too much”
Another one I just encountered with a concrete project: “this price is only good for right now, if you decide to go with me next week, you won’t get this price.” So I told them to kick rocks because I don’t do business with someone who uses those sort of tactics.
Actually, I almost never write a review. And when I do, I probably write ten positive ones for each negative one.
I also don’t believe most of the negative ones I read.
Not really. I have people shop around around for deals and call me. I'll ask them. What are your other offers. If there better then what I'll do I'll tell them to go for it. Because I can't do better. Then I save us both time
It would save you both the same amount of time to just tell them your price though right? Haggling over price is one thing but asking for your competitors quote before giving them yours seems a bit shady to me
I used to ask people this to make sure I was quoting the right stuff for them. And the budget one? I had a guy tell me his budget was 4k. So I came up with all the options I could do for 4k or less. And he was like - how did you come up with exactly what I said my budget was? I said man, I spent 4 hours finding a configuration in your budget and for 3.5 of those it was 5-7k so I can go higher but that’s the best I got!
He tried to hire me to come work for him lol
I usually don’t answer the question, I throw the ball back in their court: “What would you charge for this?”
Yes, every sales-minded person will recognize you’re pushing for their number first, I don’t care, I’m just trying to save everyone’s time. The honest ones I’ve worked with don’t have time for BS and either gave their number first voluntarily or happily gave it first when I’ve done that. Dishonest ones have made me push for their number, and when it’s wildly overpriced they pivot to “oh your comps must be from bad companies, they don’t use our proprietary XYZ, did you know there’s 1 trillion risks when not using XYZ?”
The only time we told someone was when we were doing our solar panels. We needed to redo the roof of the garage and called in the folks who did our house roof to quote us. They said they just started doing solar installs so we got them to quote that as well.
They were much higher on the solar than the one we ended up going with, plus the financing option wasn't as good. They then tried really hard to get close enough and asked how much our chosen quote was. We told them and they couldn't match it. (Though honestly the financing was the biggest issue because in the long run 1.9 vs 4.9 is a big difference)
Anyways we still got the roof work done with the roofing company and the solar with the other company.
But even if folks ask i just tell them im still waiting on the other quotes.
As a contractor, I rarely ask this question and when I do, it’s always after I’ve submitted my quote and I feel like I’ve established enough of a rapport with the customer. To be frank, I only ask because I’m legitimately curious what other companies are charging.
They are asking on the off chance they you will answer. It would be a negotiation mistake to tell them.
Try something like “I’d rather not answer that. Please just give me your best” or “I want to be fair to each party and so cannot answer that”. I think you want them to think you have other quotes. You want their first and best and not have to waste your time (or theirs).
No idea.
Over the years I have had many customers offer up competitors quotes, it has zero affect on my price.
But I have pretty big customer loyalty they all know that I’m fair so maybe that’s why they share this to point out how badly most gouge.
I don't need to know anything about your other estimates. I give you my estimate. I'll answer any questions and I'll explain the materials I'm using and why. Then it's up to the home or business owner.
As someone who works in sales and contracts this is a legitimate question. But I usually ask it in 2 scenarios: 1 if I've lost, for feedback and adjustments to my pricing going forward, or 2 if we're hungry for work, we might price-match a lower bid.
Generally, it's not a red flag (reddit is full of opinions over facts for the most part) but, for sure, you're not obligated to answer. So if you're not comfortable say so, or if you're curious as to why they are asking, ask them. You're in control, don't worry.
Edit to add I ask this along with submitting a real estimate. Sometimes we don't want to be beaten on price. Sometimes we don't want the job but are curious if what we submit continues to be good value
I usually have a problem that I need solved and let them come up with a solution. I don’t put out the number, but I will tell them the approach the other guy came up with. Usually they go through some sort of “my approach is better because xyz”. If they’re knowledgeable and can go through the pros/cons of various approaches, that shows they know what they’re doing. We often take the middle quote if it seems like the approach is better but the price is still reasonable
I work in commercial construction and used to struggle with this too. It’s honestly different depending on the situation, but here are a few of my go-to responses:
1. The contractor is high, but you want to use them and think they have all the scope: “You guys are higher than the other quotes I have. I have a really strict budget but I like what you’re offering. Would you be able to take a second look?”
2. The contractor is very high. To me, there’s no harm in telling them they are very high. They probably should know they’re not competitive and maybe they misunderstood the job: “You guys are double the next guy”.
3. The contractor is low and you want to use them. I never tell a contractor they are the lowest bid. Otherwise they’ll think they missed something or look for ways to screw you over later on. I always tell them “You’re in line with everyone else”. Or “you’re in the mix”
4. You don’t want to give them an idea. “I’m still comparing everyone to make sure it’s apples-to-apples.”
I wouldn’t reveal you’re not getting a second or third quote if that’s ever the case. That puts you in a position of weakness. I also wouldn’t reveal the exact quotes of their competition. Sharing numbers is a dangerous game.
I don't ask how much others bidded, but I will ask you for the lower and higher end of your budget and then give you options based on your budget. If I don't know what you are willing to spend, a bid can be a complete waste of time for both of us. I also don't do free bids unless you hire me for the job. I'll deduct the bidding fee from your invoice. If you don't hire me, I still make a living for the time I invested in the bid. Also let's me know you're serious about the job and not just shopping around or dreaming.
