How do I know if a contractor quote is fair?

“Team of 3 dug up other plants and weeds that were not well kept, including some small mulberry seedlings, laid down a barrier and put the mulch where you see it. Stone edge pavers were already there. They planted the small plants where those dying shrubs, about chest height, used to be. About all I know.”source ↗

“Its this a F-off price or is this the typical price for just the engineering plans for a retaining wall?”source ↗

“Got a quote for 17.3k. My FIL was going to build us a patio for a wedding gift which was started and never finished. It seems like his work is kind of shoddy and I’m going to have to pay to demo his work.”source ↗

“Is $25,000 steep for a 20” tall, 74 liner foot retaining wall?”source ↗

“Yesterday, I was quoted over $1,000 for a 3’ x 11’ concrete trash pad. Is that within the normal price range?”source ↗

“I wasn’t concerned at first, but when I got this quote they mentioned he completely messed up drainage (I think he had drainage going towards the house) and when they tried to sit on his “wall” part of it fell off underneath them”source ↗

“We’ve been asking when they’re coming back to finish for 2 years now and keep getting pushed back.”source ↗

“I am putting in a 750sqft bluestone patio. I got quoted $50/sqft, is that a good price?”source ↗

“By the description of work it sounds high but them saying it’s 3 days of work makes it sound more reasonable.”source ↗

“Make sure you get 3-5 quotes before you make a decision.”source ↗

“I’ve received quotes with price differences of around $2K–$3K. So, I’d like to understand what would be an appropriate price for my requirements.”source ↗

“Is this a fair quote for removing trees?”source ↗

“We will continue to get a few more quotes, but wanted to see if this was too much or if we should jump on it.”source ↗

“My poor friend got dropped because she put in a claim for some ice damage to her roof and gutters.”source ↗

“It cost me about $35,000 last year to have my house resided and painted with hardiplank. So 3500 seems definitely concerning low.”source ↗

“if a company is quoting 18.5k for standing seam + redecking and everyone else wants 32k+ for asphalt, you either found a gem or there's a catch.”source ↗

“So just looking for a gut-check.”source ↗

“Looking at gutters for my house, ranch house, no peaks and valleys. 50 feet straight shot on both sides. Garage is 28 feet straight shot bith side, and the barn is 40 feet, also straight shot. Quoted 2650 for house and barn or just 1980 for house. Black, seamless with the downspouts. Is that a fair deal?”source ↗

“I just got quoted 1750 for 50 feet, seamless w gutter guards, metro detroit”source ↗

“Just 50 feet total?! Were looking at roughly 240 feet total if we do the barn”source ↗

“Was basically quoted $450 each for driveway seal and walkway seal.”source ↗

“Are these decent prices in Connecticut?”source ↗

“$450 per seal seems a little steep unless they're doing crack repair and prep work too”source ↗

“Orkin came to my house for an inspection and wants to encapsulate the space. They're giving me an estimate of $15,000 to treat the mold, encapsulate, and install a dehumidifier.”source ↗

“how bad is this and is the estimate too high?”source ↗

“We were very surprised at the price, almost $70,000, and really just want to know if this is what something like this costs today.”source ↗

“I had three quotes: $14,200, $15,800, and $18,900. Obviously the $14,200 one looked best on paper. I almost signed.”source ↗

“Then I went line by line and noticed the cheap quote didn't include a warranty on labor - just materials.”source ↗

“You have to read every quote line by line and cross-reference, which took me most of a Saturday.”source ↗

“Anyone else caught a hidden gap like this before signing? Feels like this happens way more than people realize.”source ↗

“I have no idea which contractor to choose out of these 2, because I’ve read that the guarantees are essentially useless.”source ↗

“Looking for input if this is a reasonable quote from a local roofing company.”source ↗

“I don’t have much experience with roofing so not sure what this type of job should cost.”source ↗

“I want to make sure I’m not being ripped off by my roofer. What’s the average cost to repair these including material? He quoted me $1,800”source ↗

“One issue I’m running into right now is a bid states a shingle that is a class 4 when I look it up but they stated in an email that they install class 3 impact rated .”source ↗

“and said all our flashing on the roof was "tin" and needed replacing and he'd do it for 4 grand.”source ↗

“Is he trying to pull a fast one here?”source ↗

“Google seems to think 4k is double what it should be. And I'm also worried that it won't actually fix the problem.”source ↗

“Could you please help with this initial quote that im very much interested in? Is this too low or reasonable? Any chance they are cutting corners?”source ↗

“We’re getting quotes for a full tear-off on a 1,900 square foot two story in Columbus, Ohio and the spread is wild. Low bid is $11,400 and the high one is $19,800 for what looks like the same architectural shingle.”source ↗

