Periodic revisits make sense, but how often would you suggest checking back on quotes? I've had contractors tell me their prices are only good for 30 days, while others honor them for months. Seems like there's a sweet spot somewhere—long enough to plan without rushing, but short enough to reflect market changes. Curious what timeframe others have found practical or fair...
"Seems like there's a sweet spot somewhere—long enough to plan without rushing, but short enough to reflect market changes."
I get the logic, but honestly, maybe it's less about a fixed timeframe and more about clearly communicating when prices might shift? Like, if material costs spike suddenly, wouldn't flexibility make more sense than a rigid 30-day rule...
Yeah, I get the flexibility angle, but doesn't that make budgeting a nightmare? Like, if I'm planning a reno and I've got a quote that's good for "about 30 days, unless something changes," how am I supposed to plan around that? I mean, sure, if lumber prices suddenly double overnight (again 🙄), I get it—no one's expecting contractors to eat that cost. But shouldn't there be some middle ground? Maybe something like honoring the quote unless there's a significant market shift, and clearly defining what counts as "significant"? Otherwise, aren't we just leaving homeowners guessing and hoping nothing crazy happens before we sign the dotted line?
"Maybe something like honoring the quote unless there's a significant market shift, and clearly defining what counts as 'significant'?"
I hear ya on that—defining "significant" would save a lot of headaches. But honestly, from experience, even clear definitions get messy when prices start jumping all over. What if lumber creeps up 10% one week, then another 10% the next...does that count as significant yet? Contractors I've talked to are usually pretty fair about it, but yeah, some clearer guidelines would definitely help everyone sleep better at night.
Defining "significant" clearly sounds good in theory, but honestly, how practical is it? I've seen cases where prices barely budged for months, then suddenly shot up overnight—no gradual creep, just a sudden spike. Would a predefined percentage really cover those scenarios? Maybe instead of strict definitions, it'd be better to set shorter validity periods for quotes...might save everyone from awkward renegotiations later on.
