Cheap bids always make me nervous... they usually mean corners are getting cut somewhere.
Same here. Had a lowball offer on a deck rebuild once—looked great on paper, but the guy was planning to reuse old footings. Ended up going with someone pricier but thorough. Curious, has anyone ever had a cheap bid actually work out long-term?
Curious, has anyone ever had a cheap bid actually work out long-term?
Honestly, not for me. Every time I went with the lowest bidder, something popped up later—like hidden rot or shortcuts with materials. I get the appeal, but I’d rather pay more upfront than deal with headaches down the line. Maybe there are rare exceptions, but I haven’t seen one yet.
I’ve actually had one cheap bid work out, but it was a smaller job—just repainting the garage. The guy was new in town and trying to build his business, so he undercut everyone else. Paint’s still holding up after five years. But yeah, for bigger stuff like plumbing or roofing, I’ve learned the hard way that you usually get what you pay for. Sometimes luck plays a part, but I wouldn’t count on it for anything major.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’ve actually had the opposite experience a few times. Cheap bids on “small” jobs have burned me just as much as big ones—think patchy drywall or paint that started peeling after one winter. Sometimes the low price means they’re cutting corners somewhere, even if it’s not obvious right away. For bigger projects, I’d rather pay more upfront than deal with callbacks and repairs down the line. That said, I do think there are exceptions, especially with folks just starting out... but it’s a gamble every time.
Sometimes the low price means they’re cutting corners somewhere, even if it’s not obvious right away.
That’s been my experience too, especially with exterior paint jobs. One year, I went with a guy who was half the price of the others—looked great at first, but by spring, the trim was flaking off. Now I always ask for a breakdown of materials and labor before signing anything. If they can’t explain where the savings come from, that’s usually a red flag for me. Sometimes paying more upfront really does save headaches later.