“CT - low was $12k but it was too difficult to communicate with the roofer / high end was $18k.”source ↗

“Would you replace or repair? I prefer to repair as I am just buying the building and have others issues to address first.”source ↗

“did share the report with some contractors and received repair quotes from $14,000 to $800.”source ↗

“Been quoted £2,600 for the work. Does this seem fair? It’s a reputable company and happy to pay good money for good work. I just have zero clue.”source ↗

“Any tips for understanding the details of an estimate? I found one company a few people in my neighborhood used and the new roof looks good with good reviews from the neighbors themselves, but what else do I look for when picking a company?”source ↗

“Make sure the estimate clearly covers decking, flashing, ventilation, warranty, cleanup, and extras.”source ↗

“Hello r/roofing! I'm a single first time homeowner navigating a roof replacement on my own and I don't have people I can ask for advice like this”source ↗

“Does Option B’s double underlayment on the lower-slope area, ridge ventilation, HVAC saddle/cricket, heat-welded TPO detailing and more explicit flashing scope justify roughly $2,300 more?”source ↗

“If this were your house and the goal was a durable roof for the long term without unnecessarily overbuilding it, which scope would you prefer and why?”source ↗

“Is this material better than a Landmark Pro, which I got quoted $8k for?”source ↗

“not better than landmark pro no. but duration is solid and this price is fair.”source ↗

“That price difference is crazy. I’d definitely be getting a few more quotes before deciding.”source ↗

“Quoted $5.6k to replace 3500 fasteners. Does that sound about right? Seems like a lot of screws.”source ↗

“My concern is the contractor(s) will adjust their scope of effort and/or materials to match the estimate.”source ↗

“Homeowner here, not a pro. I’m collecting quotes for a full replacement, and I’ve read enough horror stories to be paranoid.”source ↗

“What are the quieter red flags in a quote or a sales visit that would make you walk if you were the customer? I’d rather hear it from the trades than learn it from a leak.”source ↗

“>The first did a whole sales pitch on Duro-last roofing, quoted us $6,800 to replace both sections of flat roof with Duro-last. >The second quoted as $15,000 to replace both sections of roof with EPDM roofing, which everything I've read is supposed to be the 'cheap' option, comparatively. >I know nothing about roofing and my wife knows even less. Does the first company just doing a hack job for cheap? Is the second one just way overcharging us?”source ↗

“Wanting professional opinions on pricing for a roof replacement.”source ↗

“I've received quotes ranging from 9k to 32k from different roofing agencies, but the pictures and pricing guide in this post are from the most thorough inspection I've had so far.”source ↗

“Had a couple leaks this year that I've had to fix. Also attic mold and moisture issues (visible in the pics) which the roofing company attributes to bad airflow with the roof”source ↗

“i made the mistake once of handing over the paperwork right away and suddenly every quote matched exactly to the dollar. learned that lesson quick”source ↗

“Does this quote seem fair for replacing a concrete driveway in Southeast Michigan?”source ↗

“Is this a reasonable price, or is there anything else I should know about?”source ↗

“$60,000 for a retaining wall. Am I getting fleeced?”source ↗

“Trying to see if this is a good quote or not.”source ↗

“Just wanted to hear people's thoughts before pulling the trigger.”source ↗

“Hi everyone, I’m looking at redoing our small bathroom and I have two proposals in front of me that are VERY different price-wise and it’s left me wondering whether one is actually cheaper or whether they’re just pricing totally different scopes.”source ↗

“Basically I’ve had projects before where the quote looked fine at the start and then once work was underway there were suddenly a bunch of things that “weren’t included.’’”source ↗

“So I guess my question is how do you guys compare bathroom proposals when the project types are written so differently?”source ↗

“Compressor will sit on roof in direct sunlight and high heat AZ environment. That's really my biggest concern.”source ↗

“I notice one is a Heatpump vs Straight AC.. Not sure if that means much.. I literally never turn on my heat..”source ↗

“I sent one installer this information with several photos, and he quoted me $4500-5500 for just the labor - no materials, removal of toilet, sink, or baseboards or anything else.”source ↗

“He said the subfloor would have to be removed and replaced. I'm in the greater Boston metro area. Thoughts? I was very surprised.”source ↗

“We're busy af and cant get multiple people over here in a timely manner to compare quotes, so figured I'd just turn to this.”source ↗

“I’m trying to figure out how much I need to prepare to pay for it.”source ↗

“I only ask here before requesting plumbing quotes because last time I needed work done to the house I got a run around and prices that were 500% higher than what I knew labor and material plus profit markups should cost. I don’t want to get taken on this since I’m sure it will be very costly.”source ↗