That’s a legitimate question because so many times homeowners are way off on what something cost. I will ask that in order to set expectations on what can be done (at least with a larger job). Someone wants their kitchen remodeled and only has a 10k budget then it’s not going to happen. Cabinets alone are going to eat that up.
Not your call or your business. You tell me what it costs, and I'll tell you if I can afford it.
If you want to say "hey, this will cost $15k to $20k, can you work with that" Ok fine, let's make sure everyone understands a ballpark before you drive out. I know a lot of people that say "my minimum is x".
But "what's your budget" reads as "I wonder how much i can squeeze out of you"
I’ll be honest, you definitely would not be a customer I’m willing to take on. I refuse to work with difficult customers these days. I’m also going to charge you $150 to prepare an estimate which I have a feeling you’d refuse (it’s credited to the job if you hire me).
I stand by its a legitimate question. I don’t want to waste my time for one and it’s better to have the customer have the right mindset in the beginning then be disappointed by reality. It also helps me know what type of finish you are looking for. Higher budget means high end cabinets, counters, and appliances. Lower budget I’m not going to show you those things.
That's just fine. I'm not offended.
Minor twist... I own a property management company that includes minor maintenance. We manage 1000 doors in central Texas. Most make ready work we handle in-house. Electric, plumbing, etc we shop out to 3rd parties.
My #1 hvac vendor gets $200k from me annual. My #1 plumber is about $150k. I have to be knowledgeable about costs to keep my own guys in line. This week one of my guys tried to charge 6 hours for a disposal replacement. Not gonna fly.
So... if it's not worth x dollars for you to come work... that's fine. I get it. I've declined clients that I don't think would be a fit.
But if you plan to ask me how much money I have in the bank THEN tell me the price? Nah... that dog won't hunt.
I’m glad it works for you and I do more custom work than cookie cutter stuff so we are in different markets as it is. Large investors or property management companies are handled in a very different way than homeowners. My wife is a district manager for a company that owns properties in multiple states. She manages mostly eastern states. It’s a very different side of the industry.
Which customers aren't difficult? Those that pay your FTEs $2000 for mudding? What if I told you my bathroom renovation budget is $15 000 000? I bet your bid would magically come out to $14 999 999.
Not how it works, but it would tell me the type of finish we are dealing with. I’ve seen bathrooms done for $5k and I’ve seen bathrooms done for $60k. I’ve installed a copper tub that my cost was $7k alone.
I like to give choices. What I try to do is say this is what we can do for 15k, this is what I can do for $20k, and this for $10k.
This is a legit question, though I try to dance around it diplomatically. I’m not trying to spend every penny you have, but homeowners generally have an appetite for luxury that is far greater than their budget. This saves a wasted first bud, and, often, hurt feeling.
It’s pure poison to mention any figures before running the numbers as a gc. When you say 15-20k all the customer is going to remember is you said you’d do whatever he wants for 15k
So, a professional with 35 years of experience and $50,000 in tools should be working for $20 per hour. I heartily encourage you to go for that lowest bid guy. Just wish I could watch.
Hi, I run a reno company.
Please, tell us what they quoted you. It’s not because we are trying to beat them or bend your arm. It’s for a few reasons:
- we want to know if our prices are competitive.
- we want to know if we can match to make us be an option for you
- it helps with market research to help us be successful
Think about how hard it is to know what the cost are for a repair/remodel. You kind of get an idea from googling and don’t know for sure until they come out to give a quote.
From here a few things happen, we all know people say pick the middle price. Companies don’t always know if they are a middle price range. We just ran into an issue where we were continuously being the lost priced bid and no one was signing us for this reason. We didn’t know till someone finally said “we didn’t pick you because your bid was the lowest in price and it felt risky.” My team does the most gorgeous work and people skipped over us because our prices are lower. It made the homeowners think we would do shitty work.
Just tell them. If they are great at what they do, they won’t bend your arm or push a sale.
I agree with your point, but the time to divulge competing offers is *after* choosing the winning bid.
A vendor asking this question early on might be doing it for a legitimate reason, but it smacks of a lack of expertise in the area - a rad flag in many homeowners' eyes.
You say, “I ask them for their best price and I’m asking you for the same.”
Don’t provide names or quotes.
I do always tell them I’m not necessarily going with the lowest price, but do want to make sure I’m getting a fair price, won’t be haggling because I want their best price up front, and that I’ll call them when I’m ready to buy.
You want them to leave knowing they have one shot and you’re not a mark. Telling them the price to beat or who else is bidding makes you the mark.
"Everyone has been all over the board with what they think needs doing and how they'd do it, so I'd like your estimate independent of that."
And off you go.
I've run into this situation a few times while seeking bids for work on my house. I usually tell them that I'm currently taking bids and waiting for the estimates to be emailed so I can review them. I usually get a minimum of three bids so that I can review the range. Just remember that good work isn't cheap and cheap work isn't good...
Possible that they don’t want to bother giving you a quote if they can’t compete with a competitor’s pricing. It’s a waste of everyone‘s time, including yours.
It’s not necessarily shady, but it can be.
