How often do you feel ripped off by a contractor? (flooring, Home Depot)
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After you have had work done by a contractor or appliance service repair tech, what percentage of the time do you feel like you have just been ripped off?
Even after doing research and getting quotes, do any of you still feel like a contractor or repairman did something or somehow exaggerated a cost of repair?
I have yet to feel ripped off.
I never had anyone exaggerate anything.
I deal with local contractors, and I am in an area with close to zero immigrant workers.
So I am dealing with the owners of the company and/or their family members and/or long time hometown employees.
Only once have I felt ripped off by a contractor. He was a neighbor's brother. We wanted to build a new 3 x 4 ft. porch with a two steps off our laundry room. It was to be constructed of concrete and brick. We already had the brick. Gave him $500 for supplies and never heard from him again. We trusted him because he and our neighbor had constructed a brick mailbox for us.
There is a difference between being "ripped off" vs feeling that you may not have gotten your money worth it. If you want something done but you are unable to do it yourself. You hire a professional but when the job is easily, do you feel ripped off?
It happens so often that I simply do everything myself, or at least that I can. Everytime I try to hire someone I find myself disgusted by the experience.
The last was a younger guy who's starting up a landscape business (a real business, fully licensed). We wanted a dry river bed, landscape fabric and pine back mulch ~ he initially quoted me north of $5000, and I politely told him that another (Very well established company with great customer reviews) quoted me $1800, he then said he'd do it for that. Showed up, made a mess of my yard, didn't "finish" anything (I'm talking rocks left scattered around the yard, often in very obvious piles), ran out of landscape fabric and just opted to do without, didn't overlap (or even butt edges, left 3~6" gaps) between the fabric pieces.... needless to say, the weeds over-ran the "new" work within a month. Called to complain about this and he provided just about the worst customer service I've experienced, certainly the worst from an owner/operator.
Meanwhile, he was on-site for about 6 hours, materials receipts were about $600 and I don't feel like I got $200/hour worth of work.
I can remember getting Outstanding service once in my life. Truly Terrible service a few times, as in so bad that money was refunded. The rest are somewhere in the middle, some that I thought were fair, most that I thought were very much sub-par quality/product for the money spent.
Not sure what the problem is, I do my research, check references and work quality, generally try to do everything possible to minimize the bad. Heck, if I remove myself from the equation and let my wife do Everything, we have the same end results. This seems to be infectious as it's happening to my in-laws now, where previously good contractors who they used and trusted over a decade do a re-roof that resulted in a number of leaks and never bother to even utter the words "I'm sorry" much less offer to make it right.
I have had a number of contractors through my house over the past two years for various work and have not had a bad experience yet. Flooring, cabinets, counters, plumbing, electrical, gas line, HVAC, window treatments (wow, I sure have had a lot done), all have been professional, on-time, on budget, great communication and customer service and beautiful work. Maybe I am lucky to have good contractors in my area? I don't know, but I haven't been disappointed yet (knock wood). Fingers crossed for my backsplash install in January.
Never. I also never deal with big scale places...like Sears or Home Depot. Give me Pete the appliance repair guy, James the local plumber, and my contractor David.
When I had my bathroom remodel done I had three guys bid. One guy told me what I was going to get...which was exactly what I didn't want. The second guy looked flustered and gave me a ridiculously low quote, so I figured he was an idiot, and the third guy, David, explained the scope of the job and gave me a price range.
Sounds goofy. But to me it made sense. My bathroom was dire, and the first price was if when he took down the walls if he didn't find water problems and dry rot, and the second was if he did. He did the same process for the kitchen.
No problems in the bath....but mega problems in the kitchen. He still came in on budget, and on time.
In all my years (50) dealing with licensed contractors I've only come across one that tried to rip me off with some false BS he was spewing. He was forcefully sent on his way. Otherwise with vetting contractors I've used I've been very satisfied and happy with their work.
I'm a contractor and contractors are no more notorious for ripping people off then any other profession. I feel more ripped off going to a doctor that spends 15 mins with me and the bill is $250. Or going to the ER and getting a bill for thousands when no special tests or equipment was used and being there under and hour.
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