“Am I that out of touch with contractor labor rates?”source ↗

“Can someone confirm that this is outrageously overpriced or is this really the cost of business?”source ↗

“I’m new to home ownership and need guidance.”source ↗

“Getting multiple quotes seems like good advice, but I’m curious how homeowners actually compare them when the contractors aren’t necessarily pricing the same scope.”source ↗

“One proposal might clearly include demolition, disposal, restoration, permits, warranties, or follow-up work, while another may barely mention those items.”source ↗

“At that point it becomes difficult to know whether you’re comparing prices or completely different versions of the project.”source ↗

“A contractor quoted me $4800 to replace 10 sheets of t1-11 on a 2 story. What is your thought? It seems a bit high imo.”source ↗

“i got 3 quotes for similar work couple years ago and the range was wild, like $900 to $2100. i'd wait for the other quotes before stressing too much”source ↗

“When I researched prices per square foot, the highest I saw was $75, but that included materials. I know quotes aren't always figured on a square foot basis, but either way, this quote looked very high.”source ↗

“Not sure how to decipher who is honest and good quality, as prices vary wildly.”source ↗

“I'm wondering how I go about hiring someone to give it to me straight about whether or not we need new gutters/roof or if we can just handle repairing the gutters and waiting for an issue with the roof.”source ↗

“My concern is that if we bring out a roofer / gutter person for a quote, they'll tell us we need all new stuff even if we don't.”source ↗

“I'm a bit lost on how to navigate this!”source ↗

“I had a similar situation in my place, '72 build, never touched the fireplace for 3 years because I was convinced it'd burn the whole house down. Got three quotes and they all landed between 5k and 7k for the full liner and tile removal.”source ↗

“Paying for multiple inspections stings but 250 bucks to avoid a 6500 mistake isn't the worst math.”source ↗

“i just had 3/8 inch t1 11, basically just two sheets for $980. added membrane and primed. - just two corners of my garage. california though.”source ↗

“I was just quoted upwards of $1900 and that seems pretty steep but I don’t wanna make assumptions about skilled labor cost.”source ↗

“First quote I got was $5k.”source ↗

“Second quote, the guy detailed work to be done: supply and install 100amp panel and breakers, 75ft 2-2-2-4 SER feeder cable, relocating furnace blower and water heater and install line for EV router, $1400.”source ↗

“considering the neighborhood I live in it feels like he is trying to take advantage, rather than giving me an FU quote.”source ↗

“I've hired very few contractors in my day so I don't have much experience to lean back on and am hoping you all might offer me some guidance on if this pricing is even close to reasonable.”source ↗

“definitely looks like a bad quote to me.”source ↗

“I got an $84k quote from Costco for 18’ of bifolds so $3.8 seems ok…. FML.”source ↗

“We've had other jobs bid like a tankless water heater or a roof and they might come in a bit over what I was expecting like 10%-30% but 3800/square seems super high to me.”source ↗

“Called to get a quote on soffit and gutter replacement and was quoted 20k. This is for 28 vents and 250 feet of soffit. I’m blown away. I was thinking 10-12k. Is this an F you price or are things just this crazy? I’m afraid to call someone else for another quote, I’d rather get my ass on a ladder and save 20k.”source ↗

“Is this a fair quote? I am based out of round rock Texas and this is my first time looking for a landscaping project.”source ↗

“I was quoted $6,500 to have the liner installed (as well as breaking out old tiles and sealing bricks).”source ↗

“Is this excessive or what I should expect? I plan to have another company come out for a quote but each inspection is about $250-300.”source ↗

“Definitely get at least 2 more quotes to at least compare, maybe more.”source ↗

“Before accepting, I would want to establish whether the scope of work definition is sufficiently complete to give you confidence in the final cost.”source ↗

“what’s a fair price for this in NC? My quote includes 20MM plastic, dehumidifier, sealing HVAC, new door, electrical hookup, annual checks for 5 years, 5 year warranty on humidifier, 25 years on the plastic, and all the other necessary improvements for $13,000.”source ↗

“We just had a basic encapsulation done for 6500 up in the Carolina mountains.”source ↗

“Our encapsulation was around $20k a couple years ago. We're in NoVa, pretty HCOL.”source ↗

“We're getting multiple quotes but our first was $1800 for 4 2.5 story downspouts and a front porch. This seems pretty high to me.”source ↗

“I was quoted $1400 for the entire job, including materials, labor, and the sheet metal brake rental. Also has a one year workmanship warranty. Is this too high?”source ↗