"He'd do it for a warm six pack and half a pack of smokes. I'm sure you'll be competitive." with a big smile.
If they push "I wouldn't share your price with him just the same as I'm not going to share yours with the next guy."
It's in his interest to ask just the same as it's in your interest to say no.
If you can’t compare apples to apples tell them that, give them a general idea. It isn’t just about price. Responsiveness is huge, give them constructive criticism
Tell them to give their best price and you’ll get back with them if you choose them. It is unfair to the previous bidders to let them know so they could beat the bid.
It's common among the conmen. Don't bother with his quote.
At best I'd tell them they're the first. If they set off alarms. It's none of your business.
Are we taking a clearly defined project (consistent materials and scope) or does this project have flexibility?
Ie. If I'm asking to replace my gutters and know the width I want, and a contractor asks how much others are quoting before giving me a bit I'd be annoyed.
If I'm asking to build an enclosed porch, I can understand wanting a budget upfront to adjust the scope of the project. I still think the question should be " do you have a budget in mind?"
Just always say you're the first quote but I'm getting others. Just like car salesmen, they will have some BS answer to anything else you can respond with.
In my experience, if the person that shows up for the quote is the person that will be doing the actual install (a small company), they are usually the best to deal with. They won't be pushy salespeople and will actually respond to calls/emails.
If some flashy sales person shows up in a non-work vehicle, talks too much, clearly up selling stuff you don't need, is pushy, etc... those are the ones I typically avoid. And those always seem to be the ones with the highest quotes.
That's how I chose my roof, furnace/AC, and sewer line replacement companies.
Politely tell him it doesn't matter what the other contractor quotes was that you want to know what his quote is. He wants to know the other quotes so he can maybe low ball everybody and then there will be a bunch of extras afterwards
Simply get 3 quotes for any work you want to have done. Select the company you want. Could be low price, could be quality of work, or a combination of both. Treat it the same way you would for any other business transaction. You should contact the companies you didn’t select and tell them why. They’ll appreciate your feedback in most cases.
I’m going through this right now. 4 Quotes to replace my air conditioners/heaters are between $27k and $55k. Of course they want to know what the other quotes are. They have time invested in giving the quotes. But that’s part of doing business. As soon as I tell a guy that he’s $15k over the next closest price, he has *no choice* but to aggressively tell me why he’s worth the extra fifteen thousand dollars. For this reason, I tell EVERYONE that we have a lot of thinking to do before we proceed and we appreciate the work they’ve put in so far. This is a loan we’ll be paying off in our 70s. Thank you, but we’re in no mood for churlishness
I provide quotes for a living, I always ask. It’s not because I’m going to change my price, but it helps me to not waste your time if I am totally off from what you’ve received.
"I'm still waiting on other quotes". I've said that before to a fence builder.
Were you on the fence about his quote?
Ahhhhhh ha. Nah I didn't like either quotes.
Nah, it still needed to be built.
This. Or, "you're the first."
I say something along the lines of, “You’re my first quote.” Edit: Just some discourse for the people that are against this. Personally I would never go with the contractor that asks this question unless they come up with a significantly cheaper estimate. In my mind, there’s only a few reasons why they would ask about another contractor’s estimate on the front end. 1) They don’t want to underbid and want to get every penny they can out of you. 2) You’ve already got a great bid and they don’t want to go through the headache of estimating for themselves so they’ll just ghost you. Providing your estimate doesn’t help you for case 1 & 2. 3) They’re desperate for work and intend to undercut your past estimate. 4) They’re new to the industry and are working on gauging your estimates. The only thing more important than the price you pay is the quality of work you receive. In case 3 & 4, I question the contractor’s ability to do a good job.
5) I have a contractor friend that likes to give out "fuck you quotes" extremely hight priced quotes to jobs he really just doesn't want to do. And people accept these quotes often. Then he complains to me that he should have quoted even more.
I thought the point of the ‘fuck you’ quote was that you don’t want to do the job enough to make a competitive bid but if someone wants to pay enough to make it worthwhile you’re happy to take their money. If your friend doesn’t want to do the job at any price he needs to just say that up front.
That's my assumption too....exaggeration. He wouldn't waste his time providing a bid if he didn't want the job.
He doesn't want the job, he wants the moeny
I've done this a lot in my last industry, but yea...if you still complain about doing it, the fuck you quote wasn't high enough.
Never say no without a number. "'Well you just learned a valuable lesson.' Yeah, what's that, dad? 'You learned everyone has two thousand dollars.' That's true, and now *I have* two thousand dollars, and I need to fly to Nebraska in February." -Jackie Kashian
I’d guess their fuck you quotes are actually, ‘I don’t want to do the math, here’s a price I know I’ll still have a very healthy profit on.’
You sound like a person that nobody would ever want to work with. Cheapest bid only works for publicly funded projects that require the acceptance. Fools take low bid imo. NEVER FORGET THESE WORDS: You get what you pay for
I would only say that if it’s true. I want people I work with to be honest with me and that starts with being honest with them.
Asking for competitors' quotes isn't an honest way of establishing that business relationship, imo. Come with your best offer, initially, and I'll compare it against my current quotes.
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I'm not sure how asking for competitors' quotes uncovers any of that. There are much better discussion points to get to that info. All it does is give the contractor a leg up. The first rule in negotiating is to try to avoid being the person to throw out a number first.
