Puzzles are for fun,
not for home repair
Conflicting Advice
You call three companies in and receive three different recommendations. The cost from one to another may vary drastically. Confusion abounds.
“We Can Do It All”
More and more, contractors in various fields are seeing ancillary services that people would pay for and tack them onto their “Services Provided” list, and they’re charging more for them since they do not specialize in those areas and they may not be the best at them. Sometimes you’re better off talking with a different trade altogether.
Problems You’re Likely to Encounter
Hungry Salespeople
Keep in mind, most salespeople in this field are paid mostly or exclusively through commission. That salesman needs to feed his family, and if sales have been low lately, he may very well exaggerate the severity of a problem or invent a problem where there is none.
Poorly Educated Salespeople
Not all employees are equal. Many are great at connecting with customers and convincing them they are the best at what they do, but are not knowledgeable enough with the technical aspects of their trade. You may very well be given a very expensive quote that is completely useless (I lost count of how many times I encountered this).
“Extras” Lumped Into the Proposal
You may be recommended the needed fix, PLUS two or three additional services or products that are not necessary for the problem you’re experiencing.
Band-aid on a Wound
Last but not least, you’ll often find contractors (usually smaller outfits) that will offer you services at significantly lower cost than most other specialists. Often these are cheap, inefficient ways to try to keep the problem at bay, but this is usually a waste of money since the proper repair will still be needed in the future.