Home Depot Wants $100 to Measure Kitchen

[Mick Collens]

Rico,

Could you imagine the expression on this guy's face, when you asked him what his budget was for a kitchen, bath, or addition? LOL, I'd pay to see it! :o)

[Tim Smith]

Doesn't your free estimate take experience, knowledge, and time? At least if it is going to be anywhere near accurate?

[RicodJour]

Well, you'd lose the bet. I am polite and respectful to people as a rule. I give people the benefit of the doubt. You've shown yourself to have little knowledge and a strong opinion. I don't respect such behavior.

You base your selection of contractor on whether you can sue them? How come this doesn't surprise me?

I'd think that basing the choice on there being an extremely remote chance of having to sue the contractor would make more sense. Think about it.

My buddy was a HS teacher - when he retired five years ago he was making northwards of $80K a year. Homes average about $700K. In case you haven't figured it out yet, Sparky, I live in an expensive area.

Anyway, you have nothing more to offer, so have fun, do well, bye.

R

[bigjim]

[George]

Your argument is totally flawed and the exaggeration just makes it look sillier.

There is a tremendous difference between the billing rate of a plumber which covers business expenses and overhead and the salary of a teacher.

[Tom G]

I got to where I could walk into a kitchen and give an estimate that would be within $500 of the final cost. I would try to avoid spending the 3 hours drawing up a plan, needlessly, like you said to "weed" the garden. Told a lady, my estimate, once, and she went into a long tirade about how she hadn't spent that much to buy the house 40 years before and there was no way she would spend that much to remodel just the kitchen. So, I started to pick up my things and leave and she says, "Well, since you're here draw up the plans so I can see what you're ideas are". Yea, sure, so she could take them somewhere else to get a lower bid? Not likely.

Tom G

[bambam]

No one is suggesting the consumer should not shop around. Like Rico, I 'm a renovations contractor ... and I would urge consumers to shop around. As much as they want, until they are confident they know what they are getting. Three estimates, five, fifty ... doesn't matter .. shop till you drop. Long as they are willing to pay for it.

Or as long as the sales people will put up with it. Me, I won't.

Ninety percent of my work comes from referrals. The conversation is seldom about cost, it is about dreams and timing. At least half of those jobs are on a cost plus basis.

Ten percent of my work comes from advertising. For those who call from an ad, I used to get one job for every dozen queries. Now, I get one job for every two estimates. I use the charge for estimates to get rid of the time wasters.

I'll spend a few minutes on the phone and give them a ball park on what similar projects have cost ... but beyond that, I tell them I charge $250 for a firm price "Offer to Build. Refundable if the project goes ahead.

Amazingly, ten of twelve vanish -- most self righteously singing your song : " You are selling a service, and an estimate of part of selling your service and you should not be charging for it, it should be built in."

My response generally is that if all they want is a price, fax me detailed drawings and specifications, including relevant engineering, and I'll fax them back a price.

What they are really seeking is professional advice on how to spend thirty or fifty or a hundred thousand dollars in the wisest way possible. If it isn't worth 1% or less ....

Of the two who agree to pay, usually cheerfully, I get at least one project -- and no, I never do get around to charging either for the estimate.

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Each project is different and it takes a full day of my time to work out a firm price offer to build.

There is no such thing as a FREE estimate. Someone pays for that day of my time ---

either I pay for it in the form of reduced income or one fewer day with my boy and my boat,

or a client pays for it in the form of higher advertising and admin charges against his project ...

or the person who wants the estimate can pay for it.

Why should my clients pay for your curiousity?? Why should I?? Why should my son??

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Guy called the other day. Said he wanted to reno his kitchen and would I do free estimates.

I said "Sure, bring it in and let's have a look.".

Been wanting to do that for a long time.

Ken

[mm]

This would be a very exciting design, and make your kitchen seem far bigger than it is. Especially when viewed from outer space. You should have gone with it.

[mm]

I don't know what "deducted from the contract price" means anyhow. Don't contractors figure out how much they want, and if they get paid

300 dollars for the first part, charge less for the rest of it?

If they didn't charge less for the rest of it, they'd be charging 300 dollars more for the whole job than they would have if the meausrements and plan were done after signing a contract?

(which someone might do if the contractor came recommended or if they had employed him before.)

So isn't it pretty much always deducted from the contract price even if they don't say so. If one signed a contract before anyone came out to meausre, wouldn't it be high enough (300 or whatever) to allow for the time it takes to come out and measuere and draw up the plan?

[curmudgeon]

And if you make a mistake, HD will tell you that you can EAT IT !!!