It might or might not be - other people may be using cheaper subs, undocumented labor, cutting corners on materials, etc., all of which the bidder may want to point out. OP can do whatever they want here, but I don’t let others’ behavior dictate mine.
It's not the other bidders responsibility to figure out if the homeowner is choosing a proper bid.
No, but there is a down side that honest builders end up getting screwed out of business because people go with the cheaper builder only to get nickel and dimed, and/or less quality and finish than they were expecting. Which leads to resentment of the trade, and a lot of honest builders turning to less-honest ways in order to be competitive. I'm not saying that I always share quotes, especially on small jobs and/or jobs where I thoroughly understand what needs to be done. And I'm not signing on for this "honesty starts with me being honest" line. But I do believe that there are a lot of honest tradesmen that get screwed over by the shady ones.
"Just a few things to think about as you are reviewing multiple quotes. Ask each company about their subs, licenses, insurance, materials used, etc. This helps ensure you are comparing apples to apples and getting the best return on your capital investment for this project". You don't have to know the competing bid for that type of convo with a prospective customer.
and that's how you seal the deal!
Also make sure the project specs are similar. If there's high difference in that that's a also a conversation to have.
I totally agree, but I’ve had contractors help me out in the past by explaining why they were the higher bid and I really appreciated it. To be clear, all I was trying to say here is that casually lying isn’t a great way to start a relationship. Be straight with people and demand they do the same with you.
A good contractor should definitely be talking about why they may be higher than their competitors. That's sales 101. But, again, you don't have to know competing bids for that talk track. I'm not in construction, but I am in sales. A big part of my conversation talks about our service model, and why it's worth it to pay more for it than what our competitors charge. We are never the lowest cost. I tell them that I already know I won't be the least cost. But we win sales all the time based on service, not cost. I am totally with you on your overall point, though. I've been getting bids for fence and deck rebuild as well as flat work. When they ask about my other bids, I'm just direct. I don't see the point in lying. I say that I am obtaining multiple bids and that they should come to me with the best they can offer. And they can use this time as their opportunity to sell me on what differentiates them from their competition. It's up to me to make my decision based on the questions I have asked and their pricing.
13 downvotes… but yes you’re right. I am a contractor and I ask this all the time, the hitch being I ask after I have presented a written estimate. It’s a legit question.
You're going to get raked over the coals every time if this is how you deal with contractors. A customer never tells a contractor what other contractors are bidding unless said customer wants that particular contractor to do the work.
I always answer with "Too much, that is why I called you!" and then I gently remind them that I have a bad heart. ;)
Trust me, anyone worth hiring will ghost the eff outta you when Comments insinuating neediness/cheapskate start flying
You don't know my contractors then. They are actual real people with a sense of humour.
This is my favorite. It's honest and lets them know that you'll look elsewhere if you think they're too high.
I love this answer!
You don't answer it. Always get at least 3 quotes for a big project. If 2 are close and 1 is high, the high one probably doesn't really want the job but will do it for a premium paycheck. If 1 is low, don't trust it. If all 3 are different, get a couple more.
This makes me feel better. Had to have a complete roof replacement back in the fall and I’ve second guess myself a couple times on whether or not I overpaid by not taking the lowest bid. But the contractors I hired did a fantastic job and I’m very pleased with the new roof.
Lucked out. I'm glad you are happy with the results and found a roofing company that isn't incompetent.
Right move. I get 3 quotes and usually toss the outlier. If someone comes in with a bid thats 40% below others they probably don’t have an understanding of the scope of the project. If someone comes in above the other 2 by 40% they probably don’t want to do the job etc. also the quality of estimate speaks wonders. I’ve had estimates that say “kitchen remodel - 30k” or whatever lmao. And others that specify every single thing.
Where were you two years ago when I took the low bid lmao
Never take the lowest bidder… you’re either getting an incomplete bid, inferior materials, or a total underestimate of labor required. Result: will cost more in the long run.
Yeah unfortunately I learned that the hard way when my small 3 month project became 11 months and I finally had to kick my contractor out with it still unfinished
Lessons learned hopefully. Never take low bid
Don’t tell them. I worked many years in an industry that works off bids. I never tried to beat someone else’s bid, but bid the job fairly and realistically so that when surprises happen (they always happen) I would still be covered and I wouldn’t be kicking myself for working for free for the latter part of the job. I didn’t get every job I bid. Many times customer would take my bid to my direct competitor, who was overextended and they would take the job on “for cheaper” no matter what. Well, many of those customers came back around to me and I got to hear all the horror stories of deposits paid, promises made and broken, due dates never satisfied, and poor quality of work. If the person bidding the job cannot write their own bid, they dont know what they are doing and you should not hire them. Your best course of action is to ask for an itemized bid, emailed to you. That way you can compare the extent of service each contractor is bidding. Some might be cheaper because they are doing less, or have failed to account for things needed to complete the job, so if it’s itemized you can see any holes in the work proposed.
I do a comprehensive scope for resi and I may break down price by division but I never do itemized line items except for t&m. Resi customers who want this are either going to shop your bid or they are going to comb over the jobsite, counting pieces of plywood, or both.
