Haha, seriously, sometimes it feels like they're just pulling numbers out of thin air. Had a similar experience when we redid our roof—quotes ranged from "wow, that's suspiciously cheap" to "are you roofing with gold shingles??" Definitely second the advice about detailed breakdowns. We caught one contractor charging premium prices for basic materials. Mid-range worked out for us too...though my wallet still hasn't fully recovered.
Yeah, the pricing rollercoaster is real. Had a similar situation when we switched to a green roof—some bids were reasonable, others made me wonder if they thought we were building a rooftop park or something. Definitely agree on detailed breakdowns; we spotted one contractor padding labor hours like crazy. Mid-range worked best for us too, but honestly, the peace of mind from knowing exactly what you're paying for is worth almost as much as the savings...almost.
Haha, seriously, some of these contractors must think we're secretly millionaires or something. When we redid our driveway, one guy quoted us like he was paving the road to Buckingham Palace. We ended up going mid-range too, but honestly, the best thing we did was ask for references and actually call them. Got some pretty funny stories from past customers, and it helped us dodge a bullet or two...
"one guy quoted us like he was paving the road to Buckingham Palace."
Haha, I swear some contractors see storm damage and their eyes turn into dollar signs. After our last big storm, we had bids all over the map—one was literally triple the lowest. Ended up going with someone mid-range too, but only after checking references and seeing their actual work. It's amazing how many headaches a quick phone call can save you...
I feel this. Had a homeowner last summer who showed me bids from three other companies—one was so high I thought they were quoting gold-plated shingles or something. But honestly, the lowest bid wasn't much better. They were cutting corners left and right, skipping proper underlayment, and not even mentioning flashing around chimneys. Sure, the price looked great on paper, but that's exactly how you end up with leaks two years down the road.
Ended up explaining to the homeowner exactly what each step involved and why certain things cost more. Not everyone wants to hear it, but roofing's one of those things where you really do get what you pay for. Glad to see people here taking the time to check references and past work—it's worth every minute spent.
