Why won't a contractor come out to the house to give me an estimate?
I called a company that is applying that *liquid vinyl siding*. All I
wanted
was an estimate. Wasn't going to pick a color. He insisted on coming out
in an
evening when the wife was home. I told him that I knew how much we
could
afford and if we go with it, then she can choose the color. Nope, he
would not
come out just to give me alone an estimate.
Same for windows. We knew exactly what we wanted. Three sliders, two
double
hung in white. Nope, we both had to be there.
As far as I'm concerned two sales could have been lost because of the
bullheaded stubborn policy.


Probably because he wants to close the sale right then and there. If only
one spouse is home, then you can use the "I'll need to check with the wife
before I sign" dodge.
This is a sign of a high pressure sell type of operation. They know that
once they are gone, there is very little likelyhood of a sale. I'd steer
clear of this type of operation.
I used to work in telemarketing, setting appointments for salesmen to sell
those adjustable beds. We were not allowed to set the appointment unless
both spouses were home. We said it was to insure that both people sleeping
in the bed could learn about it, but it was really just to keep the salesmen
from wasting their time.

Most legitimate contractors could care less who's home. I've had estimates
done for exterior work when nobody was home. They either left the bid in
the screen door, or sent it in the mail. I had my irrigation system done
this way, and some landscaping work, and rain gutters. Nobody home for any
of it.
Dave