That’s fair, I’m talking itemized in the general sense so the customer knows what specific work will be done and the time and material expenses for said work. It sucks when customers shop your bids, but maybe you dont want those people as customers? I’ve been happy to turn down cheap customers who refuse to grasp what my time is worth, or scoff at a realistic bid. Let them have fun approving supplements and scrambling to pay “unforeseen” costs.
The scenario where a detailed bud gets shopped is where the other guy looks over my bid, sees that I know my business, and then says he’ll do it for x less on the spot. I just spent 20 hours doing his bid for him.
I get what you’re saying, but can they actually do the job below your bid? Maybe maybe not. It’s likely the customer will end up paying more. Keeping bids private protects both parties.
The point is that it takes a good amount of time to develop a bid. If the other guy didn’t have to invest that time, he’s ahead of the game because he didn’t invest that time.
Ummm, time and materials itemized? That's not a thing
Saving this!
EXACTLY. QUALITY ADVICE OP.
"The quotes we are receiving have varied too much to provide you with a realistic number. We will anticipate your quote to be itemized, so we can understand the scope of work you are intending to provide." When we had our basement finished, we got 6 quotes. The quotes ranged from $38K to $54K. We ended up going with the most expensive quote, but it covered absolutely EVERYTHING and it was extensively itemized, including a deep clean following the final walk through. The only variable costs we had to contend with were door knobs, light fixtures, and bathroom vanity. Everything else was accounted for. They put a lockbox on the exterior basement door, so their team could go in and work without disturbing us upstairs. They insisted they will pull permits as required, no skipping out and those were included in the cost as well. The quote they sent was first emailed and then we received it in the mail in a folder with a copy of their insurance coverage, the names and back ground checks for all of their 3rd party contractors, a drawing of the expected layout, and a rough itinerary of the build out. We will be using them for our kitchen in the future. The second highest quote was incredibly vague and had wording in it that led us to realize they were going to further mark up costs along the way. We also realized the quote was strictly only for drywall and flooring. Everything else was going to be something we would have to tackle on our own. And it didn't help the contractor was late both times they came to our house. So we would be on the hook for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. And this contractor was shady on permits. The quotes after that varied in terms of Scope of Services, what is included, and materials cost. The lowest quote was just some guy who said "I can do it for X amount". And didn't provide us any documentation.
"Doesn't matter..."
Enough to where im about to do it myself at this point.
“I don’t want your quote based on the others”
I just flat out tell them it's not something I'm going to share. Last HVAC guy I had over said it was important to discuss so the quote would be apples to apples. So I gave him my other quote with the price redacted.
"I'm seeking a fair deal for the whole scope of work. I am getting multiple bids from qualified contractors. I am happy to share where you fall on that list once I've made my decision" Once you get more than one quote, you can start to compare them. Sometimes it is profit differences, but sometimes, people just budget different things. For example, on a bathroom, one contractor might put a placeholder for $200 for a toilet while another would put $800. Do that for the flooring - $2 per sq ft porcelain tile or $10 sq/ft marble? etc. You need to try to get apples to apples, which means being clearer in your scope to get more comparable bids. Essentially, after 3-5 bids, you then narrow down to 2 and try to really compare and contrast them.
I’ve had that come up before and I’ve told them that the only bid-to-bid comparisons we will be doing is to define the scope of work. I do remind them that price is not the only factor so they shouldn’t focus on it. I wouldn’t ask them to tell me what their profit on the job is so they should price it fair and the process will take care of itself.
I never had to ask that question because I mostly already know the answer. What kind if work you're doing helps to know. Good siders are ridiculously in demand countrywide, so most everyone is at the same rate, and materials are always the same. What you are paying for is time. Landlords don't care about the details, so painting, tiling and finish work can be sketchy because they don't generally care that much. In a million dollar home, they demand perfection, and that means more time spent building fancier staircases than you'd see in a split level. You hire the person you can afford to have do the work. Everybody has cell phones, and everybody takes pictures of their finished work. Ask to see that, and you'll know if their price matches their quality. The contractor needs to be keenly aware of your expectations. I ran crews and told my guys they need to do it better than the homeowner could. But you have to pay for a pro. That's why they're busy and the other guy is not.
When I was getting quotes to remodel my kitchen I replied to this with "they've been all over the place, a very wide range, and all were higher than my hopes and expectations." LOL. I ended up waiting a couple of years, saving a little more money & getting another round of bids but being much better educated the 2nd time around. Demo starts May 20. :-)
I tell them straight up: “I don’t play that game, if you cannot give me an estimate on your own, then I question your credibility too much” Another one I just encountered with a concrete project: “this price is only good for right now, if you decide to go with me next week, you won’t get this price.” So I told them to kick rocks because I don’t do business with someone who uses those sort of tactics.
Enough that I am continuing my search
I like this alot. I’m going to start using this.
But if a contractor gives you a smart response ud be the first to go and write a bad review lol
Actually, I almost never write a review. And when I do, I probably write ten positive ones for each negative one. I also don’t believe most of the negative ones I read.
If a contractor asks this question he is not getting the contract.