“I am being quoted $625 (originallu $735 but member discounts apply) labor and cost to replace a shut off ball valve in the crawl space of my house in CO. Is that considered a fair quote?”source ↗

“i ended up spending more time comparing estimates, warranties, and reviews than i did thinking about the actual roof.”source ↗

“the part that surprised me is how difficult it is to compare contractors when everyone seems to offer something slightly different. one quote looks cheaper until you read the details, then another looks better until you start looking at what's not included.”source ↗

“I spoke to someone from Home Depot today and he was at $3,800. Seems high..”source ↗

“Reason for not wanting to get more quotes: if this is just how much things cost now then why waste everyone’s time?”source ↗

“I just got a quote from a local company to get new gutters on my 20ish yr old, 1400 sq foot house in a major city in central NC.”source ↗

“Can I please get some feedback on this pricing? It seems very expensive to me”source ↗

“My concerns are that since this is a highly rated company, they can justify charging more than a mom and pop place and also once they start, they'll find wood rot and other things that will cause the price to balloon”source ↗

“My mother recently noticed a few cracks in the foundation for her home. Fearful the house would come down crumbling she got some people to take a look and they said it would be $10k in total to repair.”source ↗

“In all honesty we not have that kind of money so im hoping to find a better solution :(”source ↗

“After their free inspection, they confirmed that I am NOT infested with bats, but that the gaps they noted could allow for this and suggested I seal them to prevent a future infestation. They offered to do this for about $4,200, which seems wayyyy higher than I expected.”source ↗

“That's a big number to pay when I don't even have a problem! Thoughts? Suggestions? Is this worth it?”source ↗

“Yes, were the same people. And I see. will do Thank you so much for the advice! I am honestly clueless about this kind of stuff.”source ↗

“Wondering if you guys think 12,500 is reasonable for this amount of fencing in IL? That is the lowest of 3 bids I received on the project”source ↗

“I had gotten a quote from Orkin as well that was like $6k...and they just wanted to remove the squirrels and slap a patch over the hole. I called a smaller independent contractor... He replaced the facia board, and about a 12 foot section of gutter for $900.”source ↗

“Groundworks told me they could do 5 wall anchors across the wall for around 9k This includes materials, labor and SE inspection. They said they could possibly do a discount and get it down to 6,500”source ↗

“A local company told me the same but quoted me 10k, which was upsetting because I thought local would be more affordable.”source ↗

“I finally found another local company who said they could put steal beams up instead of wall anchors... without an SE and permits and charge me 3,900 for two beams”source ↗

“I was quoted 12k which includes all labor/permits etc. Does this seem high?”source ↗

“Does anyone know what the general price ranges for a replacement of a 400ft basic pine privacy fence with 2 doors would be around Knoxville Tennessee?”source ↗

“So far I’ve gotten several quotes that range a bit from $35-55 per ft. I typically hire the middle ground price, but wondered if that range seems far off currently.”source ↗

“Got a fence quote online without anyone visiting how accurate was yours?”source ↗

“Trying to figure if these no-visit quotes usually hold, or if the real bill jumps once they see the posts and the grade.”source ↗

“I had quotes of $11k to $15k for 287' long x 6' tall pvc fencing with 2 gates and we settled on a quote that was around $12k.”source ↗

“I have dug footers for my own fence which was much smaller than yours. Doing that properly is a major pain in the ass worth paying for.”source ↗

“I have received 3 quotes so far for james hardie fiber cement siding and they vary widely.”source ↗

“My question is, does anyone know what a fair price would be?”source ↗

“Anyway, just wanted to ask if this seems reasonable? I certainly don’t want to over pay, but I also understand I have zero frame of reference for what is plumbers charge so I don’t want to overpay either.”source ↗

“4 Bids on a full system replacement. Help me decide and not get distracted by the noise.”source ↗

“This will be my first full system replacement. I’m leaning towards Company D Carrier. Which one would you recommend?”source ↗

“Hi all — looking for a quick sanity check on this quote before moving forward.”source ↗

“I sure hope that’s the after picture. If not, these are some scammers you’re dealing with.”source ↗

“We need a new furnace and asked them for a quote and it’s almost $3K lower than everyone else we got quotes from. Is Goodman a red flag necessarily?”source ↗

“recently got quoted by two different HVAC technicians for replacing my outside and inside unit as well as various other things listed in the quotes.”source ↗

“One technician is charging $9300 for a 15 seer unit and the other technician is charging 12,500 for a 15.2 seer unit.”source ↗

“This is out of my wheelhouse and I really appreciate any help anybody can offer”source ↗

