How do you avoid getting ripped off by contractors?

StiuNu · 2019-10-06T16:40:25+00:00

Easy!

No payment in advance. No pay per hour.

List your demands, ask if they have advice about it. Ask for a price. Pay after inspecting the job.

Also the stuff you mentioned is a weekend project for you and you best friend. Buy steaks and lots of beer

altburger69 · 2019-10-06T16:33:48+00:00

Hire an all female crew.

ncarolina66 · 2019-10-06T17:19:47+00:00

Yes, be around when they do the work.

I would just not be in their face all the time. Check periodically and offer them some water or soda.

Sometimes they are talkative and sometimes they are all business and just want to finish the work and leave. See if you can get a warranty on the products and service/work being done and get it in writting.

(try to get it before via email but note sometimes you have to get it after the work if it's for a product they used and they have to send it to the company to get the warranty paperwork).

I would ask around or check online to see what others say about the place you want to use. Get several quotes before selecting one, usually a good small business will offer free quotes. Let them know you are researching several places and you might get a better price too. However, if you have one guy with great reviews over everyone else, he might not need your business and won't go down in price, so just keep that in mind too.

Sometimes it pays and is cheaper in the long run to go with the more expansive choice....because of a better warranty, product used, service, experience, better reviews, knowledge provided to you, etc.....

One last tip, if you DO get exceptional service/product than be sure to leave a good review and tell everyone who needs that service where you go....word of mouth. And let the business know you did that as well for good service next time.

Good Luck!

Zideaan · 2019-10-06T16:32:38+00:00

Second opinions always work, reputable contractors, someone you knew or a friend knew. A contract within the family/friend cycle.

Try to go online and find some, at least you’ll get reviews, feedback or anything similar. Try to ask about the hourly charge for “hand labor” and you can buy the pieces needed by yourself.

Regarding cars, now computers will tell you what’s wrong so ask for a report, take an opinion and then gauge your options.

It’s not easy to avoid being ripped off though, sometimes trying not to get ripped off is another type of work in itself :/

RealBiggly · 2019-10-06T16:34:10+00:00

Tell em you have a wife and she's busting your balls about supervising every little thing.

TigPlaze · 2019-10-06T16:47:48+00:00

Read online reviews first. Check if they're in good standing with the Better Business Bureau. If you know anyone who has had a good experience with a contractor, maybe have them give you a recommendation.

Swiftjay69 · 2019-10-06T22:16:50+00:00

I’m a plumber and when people just stand over me I purposely get up quickly and run into them when going to get tools/parts. There’s a joke, its double to watch and triple to help.

bamabeatsny · 2019-10-06T19:38:11+00:00

If you look for a contractor using an online referral service, don't use Angie's List. DO use Home Advisor.

Why? Because on Angie's List, contractors can pay for a better standing on their site. Home Advisor does not allow or offer that.

NietzscheExplosion · 2019-10-07T04:36:00+00:00

I just learn how to do shit myself. Fuck people.

InspectorPipes · 2019-10-07T09:48:20+00:00

Get 3 quotes for the work . Never go with cheapest quote unless you can verify past work . Set up payment schedule based on stages completed. And never more than 1/3 up front . Let them know you are present if they need to confirm anything, but don’t set up lawn chairs and watch them . Also get them food and drinks , no beer . You feed the crew and they will think you are cool and less likely to have additional things pop up requiring additional money . Example : tear off the roof and find rot they didn’t anticipate. They are likely to just scab in some boards and move on with the day. If you are watching like a hawk and generally a pain in their ass ; refer to the clause in contract regarding blah blah etc . Source: 20 + years in trades

iseehot · 2019-10-07T12:11:48+00:00

Always get three bids at a minimum. Sometimes it takes more, depending on how much is being spent. I find that by that point, I have a handle on what is really needed.

Since you are going to be living with/looking at the work for a long time, put in the initial effort.

mav7421 · 2019-10-07T12:20:49+00:00

Well, you're not alone and it's not just you: it's the nature of many businesses where they would agree to virtually any budget no matter how low, and then - in the middle of the work - something comes up and the bill keeps getting higher and higher; they know what they are doing so... it's actually legal in most places or not worth fighting.

Moreover if you were to fire them mid-way, the next contractor will take advantage of you even more; and the first contractors might even sue you.

Solutions:

for some works like flooring, installing doors, and replacing a water heater, building a deck you can hire Home Depot. They actually contract with the same independent contractors that you would hire otherwise, but they have higher standards for time (and quality) and they guarantee the price, time and work
use Angie's List to check reputable companies
use https://nextdoor.com to check reputable companies
you could hire a handy-man and together you can tackle the job at hand, depending on your skills and the work needed

Note: to be fair to the contractors you must know what you want done, in details. What needs to be done, how, materials etc... otherwise changing your mind along the way results into higher and higher bill.

Title	How do you avoid getting ripped off by contractors?
Author	mav7421
Upvotes	5
Comments	42
Date	October 6, 2019 4:26 PM UTC (6 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/MGTOW
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/MGTOW/comments/de5gxr/how_do_you_avoid_getting_ripped_off_by_contractors/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/MGTOW/how-do-you-avoid-getting-ripped-off-by-contractors.651188 https://theredarchive.com/post/651188

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