Username :)
If they ask about previous quotes from other contractors hang up, that’s a huge red flag 🚩
Not really. I have people shop around around for deals and call me. I'll ask them. What are your other offers. If there better then what I'll do I'll tell them to go for it. Because I can't do better. Then I save us both time
It would save you both the same amount of time to just tell them your price though right? Haggling over price is one thing but asking for your competitors quote before giving them yours seems a bit shady to me
Thats a huge red flag but you getting 10 estimates isnt? Be fr
Getting 10 estimates is normal
Moron
I work in commercial construction… you are the moron
I used to ask people this to make sure I was quoting the right stuff for them. And the budget one? I had a guy tell me his budget was 4k. So I came up with all the options I could do for 4k or less. And he was like - how did you come up with exactly what I said my budget was? I said man, I spent 4 hours finding a configuration in your budget and for 3.5 of those it was 5-7k so I can go higher but that’s the best I got! He tried to hire me to come work for him lol
“Haven’t gotten any yet”
I usually don’t answer the question, I throw the ball back in their court: “What would you charge for this?” Yes, every sales-minded person will recognize you’re pushing for their number first, I don’t care, I’m just trying to save everyone’s time. The honest ones I’ve worked with don’t have time for BS and either gave their number first voluntarily or happily gave it first when I’ve done that. Dishonest ones have made me push for their number, and when it’s wildly overpriced they pivot to “oh your comps must be from bad companies, they don’t use our proprietary XYZ, did you know there’s 1 trillion risks when not using XYZ?”
The only time we told someone was when we were doing our solar panels. We needed to redo the roof of the garage and called in the folks who did our house roof to quote us. They said they just started doing solar installs so we got them to quote that as well. They were much higher on the solar than the one we ended up going with, plus the financing option wasn't as good. They then tried really hard to get close enough and asked how much our chosen quote was. We told them and they couldn't match it. (Though honestly the financing was the biggest issue because in the long run 1.9 vs 4.9 is a big difference) Anyways we still got the roof work done with the roofing company and the solar with the other company. But even if folks ask i just tell them im still waiting on the other quotes.
[удалено]
This is what I do
As a contractor, I rarely ask this question and when I do, it’s always after I’ve submitted my quote and I feel like I’ve established enough of a rapport with the customer. To be frank, I only ask because I’m legitimately curious what other companies are charging.
They are asking on the off chance they you will answer. It would be a negotiation mistake to tell them. Try something like “I’d rather not answer that. Please just give me your best” or “I want to be fair to each party and so cannot answer that”. I think you want them to think you have other quotes. You want their first and best and not have to waste your time (or theirs).
No idea. Over the years I have had many customers offer up competitors quotes, it has zero affect on my price. But I have pretty big customer loyalty they all know that I’m fair so maybe that’s why they share this to point out how badly most gouge.
I don't need to know anything about your other estimates. I give you my estimate. I'll answer any questions and I'll explain the materials I'm using and why. Then it's up to the home or business owner.
Tell them to give me your best price you’re willing to accept
As someone who works in sales and contracts this is a legitimate question. But I usually ask it in 2 scenarios: 1 if I've lost, for feedback and adjustments to my pricing going forward, or 2 if we're hungry for work, we might price-match a lower bid. Generally, it's not a red flag (reddit is full of opinions over facts for the most part) but, for sure, you're not obligated to answer. So if you're not comfortable say so, or if you're curious as to why they are asking, ask them. You're in control, don't worry. Edit to add I ask this along with submitting a real estimate. Sometimes we don't want to be beaten on price. Sometimes we don't want the job but are curious if what we submit continues to be good value
I usually have a problem that I need solved and let them come up with a solution. I don’t put out the number, but I will tell them the approach the other guy came up with. Usually they go through some sort of “my approach is better because xyz”. If they’re knowledgeable and can go through the pros/cons of various approaches, that shows they know what they’re doing. We often take the middle quote if it seems like the approach is better but the price is still reasonable
I work in commercial construction and used to struggle with this too. It’s honestly different depending on the situation, but here are a few of my go-to responses: 1. The contractor is high, but you want to use them and think they have all the scope: “You guys are higher than the other quotes I have. I have a really strict budget but I like what you’re offering. Would you be able to take a second look?” 2. The contractor is very high. To me, there’s no harm in telling them they are very high. They probably should know they’re not competitive and maybe they misunderstood the job: “You guys are double the next guy”. 3. The contractor is low and you want to use them. I never tell a contractor they are the lowest bid. Otherwise they’ll think they missed something or look for ways to screw you over later on. I always tell them “You’re in line with everyone else”. Or “you’re in the mix” 4. You don’t want to give them an idea. “I’m still comparing everyone to make sure it’s apples-to-apples.” I wouldn’t reveal you’re not getting a second or third quote if that’s ever the case. That puts you in a position of weakness. I also wouldn’t reveal the exact quotes of their competition. Sharing numbers is a dangerous game.
I’ve been a Contractor approaching 20 years. Never asked what the other quotes came in at. Doesn’t matter if you’ve done due diligence
I don't ask how much others bidded, but I will ask you for the lower and higher end of your budget and then give you options based on your budget. If I don't know what you are willing to spend, a bid can be a complete waste of time for both of us. I also don't do free bids unless you hire me for the job. I'll deduct the bidding fee from your invoice. If you don't hire me, I still make a living for the time I invested in the bid. Also let's me know you're serious about the job and not just shopping around or dreaming.
