That’s a really fair take. I’ve run into the same thing—quotes that seemed solid, then by the time the board approves or the insurance company gets back to us, prices have jumped. It’s frustrating, but I’d rather have a contractor be honest about rising costs than try to make up the difference by using cheaper materials or rushing the job. I’ve seen that happen and it’s just not worth it.
I do think it’s reasonable to expect some kind of window where the price holds, but these days, with how volatile things are, I’m starting to think a 30-day quote is about as much as anyone can promise. Anything longer, and you’re probably rolling the dice. I always ask for escalation clauses in writing now—just makes it easier to explain to owners or tenants if the numbers move.
It’s not ideal, especially for folks on a tight budget, but I’d rather know up front than get hit with a surprise halfway through. Has anyone actually had a contractor stick to a six-month-old quote lately? I haven’t seen it in years...
Six months? I wish. Last time I tried to lock in a quote for more than 30 days, the contractor just laughed and said, “If you can get me materials at that price in six months, let me know.” Honestly, I can’t blame them. Lumber prices alone have been all over the place lately—one week it’s reasonable, next week it’s like they’re made of gold.
I totally agree about preferring honesty over corner-cutting. Had a guy years ago who tried to “make up the difference” by swapping out fixtures for cheaper ones without telling me. Ended up costing more to fix his shortcuts than if he’d just been upfront about the price hike.
Now I just assume quotes are good for a month, tops. Anything longer feels like wishful thinking these days. Escalation clauses are a must—makes those awkward conversations with the spouse or HOA a little less painful when things change. It’s not ideal, but I’d rather deal with reality than get blindsided halfway through a project.
I hear you on the 30-day window. Last year, I had a painter quote me for a hallway and stairwell job—by the time the HOA approved it (which took forever, as usual), his supplier had bumped up paint prices by 20%. He was upfront about it, but it still stung. I’d rather have a short, realistic quote than get hit with “surprise” charges halfway through. Escalation clauses are just part of the game now. Anyone promising to hold a price for six months is either new or planning to cut corners somewhere... and that never ends well in my experience.
I run into the same issue with vendor quotes all the time—especially with materials like paint or lumber that seem to change price overnight. Thirty days is pretty much the industry norm now, and honestly, it’s fair given how volatile costs have become. I’ve had a couple vendors try to lock prices for 90 days, but either they padded the quote upfront or came back with “adjustments” later. Escalation clauses are annoying but at least they’re transparent. In my experience, it’s better to get a clear, time-limited quote and move quickly on approvals if possible... otherwise you’re just rolling the dice.
I get where you’re coming from about 30 days being the norm, but I’m not sure it’s always “fair” for the client side.
That works if your project timelines are predictable, but in my experience, delays pop up all the time—permits, weather, even just scheduling trades. Sometimes by the time you’re ready to pull the trigger, that quote’s expired and you’re back to square one. I’ve seen a few suppliers offer rolling price locks based on index-linked adjustments instead of hard cutoffs. It’s a bit more complex but can take some of the sting out of sudden hikes. Not perfect, but maybe worth considering for bigger jobs?“it’s better to get a clear, time-limited quote and move quickly on approvals if possible...”