Is the Lowest Price Really the Best Deal?

Allen Romano, our Production Manager, fielded a call the other day and told me about it. I'd like to share it with you. The caller was a relative of an On The Beam client whose kitchen we had remodeled. The relative was so impressed with our work, he referred us to some friends who had a very large project: a whole house remodel. They had an architect and the plans were done, permitted and ready for construction. The friends just needed to find a contractor to do the work. They called us for an estimate.

First we wanted them to feel good about who we are so that they would be able to trust us with their beloved home. We invited them over to our office and carpentry shop, met and shook hands and gave them a tour. We gave them many, many references to call. We showed them many photos of our good work.

But alas, when the price came in, it was much higher than they had hoped for. The fact is, Steve is an expert, fair and reasonable estimator, but the plans represented a huge amount of materials and hours of labor. The homeowners went looking for a contractor who would give them a better price. And they found one.

Six months or so later, their friend who referred them to us was telling us a sad tale: They wished they had hired us. Why? For one thing, the other contractor's "lower price" ended up being the same and a little more. For another, they were doing much of the work themselves that they thought the contractor would do. In other words, the 'cheaper' contractor hadn't included some of the work in the contract, and now the homeowners were having to scramble to get it done without him.

We've heard similar stories over the years, as people come to us for an estimate and go looking for a lower one. Fact is, our estimates are all-inclusive, meticulously detailed, fairly priced, and well-informed. Our contract is thorough and covers all aspects of the remodel that need to be covered. But even more importantly, the EXPERIENCE behind the estimate is one of respect for the home and its residents. We make sure that the ups and downs of remodeling rest squarely on our shoulders.