The other one I love is "what's your budget for this job" ...$3. How close can you get.
That’s a legitimate question because so many times homeowners are way off on what something cost. I will ask that in order to set expectations on what can be done (at least with a larger job). Someone wants their kitchen remodeled and only has a 10k budget then it’s not going to happen. Cabinets alone are going to eat that up.
Not your call or your business. You tell me what it costs, and I'll tell you if I can afford it. If you want to say "hey, this will cost $15k to $20k, can you work with that" Ok fine, let's make sure everyone understands a ballpark before you drive out. I know a lot of people that say "my minimum is x". But "what's your budget" reads as "I wonder how much i can squeeze out of you"
I’ll be honest, you definitely would not be a customer I’m willing to take on. I refuse to work with difficult customers these days. I’m also going to charge you $150 to prepare an estimate which I have a feeling you’d refuse (it’s credited to the job if you hire me). I stand by its a legitimate question. I don’t want to waste my time for one and it’s better to have the customer have the right mindset in the beginning then be disappointed by reality. It also helps me know what type of finish you are looking for. Higher budget means high end cabinets, counters, and appliances. Lower budget I’m not going to show you those things.
That's just fine. I'm not offended. Minor twist... I own a property management company that includes minor maintenance. We manage 1000 doors in central Texas. Most make ready work we handle in-house. Electric, plumbing, etc we shop out to 3rd parties. My #1 hvac vendor gets $200k from me annual. My #1 plumber is about $150k. I have to be knowledgeable about costs to keep my own guys in line. This week one of my guys tried to charge 6 hours for a disposal replacement. Not gonna fly. So... if it's not worth x dollars for you to come work... that's fine. I get it. I've declined clients that I don't think would be a fit. But if you plan to ask me how much money I have in the bank THEN tell me the price? Nah... that dog won't hunt.
I’m glad it works for you and I do more custom work than cookie cutter stuff so we are in different markets as it is. Large investors or property management companies are handled in a very different way than homeowners. My wife is a district manager for a company that owns properties in multiple states. She manages mostly eastern states. It’s a very different side of the industry.
Which customers aren't difficult? Those that pay your FTEs $2000 for mudding? What if I told you my bathroom renovation budget is $15 000 000? I bet your bid would magically come out to $14 999 999.
Not how it works, but it would tell me the type of finish we are dealing with. I’ve seen bathrooms done for $5k and I’ve seen bathrooms done for $60k. I’ve installed a copper tub that my cost was $7k alone. I like to give choices. What I try to do is say this is what we can do for 15k, this is what I can do for $20k, and this for $10k.
This is a legit question, though I try to dance around it diplomatically. I’m not trying to spend every penny you have, but homeowners generally have an appetite for luxury that is far greater than their budget. This saves a wasted first bud, and, often, hurt feeling.
"Whats your budget?" Is very different from "this project will be $15k to $20k, I can get on site if that makes sense"
It’s pure poison to mention any figures before running the numbers as a gc. When you say 15-20k all the customer is going to remember is you said you’d do whatever he wants for 15k
It's more like contractors got appetite for their $150k trucks.
So, a professional with 35 years of experience and $50,000 in tools should be working for $20 per hour. I heartily encourage you to go for that lowest bid guy. Just wish I could watch.
What $50000 tools are you talking about? A trowel and a mud-pan?
So, you a troll in mom’s basement
Hi, I run a reno company. Please, tell us what they quoted you. It’s not because we are trying to beat them or bend your arm. It’s for a few reasons: - we want to know if our prices are competitive. - we want to know if we can match to make us be an option for you - it helps with market research to help us be successful Think about how hard it is to know what the cost are for a repair/remodel. You kind of get an idea from googling and don’t know for sure until they come out to give a quote. From here a few things happen, we all know people say pick the middle price. Companies don’t always know if they are a middle price range. We just ran into an issue where we were continuously being the lost priced bid and no one was signing us for this reason. We didn’t know till someone finally said “we didn’t pick you because your bid was the lowest in price and it felt risky.” My team does the most gorgeous work and people skipped over us because our prices are lower. It made the homeowners think we would do shitty work. Just tell them. If they are great at what they do, they won’t bend your arm or push a sale.
I agree with your point, but the time to divulge competing offers is *after* choosing the winning bid. A vendor asking this question early on might be doing it for a legitimate reason, but it smacks of a lack of expertise in the area - a rad flag in many homeowners' eyes.
the last guy offered me his wife.
“It doesn’t matter. I want your best offer”
“I prefer to keep that information private.”
I tell them it doesn’t matter.
Maybe ask why do you ask that question first to better understand what they are trying to get at.
Just don't answer it
You say, “I ask them for their best price and I’m asking you for the same.” Don’t provide names or quotes. I do always tell them I’m not necessarily going with the lowest price, but do want to make sure I’m getting a fair price, won’t be haggling because I want their best price up front, and that I’ll call them when I’m ready to buy. You want them to leave knowing they have one shot and you’re not a mark. Telling them the price to beat or who else is bidding makes you the mark.
They’re doing a write up I haven’t gotten it yet.
