this post was submitted on 29 Nov 2024
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Don't let any contractors into your house until you've lived there for at least a few months, and learn how to recognize high pressure sales pitches from them. They'll take advantage of you if you don't. Always get more than one quote. If you're as much as tell them you're getting multiple quotes, they'll start lowering their prices pretty dramatically.
Examples of high pressure sales tactics:
They'll insist that your spouse be home during the demonstration. That's red flag number one.
They'll go to get something from their car, and Ithey'll ask if it's okay for them to let themselves back in. Most homeowners don't think anything of this, but this is actually a psychological trick. The idea is that you wouldn't allow someone to let themselves into your house unless you trusted them, and if you trust them, you're much more likely to do business with them.
They'll spend 3 hours talking about how great whatever it is they're selling is, and it will start to feel like the only way to get these people out of your house is to sign a dotted line.
They'll do whatever they can to stop you from talking to other companies. That's why they'll start lowering their prices as soon as you mention that you're getting multiple quotes.
After 30 years of owning my own home my red flag is when they say "this is going to be a big job".
Probably because it is, they don't like you, or they don't want the job.
I'm not trying to be mean, but contractors will price it outrageously or say "this will be a big job" because they don't want the job, so you say no.
I have plenty of experience working with contractors. I am a contractor. Many of my friends are contractors. When there is an abundance of work they'll bid high. If they don't get the job no big deal. If they get paid well then why not take it on, push lesser paying jobs back. Both times I heard this phrase they were making a big deal about nothing and I got someone to do it much cheaper.
Ehhh some of this is great advice about sales tactics, but you should definitely get a contractor to come out and look over the place again.
Reason being is if there is something that was missed in your initial inspection that another contractor found, you can go back to the realtor and demand them to be fixed. Especially for new builds.
However you only have a small window for this, because if you wait too long the realtor and or contractors can say it was you and it's not their responsibility.
Also you should always get multiple bids from several contractors. If someone is going to do the job at a really low price, that means that contractor will cut corners, and do more harm than good. If someone is giving you an astronomical price that is completely unreasonable that means the contractor doesn't want the job.
There is also this other "tactic" that construction companies know very well. That is if the company is trying to give you a deal, you as a customer are going to nitpick every little thing. Flip side, if they mark it up the customer will always believe it's the best job that was ever done.
Source: my step father owned a large legit construction company, that I worked for, and my bio father owned a small shady construction company, that I also worked for.
Holy fuck, what shit advice.
Please finish your thought. Let me get you started:
"Because..."
It's the first part that I don't agree with. There's zero reason to not hire a contractor in the first weeks of owning a new place. Assuming due diligence, you should know prior to closing what areas might need attention.
Moral.
Ignorance is expensive.
A lot of times you won't know what needs attention until you've lived in the house long enough. Not everything is immediately obvious.