Contractor has to see you AND the wife????

Group: alt.home.repair Date: Tue, Aug 19, 2003, 2:13am (EDT+4) From:


(Edwin=A0Pawlowski) wrote:

It is a sales tactic. He has both people and can play on the soft side
of the wife. He then has both people thee to sign the contract.
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John wrote:

"Soft side of the wife", glad you said that not me! Usually only one
needs to sign is my experience.
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Edwin wrote

Fact is, he can give a free estimate over the phone. All he has to know
is the number of square feet of the house. He won't do that because he
is going to ask a lot more than the customer expect, but in the
excitement of the moment, they will sign the contract.
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John wrote

"he is going to ask a lot more than the customer expects"
Happens to me all the time, I expect everything to be less than it
really is. How you verify this is to get multiple estimates.

"in the excitement of the moment, they will sign the contract"
I guess the salesman could be this good but if enough questions are
asked by both parties and are accepted and they have other estimates to
consider, get on with it.
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Edwin wrote:

When I was looking to replace the roof with a metal roof, I had the same
thing. They wanted to come when we were both home. The estimate was for
$14,500. When I said no, he made a counter offer. He would give me a
better price if I signed tonight, but he would not tell me how much the
reduction would be until I agreed. Rational was that he did not have to
make another trip to finalize the deal.
I sad no again and had a standard 30 year roof put on for $4000. It will
probably outlast me so the extra $10,500 is not much of an incentive to
get another 20 years.
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John wrote

You don't say if you had other estimates for the metal roof, do you know
if the price was excessive? If it was and not justified, both of you
could have told him so.

Your price difference of $10,500.00 is comparing "apples to oranges"
and has nothing to do with the topic.

I would guess the amount saved on another trip would be about:
2 hours labor @ $ 50.00 ----------$100.00
est 40 miles round trip--------------$ 15.00
About $115.00 for 2 total hours and 40 miles.

The expenses and time are real to the contractors providing free
estimates, they do not appear to be so to most customers.

I hear what you are saying, but I think there is another side to it, as
I pointed out.