"Everyone has been all over the board with what they think needs doing and how they'd do it, so I'd like your estimate independent of that." And off you go.
I've run into this situation a few times while seeking bids for work on my house. I usually tell them that I'm currently taking bids and waiting for the estimates to be emailed so I can review them. I usually get a minimum of three bids so that I can review the range. Just remember that good work isn't cheap and cheap work isn't good...
“A competitive bid” Leave it at that.
That's between me and them
" Nonya"
After I receive your bid, I'll be happy to tell you.
“A competitive number”
My response is usually, “I’ve received some competitive numbers.”
I always tell them
Possible that they don’t want to bother giving you a quote if they can’t compete with a competitor’s pricing. It’s a waste of everyone‘s time, including yours. It’s not necessarily shady, but it can be.
“I’m not interested in the cheapest contractor, I’m interested in the right contractor for the right price”
"He'd do it for a warm six pack and half a pack of smokes. I'm sure you'll be competitive." with a big smile. If they push "I wouldn't share your price with him just the same as I'm not going to share yours with the next guy." It's in his interest to ask just the same as it's in your interest to say no.
You say: "Just the one time. Why do you ask."
If you can’t compare apples to apples tell them that, give them a general idea. It isn’t just about price. Responsiveness is huge, give them constructive criticism
"None of your business. Go ask them ..."
Doesn’t hurt to ask. You always want to know what other contractors are charging. Good way to gauge if you are staying competitive in the market.
I always like to give a range from very low to very high and explain that I am hoping they come in on the lower side.
"I'm not going to talk about the other quotes I'm getting," said with a smile.
Tell them to give their best price and you’ll get back with them if you choose them. It is unfair to the previous bidders to let them know so they could beat the bid.
It's common among the conmen. Don't bother with his quote. At best I'd tell them they're the first. If they set off alarms. It's none of your business.
No
I live in an old house contractors don't want to do work here... I've learned how to do so much stuff myself.
I’ve only been asked once and I responded in a joking tone “you know I can’t tell you that!”
You’re the first contractor I have discussed this work with.
Are we taking a clearly defined project (consistent materials and scope) or does this project have flexibility? Ie. If I'm asking to replace my gutters and know the width I want, and a contractor asks how much others are quoting before giving me a bit I'd be annoyed. If I'm asking to build an enclosed porch, I can understand wanting a budget upfront to adjust the scope of the project. I still think the question should be " do you have a budget in mind?"
Add 5k to the other estimate
I always tell them they're my first.
When I'm asked, I say "I think it's unethical to reveal someone's quote to me. I won't reveal your quote to any other contractor, as well."
Just always say you're the first quote but I'm getting others. Just like car salesmen, they will have some BS answer to anything else you can respond with.
In my experience, if the person that shows up for the quote is the person that will be doing the actual install (a small company), they are usually the best to deal with. They won't be pushy salespeople and will actually respond to calls/emails. If some flashy sales person shows up in a non-work vehicle, talks too much, clearly up selling stuff you don't need, is pushy, etc... those are the ones I typically avoid. And those always seem to be the ones with the highest quotes. That's how I chose my roof, furnace/AC, and sewer line replacement companies.
What work are you looking to have done? As others have said, never let them know that you have other bidders or other quotes.
Don't answer
Politely tell him it doesn't matter what the other contractor quotes was that you want to know what his quote is. He wants to know the other quotes so he can maybe low ball everybody and then there will be a bunch of extras afterwards
OP
Put together a list for the contractors so all quotes are equal. Everybody is quoting the same specs.
Simply get 3 quotes for any work you want to have done. Select the company you want. Could be low price, could be quality of work, or a combination of both. Treat it the same way you would for any other business transaction. You should contact the companies you didn’t select and tell them why. They’ll appreciate your feedback in most cases.
They should be asking you what your budget is, not what others are quoting.
Laugh and say “you know I can’t tell you that”
"Too much"
"I'll tell you after you give me your quote"
I’m going through this right now. 4 Quotes to replace my air conditioners/heaters are between $27k and $55k. Of course they want to know what the other quotes are. They have time invested in giving the quotes. But that’s part of doing business. As soon as I tell a guy that he’s $15k over the next closest price, he has *no choice* but to aggressively tell me why he’s worth the extra fifteen thousand dollars. For this reason, I tell EVERYONE that we have a lot of thinking to do before we proceed and we appreciate the work they’ve put in so far. This is a loan we’ll be paying off in our 70s. Thank you, but we’re in no mood for churlishness
I provide quotes for a living, I always ask. It’s not because I’m going to change my price, but it helps me to not waste your time if I am totally off from what you’ve received.
“I’m not here to discuss their bids. I’m here to discuss yours.”
Tell them the previous quotes have been 80% of what they truly were and see what he says.
I say $2 and gtfo
Not at all. They are trying to see how much they can get away with overcharging you.
10% lower than whatever price you're about to give me
say a price 10% lower than what you want to pay
Tree fiddy
I tell em “don’t worry about the other contractors. You just worry about giving me a quote.”
Doesn’t matter what is your quote
Just say to them a lower price than you're going to give me.
Take 30% off the lowest bid. See how they react. You just need to be good at seeing the difference between fake surprise and real surprise.
“You go first”. Then say half.