On Monday, 12 August 2013 00:52:58 UTC+1, wrote:
Hi,

we need to have some roofing/building work done. (repair rather than new build).
Most of them seem to advertise ‘free estimates’. Being the cynical sort I suspect this is so they can then charge more than the estimate rather than giving a quote.



However one chap said that (i) a quote would be deliberately high to allow for contingencies, so we might end up paying more by having a quote rather than an estimate and

(ii) if it was discovered that extra work needs doing, a firm that has given a quote may just bodge it/ cover it up as they are working to a fixed price, rather than bringing attention to any extra work and informing us of the cost before proceeding further (although if that happened would we really be in a position to say no to the extra).

(he subsequently gave a written estimate rather than a quote).

Part of me thinks he has a point, but on the other hand is this just part of his sales spiel ?



What does the collective wisdom of the newsgroup think ?

Is it better to request a quote or an estimate ? (thinking of other firms rather than just this one)



Thanks.





P.S. I am posting this to uk.d-i-y and uk.legal. If anybody thinks a different group is more appropriate please let me know.


When I asked for a quote for my roof I wasn;t sure whether I got an estimate or a Quote for a new roof £11.5K they produced an A4 sheet of what they were going to do. At the end there was an extra £800 to pay can;t remmebr the details.
I heard that they give basic quotes/estimates based on other properties and looking at googlemaps to work out the area of the roof. They didn't come inside ther property to inspect the roof.
Perhaps they would have charged for an estimate/quote vica-versa because someone would need to visit.