“I am mainly trying to understand whether the ~$54k total is reasonable for the full scope.”source ↗

“Is this quote reasonable?”source ↗

“Hey everyone. So I was quoted 33k for a 5 zone mini split system and a new electric water heater.”source ↗

“Hey folks, I was quoted $620 to pull and clean this blower wheel on my variable-speed Carrier heat pump. Does this need cleaning and is it a fair price? Tech said it wasn't super urgent but recommended it.”source ↗

“Our furnace went kaput last night so I have been running the gauntlet of companies in the area. I have had some companies coming in 3k lower than others with all the bells and whistles / coverage.”source ↗

“I'm looking for guidance one what I should go with and why, as well as if these quotes actually make sense.”source ↗

“Just trying to gauge if I'm getting actual, competitive pricing and if their proposals make sense.”source ↗

“I did get a proposal from an outfit here in town that seemed insanely pricey, but I'm just not familiar with the tech these days.”source ↗

“$19,000 installed for:”source ↗

“I’m trying to get more info on these choices...”source ↗

“I’m not looking for a super cheap entry-level system, but I also don’t want to pay primarily for a premium brand name or complex tech that may not provide much benefit in a relatively moderate climate.”source ↗

“Heat exchanger on our Goodman furnace is cracked and leaking, getting quotes to replace the gas furnace and ac unit.”source ↗

“I feel like this is insane am I out of touch with recent prices?”source ↗

“I am not too familiar with the current prices, but the quote seems to be on a higher end. What do you guys thinks?”source ↗

“I am trying to get multiple quotes to replace what are easily a 30 year old gas furnace and A/C unit in my 1300 square foot house.”source ↗

“So far, I have gotten 3 quotes and they all seem wildly different.”source ↗

“These numbers feel rather wide ranging for me and it's making it hard for me to make a decision.”source ↗

“I was quoted $5,800 for a new condenser and also includes a retrofit from R22 to R407C. Does this seam reasonable?”source ↗

“Seems a little steep to me but you did not include sizing or location or any obstacles that could raise the price.”source ↗

“We feel that this is a lot considering the whole unit & install cost the previous owner 3000$. Are we being scammed ?”source ↗

“This was my first estimate I got. I’m trying to find some other companies to come out. I’m posting to really see if this is to be expected”source ↗

“The quote for parts and labor is $1870 is this reasonable and necessary? Just a girl trying to figure out if this is actually necessary”source ↗

“Out of warranty as I’m the third owner. Showing no symptoms as of last season. Have not turned it on this season yet, I was getting it serviced in preparation for fall and winter when this was discovered.”source ↗

“I received a quote for $24,300 before a $750 Mass Save rebate to replace an existing heat pump system.”source ↗

“Does this seem like a reasonable price range for a cold-climate multi-zone Bryant system in Massachusetts, or should I get more quotes?”source ↗

“So just want to know if this is normally what is it. As when I ask some AI agents, they all said 24K is still high end price.”source ↗

“I have a *boiler for hot water baseboard heating and one of the pipes that goes to the pump is rusted.”source ↗

“They wan't $1800 which seems like a lot?”source ↗

“How much should I expect to pay in the northeast for hyper heat single zone 18k btu mini split installed. I am getting wild deltas between quotes?”source ↗

“We've been quoted $9,600 to replace the old boiler with a Navien NCB-H 130k combi boiler. The quote seemed reasonable to the other 12k+ bids we received. I was wondering if the quote seemed reasonable based on our current setup. Or is there another recommendation that we should pursue?”source ↗

“It’s for sure worth investigating, but I’m already horrified at how much that quote was.”source ↗

“Looking at getting LG Red 3 Ton Ducted Heat Pumps installed. I see indoor/outdoor pairs being sold retail online for around $6k. A pro just quoted me $11.5k. This is in addition to $7k of labor costs. I figure some markup is to be expected, but 100% seems excessive. Am I wrong?”source ↗

“I am wondering what you all think about this quote and if you know a reliable appliance repair company.”source ↗

“I made some other calls to other repair companies, most of them sound like a scam, or some broker tries to connect us with local techs rather than directly reaching out to the local techs.”source ↗

“Local flooring company quoted $1500-1600 for labor only to install LVP on 13 steps. Is that a good price?”source ↗

“The quote from the contractor, however, had an additional 95 square feet of floor to be removed than is actually there, plus, the contractor's sales rep added 33% on top of his total measurement for waste, which I thought was far more than necessary.”source ↗

“I called a professional termite company and they said they’re only charging $495 for a full house treatment.”source ↗

“Is that a good price? Is that too expensive/too cheap??”source ↗

“We’re first time home owners”source ↗