Estimates, Price Isn't Everything
If you think Hiring a Professional is expensive, just wait until you hire an AMATEUR!
Making sure to get multiple quotes for your siding project is an important factor to ensure you’re getting a competitive price, there’s much more than price to consider when choosing a contractor to take on your project.
Clearly, years of experience plays a significant role, but how much “experience” is really needed?
Experience isn’t black & white, there are so many factors at play when it comes to “Experience” and it’s not ALWAYS about “Time Served”
A young man with only 5-10 yrs of the RIGHT experiences, can very well bring MORE to the table than the Veteran with 30yrs of experiences doing everything his way and having been unwilling to evolve with the industry. Then again, a young man with 5-10yrs of learning how to cut corners could be catastrophic to the end result.
When your chosen contractors are on site reviewing the project to provide you with an estimate, make SURE you are there to meet them and observe their process, their body language and attitude will speak volumes.
Ask questions, lots of them.
A GOOD contractor will be patient, explaining things thoroughly, and will want to make SURE you understand what he’s planning on doing and why.
Anything less should be considered a red flag, not necessarily the be all and end all, but should be taken note of none the less.
A GOOD contractor will NEVER try to sell you on the job during the initial “Free Estimate”
A GOOD contractor WANTS you to, and will ENCOURAGE you to, acquire other competing estimates!!!!
No REPUTABLE contractor wants to get a job being the only price that was tendered. It’s not because they aren’t confident in their pricing, it’s more to do with the post-project estimates by neighbours, family, or friends, expressing how “you paid too much”, or “My uncle’s buddy could have done it for less”, etc., etc. all the while, not knowing what was actually involved and the processes behind the completed project.
It just leaves the door open for potential drama and bad blood.
Being part of this “connected” world, a disillusioned customer can create quite a kerfuffle and the “Lemmings” all follow along as though it was the Gospel.
This is why the customer as WELL as the contractors want to see other quotes involved, so that everyone is on the same page. I would rather LOSE a job because my price was too high, than to be awarded a job because I was the ONLY price!
A GOOD contractor is Patient, Accommodating, Knowledgeable, Friendly, Confident, Considerate, Competitive &, most importantly, INSURED!
You’ll know who you want to work with after spending only a few minutes with them, but they most likely won’t be the cheapest!