sometimes 30 days just isn’t enough—especially for bigger jobs or when you’re waiting on other inspections or permits
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve seen folks get caught in that exact bind, stuck waiting on a city inspector or an HOA approval, and suddenly their quote’s expired. It makes no sense to rush a major decision just to meet an arbitrary deadline. Your idea about a tiered system is smart—keeps things fair for both sides. Honestly, the current approach can backfire on everyone. If contractors want fewer regrets (and call-backs), giving people a little breathing room isn’t the worst idea.
That’s the thing—these deadlines don’t reflect real-world delays. I’ve had storm jobs where insurance dragged their feet for weeks, and by the time we got the green light, the quote window had slammed shut. A little flexibility saves everyone headaches, honestly. Your tiered system idea actually makes sense, even if some folks might grumble about “moving targets.” At least it’s more realistic than pretending every project fits a tidy timeline.
- Seen this play out a bunch, especially after big storms. Quotes expire, but the real holdup is always insurance or adjusters dragging things out.
- Had a case last year—client waited almost two months for their claim to get sorted. By then, the original quote was useless. Prices had jumped, and the contractor had to rework everything.
- I get why companies want to stick to deadlines, but honestly, it’s not always practical. Weather, supply chain, insurance... too many moving parts.
- Tiered system sounds more fair, but I’d worry about it getting too complicated. Some folks might use it as an excuse to keep pushing things off, too.
- Still, pretending every job fits a neat 30-day window just isn’t reality. Maybe a little wiggle room for stuff outside the homeowner’s control makes sense.
- At the end of the day, I’d rather see clear communication than hard deadlines that don’t match what actually happens on the ground.
I’m right there with you on the 30-day window being unrealistic, especially after a big storm or when insurance is involved. I’ve managed a handful of properties through a few hurricanes, and every single time, the bottleneck is insurance. They’re slow, contractors get antsy, and by the time a claim gets greenlit, it’s a whole new ballgame. Materials have gone up, labor is booked out, and the original quote is basically just a piece of paper.
I get why companies want some kind of deadline—they’ve got to protect themselves from price jumps and people sitting on quotes forever. But the reality is, most homeowners aren’t dragging their feet for fun. They’re waiting for adjusters, or they’re stuck in the back-and-forth with their insurance company over what’s covered. It’s not like they can just speed that up.
I’m not a fan of making things overly complicated with a bunch of tiers or exceptions, but there’s got to be some flexibility built in. Maybe something like, “quote valid for 30 days, but if you can prove you’re stuck waiting on insurance, we’ll honor it for another 30”—or at least work with you on a fair adjustment. The key is just being upfront about it. If prices have changed because of a legit supply issue, just say so and show the receipts. Most people get it if you’re honest.
One thing I’ve noticed: the folks who communicate early and often—contractors, insurance, whoever—make things a lot smoother. When everyone’s guessing or making assumptions, that’s when things get messy. I’d rather have a contractor tell me, “Hey, prices might jump if we don’t get this locked in soon,” than have them spring a surprise increase after I’ve been waiting two months through no fault of my own.
At the end of the day, hard deadlines that ignore real-world delays just set everyone up for frustration. Give people a little leeway when it’s out of their hands, but don’t let it turn into an open-ended thing either. There’s a sweet spot somewhere in there... just takes a little common sense and communication.
That’s exactly what I’m running into right now—insurance dragging their feet and the contractor’s quote about to expire. It’s frustrating because I’m not trying to stall, but I also can’t control how slow the adjuster is. I get that prices change, but if a contractor can show me why, I’m way more likely to trust them. Has anyone actually seen a contractor honor an old quote when insurance delays things? Or do they usually just re-quote at the new price?
