Quote:
Originally Posted by alanebro82
But yeah, I totally agree with getting a bunch of quotes. I recently had some electrical work quoted out, and the most knowledgeable and friendly guy also ended up having the lowest quote by about 40%.
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To me, multiple quotes are the key. I originally had only 2 quotes to do some painting where their prices differed by 50% which is a hell of a lot. I got a third quote which fell about half way between the first 2 and he also seemed more honest and knowedgable so he will get the job.
The problem with NOT getting multiple quotes and only going by referrral from neighbors, is that you could wind up with great quality workmanship at an inflated price. This was the case with a particular roofer in my area that everyone was using. He quoted my job at about $2000 higher than the guy I hired and wanted to make a big job out of it, making it perfect. In my case I didn't need such perfection, so I hired another perfectly good roofer and saved a good deal of money.
So bottom line, multiple quotes takes more effort, but it gives you the opportunity to choose the best contractor based upon your specific needs. Referals from friends, Angie's list, the phone book, etc., all come in handy for choosing who will compete in the multiple quote game.
---pete---